As of March 1, firefighting efforts continue in the forests of Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture This follows a third wildfire confirmed on February 26 was finally brought under control on the 25th a forest fire also broke out in neighboring Rikuzentakata Strong winds and dry conditions, typical of the Sanriku coast causing them to spread to the tree canopies According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications the forest fire that began on February 26 in Ofunato had burned about 1400 hectares (around 3460 acres) of land as of March 1 the city issued evacuation orders to an additional 141 households bringing the total number of people affected to 4,596 people in 1,896 households More than 1,000 people have fled to evacuation centers At least 84 homes and buildings were burned The Forestry Agency reports that the average annual area affected by forest fires nationwide from 2018 to 2022 was about 657 hectares This means the damage in Ofunato caused by the latest wildfire has more than doubled Japan's yearly average in just four days an associate professor at Kyoto University's Disaster Prevention Research Institute total rainfall has been significantly lower than average." Toge investigated the 2017 forest fire in Iwate Prefecture's Kamaishi City He drew comparisons between the two incidents "The maximum instantaneous wind speed on the day of the fire was 25.9 meters per second in Kamaishi and 18.1 meters per second in Ofunato," he explained "It's possible that the blaze escalated from a surface fire spreading flames to the treetops," Toge added He also warned that the dry weather and strong winds are not limited to the Sanriku region. "These conditions affect broader areas across the Tohoku region Since most forest fires are caused by human activity it is crucial to handle fire with care," he said The recovery efforts following the 2017 Kamaishi forest fire took about five years to complete It is estimated that the new trees will take 40 to 50 years to mature for logging Land restoration efforts were also carried out to prevent soil and charred trees from washing down from the mountains into the sea and impacting marine life Author: Katsutoshi Takagi You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " TOKYO (AP) — Wildfires have hit several regions in western Japan forcing dozens of residents to evacuate and damaging a number of homes as hundreds of firefighters battled the widening blazes in the mountainous areas quickly burning hundreds of hectares (acres) Six homes have been damaged in city of Okayama where a fire started on Mount Kaigara and burned 250 hectares (600 acres) of the forest in the Ehime prefecture on the main island of Shikoku the fire left a firefighter slightly injured Firefighters and defense helicopters sprayed water but the blazes in the two prefectures had not been extinguished as of Monday afternoon Experts blamed dry weather and dried-up fallen leaves on the ground in the forest as likely causes of the wildfires in Okayama and Imabari READ MORE: Wildfires in the Carolinas force evacuations and prompt an emergency declaration A smaller fire was detected in the mountainous village of Aso in the Kumamoto prefecture on the southern main island of Kyushu earlier Sunday according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency Local media said the fire started while residents were burning trash The fires came just weeks after extensive wildfires in the northern Japanese city of Ofunato left one person dead and damaged more than 200 houses and other buildings as the blaze burned 2,900 hectares (7,170 acres) © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins A massive wildfire in northeastern Japan was declared contained Sunday after raging for 12 days damaging at least 210 buildings in its wake Evacuation orders still in place for 2,424 people across 979 households in Ofunato we have determined that there is no risk of the fire spreading further we will focus on supporting the victims and staying alert to ensure the fire is fully extinguished," Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami said and 108 non-residential buildings such as offices The figure is likely to increase further as investigations proceed Evacuation orders were issued for 4,596 residents from 1,896 households at one point but were gradually lifted as firefighting efforts and rainfall reduced the risk of the blaze spreading further Taking into consideration the possibility of the fire reigniting and access to essential services the city began partially lifting evacuation orders from Friday an 82-year-old fisherman who is staying at a community center in the city expressed relief upon hearing the fire had been contained But with his house having been destroyed in the fire he noted that "I can't relax until I find a new place to live." Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said at a government meeting Friday that the fire would be designated as a "disaster of extreme severity" and that central government subsidies for local recovery and reconstruction would be boosted Evacuation order for northeast Japan wildfire partially lifted To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible March 1, 2025JPEG The largest wildland fire to burn in Japan in decades spread amid dry it had consumed an estimated 2,100 hectares (8.1 square miles) of forested land near Ofunato a small port city approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of Tokyo Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) said the fire ignited by 1 p.m. local time on February 26. Three days later, on March 1, the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this image of smoke billowing from the blaze A thick plume lingers near the coast and appears to cast a shadow over the Ofunato area while some smoke drifts east over the Pacific Ocean By March 1, the day this image was acquired, the fire had burned through an estimated 1,200 hectares (4.6 square miles) of forest, making it the country’s largest blaze in over 30 