South Korea redeployed firefighting helicopters after a fatal crash caused a temporary grounding on Wednesday as authorities struggle to contain “unprecedented” deadly wildfires that have ravaged the country’s southeast,

The death toll included a pilot who died after a helicopter crashed during efforts to contain wildfires in one of the areas hardest-hit.

South Korea is battling one of its worst wildfire crises in recent history, with massive infernos leaving the Gounsa Temple, which is more than 1,000 years old, in ruins. Some of the artefacts, including the seated stone Buddha were spared.