300 Gangneung residents fled a fire on Tuesday.
Authorities said winds hindered water-bombing planes from fighting the Gangneung fire that started at 8:30 a.m. local time (2330 GMT on Monday).
At 1 p.m., Gangwon Province Governor Kim Jin-tae claimed the fire had burnt about 170 hectares (420 acres) and caused 300 residents of over 200,000 to escape—unreported casualties.
Kim said heavy winds toppled a tree into live power lines, beginning the fire.
Social media showed smoke-filled dwellings and forest fires.
His office said South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered officials to deploy all measures to extinguish the fire and evacuate nearby houses to reduce casualties.