years. A 1992 fire on the northern island of Hokkaido burned 1,030 hectares, a fire agency spokesperson told The Japan Times In addition to burning through forested land, the fire damaged dozens of structures and prompted officials to issue evacuation orders to more than 4,500 people, said FDMA. According to news reports more than 2,000 firefighters from across the country were deployed to combat the blaze NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Lindsey Doermann View this area in EO Explorer a fire near Ofunato spread to become the country’s largest in decades wildland fires are burning longer and more often in some areas as the world warms The fast-moving King fire burned in Eldorado National Forest in September 2014 The blaze is the largest in Arizona this year and the largest in the United States right now The Thomas fire has set new records while ravaging several communities California has burned more than 28,000 acres Wildfire Today Thousands of residents in northern Japan were forced to flee their homes as a record-setting wildfire burned near their properties Crews from the nation’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) began fighting the fire on Wednesday. Three days later, it officially became Japan’s largest wildfire in the last 30 years. The fire burned nearly 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares) as of Friday, along with threatening 1,755 homes and 4,263 people southeast of Ofunato City The agency also said one person has died and over 80 homes have burned The wildfire surpassed the previous burned area record of 2,545 acres (1,030 hectares) set in 1992 in Kushiro That makes this fire the largest wildfire since the nation’s Heisei era FDMA said 17 fire brigades made up of 2,569 people were fighting the fire as of Friday afternoon The brigades include a command support team from the Tokyo Fire Department and helicopters from Fukushima Prefecture Disaster Prevention Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba dedicated “maximum effort” towards firefighting activities to prevent the fire from further spreading into residential areas, a statement from Ishiba’s office said He also advised crews to work closely with local governments to provide evacuation assistance and the recovery of affected residents Any fire that burns more than 25 acres (10 hectares) is considered a “large” wildfire according to Tohoku University combustion researcher Samuel Manzello The frequent high winds that Japan experiences can cause massive conflagrations the nation has only taken minimal concrete steps toward preparing for future fires “Japan is not prepared for the (Wildland-Urban Interface) fire threat as there have been no major efforts to address it here,” Manzello told Wildfire Today fire researchers believe a wrong impression that WUI fires are a problem that only bothers famous people WUI fires are often reported in the Japanese news media from the perspective of famous Hollywood people losing their homes.” Typos, let us know HERE, and specify which article. Please read the commenting rules before you post a comment Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email Today's print edition Home Delivery Japan was battling its largest wildfire in more than three decades on Saturday one of several blazes that have killed one person and forced the evacuation of more than a thousand Flames are estimated to have spread over about 1,200 hectares in the forest of Ofunato in the northern region of Iwate since fire broke out on Wednesday according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); "We're still examining the size of the affected area but it is the biggest since the 1992 wildfire" in Kushiro Around 1,700 firefighters were being mobilized from across the country Aerial footage from public broadcaster NHK showed white smoke billowing up and covering an entire mountain Local police found the body of one person who had been burned on Thursday Over 1,000 nearby residents have been evacuated and more than 80 buildings had been damaged as of Friday Two other fires were also burning Saturday one in Yamanashi and another elsewhere in Iwate There were about 1,300 wildfires across Japan in 2023 concentrated in the February to April period when the air dries out and winds pick up The number of wildfires has declined since the peak in the 1970s Ofunato has seen only 2.5 millimeters of rainfall this month — on course to fall far below the previous record low for February of 4.4 millimeters in 1967 And last year was Japan's hottest since records began mirroring other nations as ever-rising greenhouse gas emissions fuel climate change In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 05, 2025 PlayLoading... The forest fire in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, had burned some 2,900 hectares, or 9 % of the total area of the northeastern Japan city, as of Wednesday.The burned area expanded by 300 hectares from the previous day. It was raining in the city for the first time since the fire began on Feb. 26. At least 84 buildings are believed to have been damaged in the fire, and the burned body of a man has been found. So far, 4,596 people in 1,896 households have been ordered to evacuate, and about 1,200 people are staying in shelters. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency's Morioka Local Meteorological Office, the southern part of the prefecture's coast, including Ofunato, is forecast to have up to 40 millimeters of rain over the 24 hours to noon Thursday. 