Efforts continued Monday to extinguish a wildfire in Hadong County, South Gyeongsang Province, prompting authorities to issue a Level Two alert in the three-tier national wildfire response system. 

According to the Korea Forest Service, the fire broke out on a hill in the county's Okjong area around 12:05 p.m.

The fire broke out about three kilometers from the area affected by last month's wildfire that began in nearby Sancheong County. 

Authorities raised the wildfire response alert from Level One at 1:45 p.m. to Level Two by 3:30 p.m., which is issued when the affected area is estimated at between 50 and 99 hectares. 
 
The forest agency dispatched 21 helicopters, 37 pieces of equipment and 397 personnel to contain the fire.

With 47 hectares affected, about 40 percent of the fire has been contained.

County officials have ordered local residents to evacuate, with 326 people having left their homes so far.

Authorities suspect the fire began while a man was using a string trimmer and plan to investigate the exact cause.