Wildfires Rage in Japan's Iwate Region, Threatening Thousands of Homes
Two large forest fires in Japan's Iwate region have burned approximately 700 hectares since breaking out three days ago.
As of Saturday morning, 1,541 households and 3,233 people were urged to evacuate.
More than 1,300 firefighters, along with about a dozen helicopters and Japan Self-Defense Forces troops, were deployed on Saturday to combat the blazes. Emergency services are working to contain the spread and protect communities.
At least eight buildings have been burned, but all residents have been successfully evacuated from the immediate danger zones. The town of Otsuchi is particularly threatened, with about one-third of its residents ordered to evacuate.
According to media reports, these fires have burned the third-largest area of any wildfire in Japan's recorded history.
Background & Context
This event follows a devastating precedent. Last year, the Iwate city of Ofunato experienced Japan's worst wildfire in more than half a century, burning a staggering 3,370 hectares.
The fires occur as Japan experiences increasingly dry winters. Scientists attribute more intense and longer drought periods—conditions highly favorable to wildfires—to climate change caused by human activities, including the burning of fossil fuels.