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Summit 2025 returns bigger than ever with new global & SME stages  April’s headline inflation falls 0.22% – first decrease in 13 months A forest fire in northeastern Japan has scorched the largest area of land in more than 30 years as local firefighters and Self-Defense Forces struggle to control the blaze The blaze has spread across at least 1,200 hectares in Ofunato Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government has stepped up efforts to limit the damage It has surpassed the previous record of 1,030 hectares in Kushiro making it the largest area affected by a forest fire since the Heisei era the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said The number of helicopters deployed to fight the fire has risen to more than 15 including a doubling of the larger SDF aircraft The agency under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications also requested emergency assistance from local governments bringing the number of responding prefectures to more than 10 Over 3,000 residents from more than 1,300 households are still under evacuation orders 1 dead, over 80 homes lost as wildfire spreads in northeast Japan and more than 80 homes appear to have burned down after a wildfire broke out in a northeastern Japan city as the region faced its third fire in about a week the blaze has scorched more than 600 hectares in Ofunato about 3,300 residents have been ordered to evacuate Firefighters battled the blaze through the night while Self-Defense Forces helicopters were deployed in the morning to contain it from the air The Fire and Disaster Management Agency requested emergency support from firefighting departments in eight nearby prefectures and they sent about 690 personnel combined An information liaison headquarters has been set up at the prime minister's office Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba instructed relevant ministries to work closely with local authorities to help rebuild the lives of those affected top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters Nearby schools and kindergartens were closed Thursday while 500 homes in Ofunato were without power A section of a train line in the city was also suspended 87-year-old Sadao Kumagai feared he had lost his home saying the "fire and smoke got closer at an unbelievable speed." Efforts to contain the blaze Wednesday were carried out at ground level as the strong winds precluded waterbombing by helicopters strong wind and dry air warnings were in place in the area A wildfire previously broke out in Ofunato on Feb 19 and was largely extinguished by Tuesday A second blaze emerged in neighboring Rikuzentakata on Tuesday and was contained by around Wednesday noon While the latest fire is close to the site of the first blaze officials said they are not sure if the two are linked A massive wildfire in northeastern Japan expanded Monday with over 2,100 hectares burned since last week has forced residents to evacuate since breaking out Wednesday and spreading over a wide area toward the Pacific coast Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba pledged during a parliamentary session to "deploy all firefighting and Self-Defense Forces capabilities to prevent people's homes from being impacted." Firefighters recruited from across the country and SDF aircraft continued to battle the blaze after managing to prevent the flames from reaching residential areas of Ofunato on Sunday The forest fire is the biggest in Japan since the late 1980s More firefighters across Japan urged to join battle against wildfire More people ordered to evacuate as northeast Japan wildfire spreads Japan wildfire burns largest area in over 30 years as blaze rages on The wildfire in Iwate Prefecture is quickly becoming one of the largest in decades in the past five days — or three times the yearly average of around 700 hectares that such infernos raze across the country But why is the latest wildfire in Ofunato city so difficult to extinguish strong winds and the city's terrain have made the situation worse than usual but experts say there are also other reasons behind it.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Although forest fires rarely make the front page in Japan they occur more frequently than people think with around 1,200 reported cases throughout the nation each year This translates to about four fires a day that destroy about 2 hectares of forest — or 100 meters by 200 meters' worth of land Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Blaze in Ofunato has spread through 2,100 hectares of land damaged dozens of homes and forced more than 1,000 to flee Authorities in Japan have warned that the country’s biggest wildfire in decades is likely to spread after it damaged dozens of homes and forced more than 1,000 people to flee Fires continued to rage a week after they broke out in the city of Ofunato with weather officials speculating that this year’s unusually dry winter and strong winds were to blame the fire had spread through about 2,100 hectares of land damaged 84 homes and forced 1,200 residents to take refuge in school gymnasiums and other shelters A further 2,000 are staying with friends or relatives Local authorities believe that the blaze may have been responsible for the death of a man whose body was discovered on a road in the city late last week More than 2,000 self-defence force [SDF] troops and firefighters have struggled to control the flames as they spread through heavily forested mountainous areas bordering Ofunato, which was among communities destroyed in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami A handout photo made available on 03 March 2025 by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency shows firefighters battling a wildfire in Ofunato Photograph: Fire And Disaster Management Agency Handout/EPA“The fire has significant force,” the city’s mayor “We are concerned that it will spread further.” has vowed to deploy as many firefighters and SDF personnel as necessary in an attempt to limit the damage “Although it is inevitable that the fire will spread to some extent we will take all possible measures to ensure there will be no impact on people’s homes,” he told MPs The meteorological agency said snow should start falling from early on Wednesday and turn into rain from around noon aerial footage from the public broadcaster NHK showed the burned-out frames of buildings and flames and thick white smoke rising from other structures in the worst-hit neighbourhoods of Ofunato a city of about 40,000 people located 