The South Korea’s Forest Service said on Sunday that no fewer than four people have died and six have been injured in a series of wildfires, as firefighters rushed to put out the fires amid dry and windy weather.

The authorities said more than 9,000 staff and 105 helicopters were deployed to quell the fires engulfing areas mostly in the southeast of the country, damaging residential buildings and a temple.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok told a disaster response meeting that over 1,500 residents took shelter as the fires wiped out some 6,300 hectares (16,000 acres) of forests.

“I request that the Korea Forest Service pay special attention to securing the safety of personnel in charge of extinguishing wildfires in the air or on the ground,” Choi said as he vowed to use all available resources to stop the fires.

It was gathered that three of the four people who died were firefighters and one was a public servant.