More than 2,000 firefighters are currently battling Japan’s largest forest fire in three decades, officials reported on Monday, as around 4,600 residents remain under an evacuation advisory. One person tragically died last week in the blaze, which is raging in the northern Iwate region. The fire follows a period of record low rainfall in the area and last year’s hottest summer on record in Japan, a situation worsened by global climate change, which has led to rising temperatures worldwide.
“Although it is inevitable that the fire will spread to some extent, we will take all possible measures to ensure there will be no impact on people’s homes,” said Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in parliament.
The fire, which began near the city of Ofunato, has already scorched around 2,100 hectares (5,200 acres) since Thursday, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Firefighters from 14 regions, including units from Tokyo, are working to contain the blaze, supported by 16 helicopters, including military aircraft, attempting to extinguish the flames.
As of Sunday, the fire had damaged 84 buildings, though the full extent of the destruction is still being assessed. Around 2,000 people have sought refuge with friends or relatives, while more than 1,200 have evacuated to shelters, officials reported.
Morning footage from Ofunato, broadcast by national network NHK, showed orange flames dangerously close to buildings and thick white smoke rising into the sky.
While the number of wildfires in Japan has decreased since the peak in the 1970s, government data shows that around 1,300 fires were recorded across the country in 2023, primarily in the period from February to April, when dry air and strong winds increase fire risk.
In February, Ofunato received just 2.5 millimetres (0.1 inches) of rainfall, breaking the previous record low of 4.4 millimetres set in 1967 and far below the usual monthly average of 41 millimetres.
Certain extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall, have established links to climate change. However, other phenomena like droughts, snowstorms, tropical storms, and forest fires are influenced by a combination of complex factors.
