Japan is grappling with its largest wildfire in more than three decades, with over 1,000 people evacuated from the area near the Ofunato forest in Iwate’s northern region.
The fire, which broke out on Wednesday, has spread over approximately 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of land, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. “We’re still examining the size of the affected area, but it is the biggest since the 1992 wildfire [in Kushiro, Hokkaido],” a spokesperson from the agency confirmed. That fire, which burned 1,030 hectares, was the previous record.
To combat the blaze, about 1,700 firefighters have been deployed from across Japan. Aerial footage from the national broadcaster NHK showed thick white smoke enveloping an entire mountain.
The fire has already resulted in the tragic death of one person, whose body was discovered by local police, and more than 80 buildings have been damaged. As of Friday, over 1,000 residents have been evacuated.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, with two other wildfires reported in Yamanashi and Iwate as of Saturday.
In 2023, Japan experienced approximately 1,300 wildfires, mainly occurring from February to April, when the weather is typically dry and winds are stronger. Although the number of wildfires has decreased since the 1970s, the February rainfall in Ofunato was just 2.5mm (0.1 inches), significantly lower than the previous record low of 4.4mm in 1967.
Last year was Japan’s hottest on record, reflecting a global trend driven by increasing greenhouse gas emissions contributing to the climate crisis.
