Japan Battles Worst Forest Fire in 30 Years

• Japan deploys over 2,000 firefighters to battle its largest forest fire in 30 years.
• Thousands evacuate as the fire burns over 5,200 acres near Ofunato.
• Authorities blame extreme drought, with February seeing record-low rainfall.

Japan has deployed over 2,000 firefighters to combat the country’s most significant forest fire in 30 years, which has already claimed one life and scorched more than 5,200 acres near the northern city of Ofunato, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA).

The fire, which began on Thursday, has been fueled by exceptionally dry conditions. Ofunato experienced its driest February in over two decades, recording just 2.5 millimetres of rainfall—far below the usual average of 41 millimetres.

EDITOR’S PICKS 

• 45% of Nigerian Girls Become Mothers Before 18 — World Bank
• ECOWAS Faces Historic Defection as Three West African Nations Withdraw
• Netanyahu to Meet Trump at White House Next Week

Approximately 4,600 residents remain under evacuation orders, with around 2,000 already seeking refuge with friends or family and over 1,200 sheltering in designated facilities, officials reported.

The blaze is concentrated in the forests of Iwate Prefecture, Japan’s second-largest prefecture by land area but one of its least densely populated regions. So far, more than 80 buildings are believed to have been damaged, though authorities are still assessing the full extent of the destruction.

“While some fire spread is inevitable, we are taking all necessary measures to prevent any impact on residential areas,” Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba assured lawmakers.

FURTHER READING

• [VIDEO] Commotion Rocks PDP BoT Meeting as Faction Confront Each Other
• NiDCOM Prepares for Deportation of Nigerians from U.S
• BREAKING: Sowore Pleads Not Guilty to Cybercrime Charges Filed by Police IG

Firefighters from 14 prefectures, including Tokyo, have been deployed alongside at least 16 helicopters, which have been seen dumping water over the smoldering hills.

Japan recorded its hottest year on record in 2024, in line with global trends. While it is difficult to directly link individual wildfires to climate change, scientists, including those from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), warn that rising global temperatures are creating conditions that make wildfires more likely to spread.

Click here to watch our video of the week:

---

Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:

Kindly contact us at ekohotblog@gmail.com. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.

Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.

Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611