SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The most destructive wildfires ever to hit South Korea were almost contained, authorities announced Friday, after rain and cooler temperatures helped fire crew put out the blazes that have killed 28 people and razed vast swaths of land since last week.

Aerial photos and satellite images show large blackened patches across the region, particularly near Uiseong, where the firefront moved with astonishing speed, reaching the coastal town of Yeongdeok, 51km away, in just 12 hours earlier this week.