500 km north of Tokyo The wildfire is the biggest in Japan since the late 1980s according to the fire and disaster management agency Fires have broken out in other regions this winter Regions in north-east Japan have experienced their driest winter since the meteorological agency began keeping records in 1946 Ofunato saw just 2.5mm of rainfall throughout February according to the meteorological agency – compared with an average of 41 mm for the same month in previous years a professor of water resource research at Kyoto University These factors contribute to the fire spreading at a faster rate.” The number of wildfires in Japan has declined since the peak in the 1970s But there were about 1,300 across the country in 2023 concentrated in the February to April period when the air dries and winds pick up Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot Get the most important global markets news at your fingertips with a Bloomberg.com subscription Japan's disaster management agency on Sunday requested more fire departments across the country to join the battle against a forest fire that has continued to spread in the northeastern prefecture of Iwate Nearly 1,700 firefighters from around 450 departments across the country have already joined the effort to control the blaze which has spread over five days since Wednesday in Ofunato The agency has newly asked the governments of Hokkaido and Yokohama city to dispatch some of their firefighters to Ofunato While firefighters with aerial support from helicopters including those of the Self-Defense Forces have managed to keep the flames from spreading toward Ofunato's residential areas along the Pacific coast nearly 1,800 hectares of land had been burned as of Sunday an increase of 400 hectares since the previous day The city has so far issued evacuation orders to around 4,600 residents with over 1,200 people staying in shelters as of Sunday morning Japan’s largest wildfire in decades has been burning in the northeastern region of the country for more than a week While rain in recent days has appeared to halt the fire’s spread firefighters are continuing to bring it under control Thousands have evacuated and at least one fatality has been reported Iwate Prefecture had burned 2,900 hectares of land The last major wildfire in Japan of this magnitude occurred in 1975 when 2,700 hectares of land were burned in Kushiro At least 78 homes have been destroyed while 4,596 people were ordered to evacuate 1,239 people were staying in 12 evacuation centers Another 3,055 people were staying with friends and family members evacuees have been forced to live out of their cars Approximately 2,000 firefighters and members of the Self-Defense Forces (Japan’s military) were deployed to fight the blaze the Ofunato government issued a partial lifting of evacuation orders impacting 957 people living in the city’s Akasakicho district evacuation orders remained in place for other sections of the city as firefighters sought to confirm that the fire was no longer spreading “Aerial reconnaissance this morning has not confirmed any spread of fire firefighters were still checking the forests for smoldering embers to ensure that the fire had been put out The fire began on February 26 under dry conditions A dry-weather advisory had been in effect since February 18 At least two other wildfires began around the city prior to the latest blaze but gave an indication of the danger that existed a large amount of kindling had accumulated on the forest floor in the region Firefighting officials expressed concern that even if flames are extinguished on the tops of trees embers beneath the kindling could continue to smolder and possibly reignite the blaze an associate professor in forestry at Chiba University explained to the media that three factors drove the Ofunato wildfire the extended period of dryness the region has experienced this year the lack of undergrowth management in the forests around the city He stressed that regular maintenance is necessary to prevent forest fires and to reduce their impact the rugged terrain in the region makes it easier for wildfires to spread The intensity of the fire has shocked Ofunato city residents and people throughout Japan who believed that such large fires did not occur in humid countries “There is a big misconception that fires don’t occur in humid climates and forest fires can occur anywhere in the world.” There are approximately 1,200 reported cases of wildfires in Japan each year Natural disasters cannot be entirely predicted or prevented but often they are compounded by inadequate planning and willful neglect by capitalist governments (nature) was able to properly handle it in a natural cycle but humans cut down trees and developed forests in various ways “Once we’ve planted trees and meddled with nature we need to have a sense of responsibility to continue to maintain it.” This includes regularly removing kindling and other materials that can cause fires to rapidly spread necessary to protect people’s homes and lives with inadequate attention paid to the country’s forests and to safety more broadly Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced on Thursday during a parliamentary upper house budget committee meeting that he would apply the Natural Disaster Victims Relief Law to the victims of the Ofunato claiming Tokyo would offer “generous financial support” to local governments many of whom have had their whole lives turned upside down will be offered a paltry 3 million yen ($US20,278) to rebuild their homes the government has repeatedly earmarked record spending for imperialist war against China Wildfires in Japan and around the world are not simply the result of neglect but the criminal attitude capitalist governments have taken to climate change with the United Nations World Meteorological Organization confirming in January that temperatures had risen 1.55 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels This surpassed the 1.5-degree rise that governments had agreed to keep below in the 2015 Paris