Over 20 wildfires erupted throughout South Korea on Saturday, March 22, including the fatal one in the southeast of the Korean Peninsula, leaving two firemen dead and two missing. Acting President Choi Sang-mok called for a concerted effort to put out the fire before dusk since high winds were causing flames to spread quickly. In South Gyeongsang province, the deceased firemen were trying to put out a fire that started on Friday, March 21, and had burned 275 hectares (680 acres) as of Saturday afternoon in the mountainous regions of Sancheong County. The number of residents evacuated exceeded 200. The area was designated a disaster area by the South Korean government on Saturday night.