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.

Light rain offered some relief to South Korean authorities tackling the country's worst wildfires on record, with exhausted firefighters making another push on Friday to contain blazes stretching 70 km (44 miles).

Authorities in South Korea are battling wildfires that have doubled in size in a day in the country’s worst ever natural fire disaster.