Agreement itself inadequate to protect the environment as the major capitalist powers responsible for climate change base their policies on the profit interests of big business Extreme wildfire activity around the globe has more than doubled over the past two decades Northern and temperate forest regions are particularly affected which had its hottest year on record in 2024 Wildfire seasons are also becoming longer as conditions become drier a senior research associate at Climate Central told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that large fires are becoming more common as weather patterns shift “Climate change doesn’t directly start fires but what it is doing is making the conditions which allow fires to burn larger and become harder to fight more frequent and severe.” This was highlighted most recently for millions around the world by the devastating wildfires that tore through Los Angeles The danger from these fires will not disappear on their own Addressing them requires a planned economy based on social need More than a thousand people have been evacuated near forest of Ofunato in northern region of Iwate More than a thousand people have been evacuated as Japan battles its largest wildfire in more than three decades The flames are estimated to have spread over about 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) in the forest of Ofunato in the northern region of Iwate since a fire broke out on Wednesday “We’re still examining the size of the affected area but it is the biggest since the 1992 wildfire [in Kushiro About 1,700 firefighters were being mobilised from across the country Aerial footage from the public broadcaster NHK showed white smoke billowing up and covering an entire mountain Local police found the body of one person who had been burned while more than 1,000 nearby residents have been evacuated and more than 80 buildings had been damaged as of Friday Firefighters work to extinguish the fire Photograph: Fire and Disaster Management Agency/ReutersTwo other fires were also burning on Saturday Free weekly newsletterThe planet's most important stories Get all the week's environment news - the good Ofunato has had only 2.5mm (0.1 inches) of rain in February – far below the previous record low for February of 4.4mm in 1967 Last year was Japan’s hottest since records began mirroring other countries as ever-rising greenhouse gas emissions fuel the climate crisis The massive wildfire that broke out in Ofunato the city also lifted the evacuation order for 882 people from 361 households in four districts.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The order is still in effect for a total of 2,424 people from 979 households and the city is considering lifting it for more while monitoring the progress of infrastructure restoration work The wildfire engulfed about 2,900 hectares — around half the size of Manhattan — making it Japan's largest in more than 50 years It surpassed the 2,700 hectares consumed by a 1975 fire in Hokkaido Japan endured its hottest summer on record last year as climate change pushed up temperatures worldwide Ofunato received just 2.5 millimeters of rainfall — breaking the previous record low of 4.4 mm for the month that was logged in 1967 At least 78 buildings are believed to have been damaged The city of Ofunato in Iwate Prefecture has declared that a massive forest fire that had ravaged the city since Feb Officials said Monday that there was no longer a risk of the fire breaking out again after finding no heat sources during checks from the ground and from the air this month.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The city said on March 9 that the blaze has been contained fully lifting related evacuation orders the following day but some 194 people whose homes were affected by flames are still living in evacuation centers or at relatives' homes "We will give top priority to rebuilding the lives of the people affected by the disaster and reviving their livelihoods," Ofunato Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami said at a news conference Monday told the news conference that it took time to extinguish the fire after containing it because "the fire spread over a wide area." It consumed a total of roughly 2,900 hectares making it one of the largest wildfires in Japan since the start of the Heisei era in 1989 Kichiro Shibata from the city's Sanrikucho-Ryori district توّجت زيارة الدولة التي قام بها السلطان هيثم بن طارق، سلطان عُمان، إلى الجزائر يومي 4 و5 مايو 2025، ببيان مشترك، فيما يلي نصّه الكامل: “تلبية لدعوة كريمة من لدن رئيس الجمهورية الجزائرية الديمقراطية الشعبية، السيد عبد المجيد تبون، قام حضرة صاحب الجلالة، السلطان هيثم بن طارق، سلطان عمان، بزيارة دولة إلى الجزائر، يومي 04 و05 ماي 2025، مرفوقا بوفد رفيع المستوى. في مستهل الزيارة، رحب السيد الرئيس عبد المجيد تبون بأخيه حضرة صاحب الجلالة،… ثمّن الرئيس الجزائري عبد المجيد تبون والسلطان هيثم بن طارق، سلطان عُمان إنشاء “الصندوق الجزائري… تظاهر آلاف المغاربة في مدينتي مكناس والدار البيضاء، احتجاجا على خيانة النظام المغربي للقضية الفلسطينية، من خلال تماديه في التطبيع مع الكيان… تشارك الجزائر في أشغال مؤتمر ومعرض CIM Connect 2025، الذي تحتضنه مدينة مونتريال الكندية، خلال الفترة الممتدة من 4 إلى 7… أجرى الرئيس الجزائري، عبد المجيد تبون، اليوم الاثنين، محادثات على انفراد مع سلطان عُمان، هيثم بن طارق، توسّعت بعدها لتشمل… أعلنت الجزائر، اليوم السبت، عن رفع حصتها من إنتاج النفط الخام بمقدار 9000 برميل يوميًا خلال شهر جوان المقبل، وذلك في إطار اتفاق الدول الثمانية لتحالف “أوبك+” على تنفيذ زيادة جماعية تدريجية في الإنتاج تقدّر… استقبل وزير الريـاضة السعودي، الأمير عبد العزيز بن تركي الفيصل، اليـوم الاثنين، النجم الجزائري ريـاض محرز وتشكيلة الأهلي السعودي بعد التتويج التاريخي… Substantial rain broke a 15-day dry spell bringing hope for an early end to unprecedented fires Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba was considering declaring the country’s biggest wildfire in decades a “severe disaster” as the blaze continued to rage for the eighth day, reducing nearly 3,000 hectares of land to ashes Firefighting operations have been