Thousands Flee as Japan Battles Largest Wildfire in Decades

TOKYO, 2 March 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate from northern Japan as the country’s most extensive wildfire in over 30 years continues to rage, officials confirmed on Sunday. The fire has already claimed at least one life and left significant devastation in its wake.

Approximately 2,000 people have fled the areas surrounding the city of Ofunato, seeking refuge with friends or relatives, while more than 1,200 individuals have taken shelter in evacuation centres, local authorities reported.

“We are still assessing the full extent of the damage, but this is the largest wildfire since the 1992 blaze in Kushiro, Hokkaido,” a spokesperson for the disaster management agency told AFP on Saturday.

Preliminary estimates suggest the fire has spread across more than 1,800 hectares, making containment efforts particularly challenging. Aerial footage broadcast by NHK revealed thick columns of white smoke rising above the affected region, while military helicopters made repeated attempts to douse the flames from the air.

So far, one burnt body has been recovered, while more than 80 buildings have been damaged. In response, approximately 1,700 firefighters from across Japan have been deployed to combat the fire.

Although Japan has witnessed a decline in the number of wildfires since their peak in the 1970s, government data indicates that approximately 1,300 such incidents occurred in 2023. The majority of these fires take place between February and April, a period when dry conditions and strong winds heighten the risk of rapid fire spread.

A Growing Climate Challenge

Japan, like many other countries, is experiencing an increase in extreme weather events, with rising temperatures contributing to more frequent and severe wildfires. Experts have warned that the changing climate, combined with rural depopulation and ageing forests, could further exacerbate the risk of large-scale fires in the future.

Authorities continue to urge residents to remain cautious and heed evacuation orders as efforts to contain the wildfire persist.