Japan is grappling with its largest wildfire in over 30 years, prompting the evacuation of more than a thousand people.
The blaze has spread across approximately 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of forest in Ofunato, located in the northern Iwate region, since it ignited on Wednesday, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
“This is the most extensive wildfire since the 1992 Kushiro fire in Hokkaido,” a spokesperson from the agency stated, noting that assessments of the affected area were still ongoing. The 1992 fire previously held the record, having burned 1,030 hectares. Currently, around 1,700 firefighters from across Japan have been deployed to combat the flames.
Aerial footage from public broadcaster NHK captured dense white smoke enveloping an entire mountain.
Local authorities in Ofunato reported that one person was found dead due to burns, while over 1,000 residents had been evacuated, and more than 80 buildings were damaged as of Friday. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
Meanwhile, two additional wildfires were burning on Saturday—one in Yamanashi and another elsewhere in Iwate.
Japan experienced around 1,300 wildfires in 2023, primarily between February and April, when dry conditions and strong winds increase fire risks. However, the overall number of wildfires has declined since the 1970s, according to government data.
Japan’s record-breaking heat last year reflects the global trend of rising temperatures, driven by increasing greenhouse gas emissions fueling the climate crisis.
The wildfire, which ignited on Wednesday, has engulfed approximately 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of forest in Ofunato, located in the northern Iwate region. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency described it as the largest wildfire the country has seen since 1992, when flames consumed 1,030 hectares in Kushiro, Hokkaido. Officials are still assessing the full extent of the destruction.
The rapidly spreading blaze has prompted authorities to mobilize approximately 1,700 firefighters from across Japan in an urgent bid to contain the flames. However, challenging terrain and dry conditions have made firefighting efforts particularly difficult.