underway in Ofunato nearly 13 per cent of the city’s population have evacuated as of 7am local time Wednesday At least 84 homes burned down or were damaged and one person died in the fire. More than 2,000 troops and and firefighters have been deployed from across the country a 15-day-long dry spell ended for the first time in the city as a substantial amount of rain brought hopes that the blaze would be extinguished soon The Morioka Regional Meteorological Observatory recorded rain and snow at 4am on Wednesday morning and some areas recorded 0.5mm of rain for the first time in 16 days Mr Ishiba on Wednesday said they will consider designating the wildfires as severe disasters so that it is eligible for state aid "We'll make sure we respond quickly and appropriately so that disaster victims can feel at ease and financial burdens on local governments are small," Mr Ishiba said at a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Councillors He said a decision could be made as soon as the progress is made in addressing the fire nearly 2900 hectares – about 9 per cent of the total area of the city - has been gutted increasing to 300 hectares more in the last 24 hours The prefectural government said 19 helicopters, including eight large Self-Defense Forces helicopters and disaster prevention helicopters from Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures were scheduled to undertake firefighting depending on weather conditions firefighters on the ground continued to battle the fire Unusually dry winter and strong winds have contributed to forest fires spreading faster in the region It is the country’s largest wildfire since at least 1992 when a blaze burned nearly 1,000 hectares (2500 acres) on the northern island of Hokkaido A dry weather advisory has been in place from 15 consecutive days in the southern coastal areas It was lifted on Tuesday night before the rain lashed “I’ve been hoping for rain. I hope the fire will be brought under control,” said a 78-year-old man who was staying at the Sanriku community centre in the city told The Japan News The record forest fires came as Japan endured its driest February in over two decades. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies govt and politics"},{"score":0.867403,"label":"/science/weather"},{"score":0.855091,"label":"/law which was devastated by a large-scale forest fire fully lifted an evacuation order at 10 a.m please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent which declared the fire to be under control at 5 p.m said the fire damaged as many as 210 houses and buildings evacuated residents began to return home one after the other three junior high and elementary schools in the city reopened making students glad to be reunited with their classmates The city government issued an evacuation for 4,596 people in 1,896 households “The day we’ve long been waiting for has arrived,” Ofunato Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami said at a press conference on Monday morning “As there are people who have lost their homes The burned body of a 90-year-old man was found in Sanriku town in the city becoming the largest forest fire in the country since the Heisei era (1989-2019) Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun caused damage to more than 200 houses and other structures Cars are seen heading to areas where evacuation orders have been lifted in Ofunato OFUNATO – The city government of Ofunato Sunday that a forest fire in the area is now under control caused damage to more than 200 houses and other structures and killed a 90-year-old man according to the prefectural and city governments and other sources The fire burned an area measuring about 2,900 hectares but the burnt area had not expanded since Wednesday The city government issued an evacuation order for 4,596 residents in 1,896 households The city began gradually lifting the order from Friday to Sunday but the order remains in place for the entire district of Ryori in the city’s Sanriku town and in three districts of Akasaki town affecting a total of 2,424 people in 979 households A combination of prolonged dryness and strong winds has allowed a fire in Ofunato As the risk of wildfires is feared to be increasing amid climate change routine preparations and first-response firefighting have become more important than ever Fumiya Oshio and Morio Kodama / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers I couldn’t even see where I was,” said a 39-year-old office worker who leads a fire brigade in Ofunato describing the tense situation immediately after the fire broke out The normal rainfall for Ofunato in February is 41 millimeters But this year marked a record low of just 2.5 millimeters and a dry air advisory had been in place since Feb who heads the Japan Meteorological Agency’s Center for Information on Climate Extremes said behind the dry weather is the northern polar vortex – a region of cold rotating air that normally sits above the North Pole – had split and one part had lingered near the Japanese archipelago The seasonal winds from continental Asia had continued to blow for a long time leading to the Pacific side of Japan being drier than usual The average wind speed in Ofunato was 7.7 meters per second (27.7 kph) at 1:30 p.m and the maximum instantaneous wind speed was 18.1 mps (65.16 kph) “Fire spreads 10 times faster when the wind speed is 6 mps (21.6 kph) than when it is 2 mps (7.2 kph),” said Koji Tamai a research director at the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute “It is likely that fallen leaves and dead branches allowed the fire to spread quickly as they had been dry for a long period of time.” The fire expanded rapidly to consume over 600 hectares by 9 p.m. the prefecture requested the Ground Self-Defense Force to be dispatched but strong winds on that day kept the force from conducting water drops with its helicopters The area is surrounded by a ria coastline with mountains rising close by and the Ofunato Fire Department said this topography makes it difficult for fire engines