Damage to forests from the massive wildfires in North Gyeongsang Province last month appears to be twice as bad as forest authorities initially believed.

According to local governments and other authorities on Thursday, a joint inspection by government agencies, including the Korea Forest Service, has estimated the damaged area at nearly 90-thousand hectares. 

Previously, the forest authorities placed the figure at 45-thousand-157 hectares. 

The latest estimate is four times the comparable number for the wildfires that devastated the east coast in 2000, which were considered the worst in the nation’s history. 

Forest authorities plan to announce a final figure soon.