The South Korean government declared a state of national disaster Saturday over massive wildfires in southeastern regions that have claimed four lives.

Axar.az reports, citing Yonhap, the decision came as multiple wildfires were reported in Ulsan city and other southeastern counties, including Sancheong County.

The county office said two missing fire officials were found dead, raising the death toll to four. Six people, including one resident, were injured.

Eight villages in Sancheong were placed under evacuation orders as strong winds hampered firefighting efforts a day after the fire first broke out on Friday afternoon.

More than 260 villagers lost their homes and sought refuge in temporary shelters.

A wildfire in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, broke out earlier in the day, affecting 300 hectares of forest, according to authorities.

Firefighters had extinguished 4 percent of the blaze as of 5 p.m., while some 500 villagers were displaced.