to approach many places Sufficient water could not be supplied by fire hydrants and fire cisterns and the water pressure and volume would not be enough even if hoses are connected to pump water from the sea or rivers The number of fire brigade members in the city has declined by more than 300 over a decade to about 620 as of April 2024 “Forest owners are aging and cannot take good care of their land and that allows dead branches on the ground to pile up causing fires to spread quickly,” said a forestry worker The number of forest fires peaked in 1974 at 8,351 mainly the typically dry period between February and April according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) The White Paper on Fire Service found that 32% of fires in 2023 were caused by bonfires A fire that burned 167 hectares in Ashikaga from February to March 2021 took 23 days to extinguish FDMA called on municipalities in July 2022 to set up disaster management headquarters and create firebreaks along roads and rivers to protect homes it is difficult to extinguish fires in cases where conditions come together to allow them to spread rapidly “The fact that aerial firefighting was impossible on the first day is thought to have been a major factor in the spread but it was difficult to judge whether to request further support while assessing the situation so I don’t think there were any major mistakes in how it was handled,” said Kazunori Kuwana a professor at Tokyo University of Science “Global warming and climate change will tend to lead to more extremes in weather and is expected to lead to more large-scale forest fires We must examine the handling of the latest fire and come up with early-stage firefighting strategies It is also important to prevent fires from breaking out in the first place.” Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Iwate Prefecture—Rain fell here for the first time since a now-raging forest fire started nine days ago but the precipitation stopped on the morning of March 6 The rainfall that began on March 5 helped to contain the spread of the fire but the blaze was still not under control the following day The forecast for March 6 was cloudy during the day Maximum wind speeds of 21.6 kph were expected on land according to the Morioka Local Meteorological Office Sunny or cloudy skies are forecast for some time from March 7 Water-drop helicopter operations were suspended on March 5 due to the bad weather but the Self-Defense Forces and other entities resumed the battle from the sky in the morning several fire trucks were seen moving through the streets of Ofunato with their sirens blaring A man in his 60s who evacuated from his home in the city’s Akasakicho district feared that the fire would come from behind a forest and approach his house He could also see snow on the top of mountains in the area where his house is located It would be nice if we could at least go home temporarily,” he said At a news conference on the morning of March 6 Ofunato officials said the city was starting to consider lifting the evacuation order for part of the Akasakicho district near Ofunato Bay “The most important point to judge is how the fire will spread,” an official said “If we can determine that the fire is unlikely to spread and that it will have little impact on residences we will be able to lift the evacuation order.” The official said other areas in the city are not being considered for a lifting of the evacuation order because of the severity of the fire and smoke white smoke was observed during a reconnaissance flight on the morning of March 6 in three areas of Ryori in the city’s Sanrikucho district Helicopters were fighting the flames over these areas “We have received reports that the spread of the fire has not been as large as on March 4,” a fire official said “We are aware that daily firefighting activities and yesterday’s rain have weakened the fire but there is still no prospect of suppression.” According to the Iwate prefectural government evacuation orders have been issued for 4,596 people from 1,896 households or about 15 percent of the city’s population Evacuation centers have opened in 12 locations 3,055 people are staying at the homes of relatives and acquaintances or in their cars The prefectural government said the total area burned as of 6 a.m Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on March 6 expressed his intention to apply the Natural Disaster Victims Relief Law to the forest fire in Ofunato The central and prefectural governments are expected to make an announcement in the afternoon victims can receive assistance to rebuild their houses that were destroyed by the fire As for whether the fire should be designated as a severe disaster Ishiba said an assessment will be made quickly using satellite photos and other information bringing hopes of slowing down forest fire Third wildfire spreads in Iwate Prefecture city; homes destroyed Wildfire forces evacuation of hundreds in Iwate Prefecture More areas told to evacuate as forest fires bring fresh anxieties Iwate forest fire continues to spread; 2,100 hectares burned Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission The wildfire in Iwate Prefecture has slowed down after two days of rain through Thursday with the government announcing plans to offer financial support for disaster victims whose houses have been damaged Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said at a session of the Upper House Budget Committee on Thursday that victims of the forest fire in the city of Ofunato in the prefecture will be covered by an existing law aimed at helping disaster victims rebuild their lives The law would offer up to ¥3 million ($20,000) to those whose houses were damaged by the fire.