According to officials, about 1,200 people have been evacuated to shelters, and about 2,000 individuals have left the area near Ofunato to stay with friends or family.
As over 4,600 residents are still under an evacuation advisory, officials announced Monday that almost 1,700 firemen are fighting Japan’s largest forest fire in thirty years.
Following last year’s hottest summer on record in Japan and record-low rainfall in the area, a fire in the northern district of Iwate claimed one life last week.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported on Monday that the fire near the city of Ofunato has burnt through almost 2,100 hectares (5,200 acres) since Thursday.
16 helicopters, including military ones, were attempting to put out the fire while firefighters from 14 different Japanese regions, including Tokyo, battled the fire. According to the agency, details were still being evaluated, but by Sunday, it was estimated to have destroyed 84 buildings.
According to officials, around 1,200 people have been evacuated to shelters, and about 2,000 have fled the neighborhood to stay with friends or family.
National broadcaster NHK’s early morning footage from Ofunato showed white smoke rising into the air and orange flames near structures.
Government statistics show that Japan has had fewer wildfires since the 1970s peak. However, in 2023, there were roughly 1,300 nationwide, mostly during the dry spell and windy months of February through April.
Just 2.5 millimetres (0.1 inches) of rain fell on Ofunato in February, which was less than the typical average of 41 millimetres and broke the previous record low of 4.4 millimetres for the month in 1967.
