Workers Save Buddha As S. Korea's Wildfires Raze Ancient Temple

Wildfires in South Korea have claimed 24 lives and destroyed thousands of hectares of forests (Credit: AFP)

At South Korea's thousand-year-old Gounsa Temple, workers delicately swaddled a giant gilded Buddha statue with a fire-retardant blanket.

Hours later much of the temple burned down in one of the deadliest wildfires to hit South Korea -- but the Buddha and the wooden hall it was in survived.