In brief
A wildfire in Japan, unprecedented in scale for over 30 years, is wreaking havoc in Ofunato, prompting thousands of evacuations and resulting in one fatality as firefighting efforts continue.
Japan is grappling with its largest wildfire in over three decades, with a raging blaze spreading across a forested area of the coastal city of Ofunato. The fire has claimed at least one life and caused extensive damage, prompting evacuation orders for thousands of residents, according to fire officials. The fire, currently consuming approximately 1,800 hectares (4,500 acres), has persisted for several days, growing by an additional 400 hectares since Saturday. It was first reported by the Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency on Wednesday afternoon. Extensive damage to property has been reported, with at least 84 homes deemed impacted as of Wednesday night. Disturbingly, police have confirmed the discovery of a man's body near the wildfire zone, although further details have not been disclosed.In response to the rapidly worsening situation, local authorities issued evacuation orders affecting around 4,600 residents on Wednesday. By Sunday morning, about 1,200 individuals had found shelter in emergency accommodations. A massive firefighting operation is underway, with nearly 1,700 firefighters from 14 different prefectures mobilized since Wednesday to tackle the blaze. Footage from NHK, Japan's national broadcaster, has captured aerial views of firefighting aircraft navigating thick plumes of smoke and fierce flames engulfing the forest.As of now, it remains unclear how effective these efforts have been in containing the fire, with no updates regarding potential further damage to properties since midweek. The cause of this devastating fire is still under investigation.The previous wildfire of similar magnitude occurred in 1992, devastating over 1,000 hectares on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. It is notable that the driest season in Ofunato generally falls between January and March, and February 2025 was reported as the driest in over 20 years. In addition to the Ofunato fire, officials are managing two smaller wildfires in Japan, one in Yamanashi prefecture that has spread to 120 hectares, and another in Nagano prefecture that has reached 100 hectares since it ignited.
