Japan is battling its worst wildfire in four decades, forcing thousands of people to flee amid some of the driest weather on record.
At least one person has been killed since the blaze broke out Feb. 26 near the the city of Ofunato, on the country’s northeast coast, according to the national Fire and Disaster Management Agency. About 2,100 hectares (5,189 acres) had been charred as of Monday afternoon, and more than 4,500 people have been ordered to evacuate.
That makes the fire the biggest in Japan since 1985, according to the fire agency. Dry weather and strong winds in the region have helped fan the blaze as it spread into the town, destroying more than 80 structures so far. Large, destructive wildfires have become common in places like the US West as climate change warms the planet, and the problem is now spreading to places that have not historically been prone to such disasters.
“Globally, these fires are happening everywhere. Places that haven’t had wildfires are now burning,” said Samuel Manzello, a visiting professor at Tohoku University’s Institute of Fluid Science. “Japan hasn’t had a wildfire problem, and now it’s burning.”
The city of Ofunato, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) north of Tokyo, received 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inch) of rain in February. That’s the lowest in records going back 58 years, according to local meteorologists, and well below the 30-year average for the month of 41 millimeters.
Dry weather helps fires grow, especially in regions that haven’t focused on building standards designed to impede blazes from spreading, said Manzello, an expert in fires and the wildland-urban interface.
“It’s going to keep happening and more people are going to die,” he said. “They’re just not prepared for it.”
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Topics
Catastrophe
Natural Disasters
Wildfire
Japan
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