At least 24 people are dead, including the pilot of a helicopter that crashed during efforts to contain fires that have burned for days, fueled by strong winds.

South Korean fire crews battled what the acting president on Wednesday called some of the worst wildfires ever in the country, fueled by windy and dry conditions. At least 24 people have died, the authorities said, including the pilot of a downed helicopter.

The National Fire Agency said the helicopter crashed on Wednesday during firefighting efforts. It said it could not immediately provide further details, including the cause of the crash or whether anyone else was on board.

Two ancient Buddhist temples were among the more than 200 buildings damaged or destroyed since the fires began on Friday in the country’s southeast. Tens of thousands of acres have been scorched, the government said, and more than 27,000 people evacuated.

Out of nearly 30 blazes since Friday, eight were still burning early Wednesday.

In addition to the 24 fatalities, at least 26 people were injured, 12 of them seriously, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said on Wednesday. Many of those who died were in their 60s and 70s, a local police official said in a briefing.

The government said that 43,000 acres had been damaged.