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); we would like to provide generous financial support to local governments through government subsidies,” Ishiba said we will work to extinguish the fire as soon as possible and provide as much support as possible to the victims.” Just hours after firefighters extinguished a fire that had led to evacuation orders in two Iwate Prefecture cities another blaze broke out in one of the municipalities The second forest fire started on the afternoon of Feb 26 in the Attari region of Akasakicho in Ofunato City government officials issued an evacuation order for 2,060 residents of the Ryori district of Ofunato where the previous fire destroyed about 320 hectares of forest 25 in neighboring Rikuzentakata and spread to Ofunato but that fire was extinguished by noon on Feb The Iwate prefectural government set up a local headquarters in Ofunato to deal with the latest forest fire (This article was written by Hana Matsuo and Erina Ito.) Brother of tsunami victim cannot shake feelings of guilt Typhoon makes landfall in Iwate Prefecture Iwate Prefecture—A destructive and deadly wildfire entered its sixth day here and authorities said there is still no end in sight The forest fire has burned about 2,100 hectares up about 300 hectares from the previous day razed dozens of buildings and killed one person since it started Feb Although firefighters are battling the blaze it was still spreading among forested mountainous areas of this city along the Pacific coast on March 3 City offiocials said they confirmed that a building was on fire in a previously unaffected district of Ofunato on the morning of March 3 An evacuation advisory has been issued for 4,596 residents from 1,896 households About 1,200 people have taken refuge at elementary school gymnasiums and other evacuation centers Many others are seeking shelter at homes of relatives and friends “The fire has a significant force,” Ofunato Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami told a news conference on March 2 “We are concerned that it will further spread.” Emergency workers continued efforts to contain the fire on March 3 both on the ground and from the air using more than 10 helicopters of the Self-Defense Forces and other organizations The Morioka Local Meteorological Office has issued a dry weather advisory for the southern coastal part of Iwate Prefecture A sunny day has been forecast for the Ofunato area with maximum wind speeds of 14.4 kph on the ground Yamanashi Prefecture as of the afternoon of March 2 Firefighters from eastern Japan tackling Ofunato forest fire Iwate Prefecture--About 1,600 firefighters from 12 prefectures in eastern Japan were battling a forest fire here on the afternoon of Feb A total of about 1,200 hectares have been scorched since the latest fire started two days ago the Iwate prefectural government asked the Fire and Disaster Management Agency to send more firefighting crews Akita and Fukushima prefectures were sent to Ofunato Additional firefighters were dispatched to the scene from Gunma The number of helicopters dumping water on the fire was increased from 10 to 15 with one being deployed from Niigata and two additional helicopters from the Self-Defense Forces (This article was written by Hiroki Koizumi and Shoko Rikimaru.) Fewer sign up as volunteer firefighters due to danger risk More asked to evacuate as Tochigi wildfire rages on You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Iwate Prefecture—Firefighters on the morning of Feb 27 continued battling the latest forest fire here that has spread to several locations and damaged or destroyed dozens of buildings broke out in the city’s Akasakicho area at around 1 p.m A badly burned body was found in the Koji district in Sanrikucho Iwate prefectural police were working on identifying the body and determining the cause of death More than 2,000 residents were ordered to evacuate in the coastal city in the northeastern Tohoku region The fire damaged at least 84 buildings and scorched more than 600 hectares of land the prefecture and other sources said on the evening of Feb Strong winds fanned the flames and made it impossible for helicopters to release water on the fire on Feb and helicopters of the Self-Defense Forces started to dump water An Ofunato city official said the fire has reached at least five areas The city issued evacuation orders to 2,114 residents from 873 households in the Attari and Ryori districts on the evening of Feb seven evacuation centers were accommodating 540 people who sought refuge public health nurses provided health checks and cardboard beds to those who wanted them many residents spent the night at friends’ homes or in their cars One man with binoculars who was watching smoke rising from various places on a mountain overlooking Ryori Bay said he took refuge at a friend’s home bringing only his medicine and a change of underwear “It’s about 50 meters away (from my house),” he said anxiously “I can see the fire from under the smoke.” An 80-year-old man who lives alone fled to a beach and slept in his car “I was surprised it burned so much,” he said Iwate Prefecture established a disaster response headquarters at 3:50 p.m and the Disaster Relief Law has been applied to this fire According to the Japan Meteorological Agency a dry weather warning has been in effect since Feb including a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 65 kph The first in the series of forest fires to hit the city started in the Ryori district on Feb another forest fire started and spread across Ofunato and neighboring Rikuzentakata city The first and third fires have overlapped some areas where an evacuation order was issued for the first fire (This article was written by Masakazu Higashino Tochigi wildfire brought under control after joint 9-day battle 172 households in path of Tochigi wildfire urged to flee as fire grows Japan partially lifted wildfire evacuation orders on Friday after rain helped stop the country's worst blaze in more than half a century from spreading The fire had raged in the mountains around the city of Ofunato in Iwate Prefecture for over a week killing one person and forcing more than 4,200 residents to flee their homes.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); which began Wednesday following a record dry period "Aerial reconnaissance this morning has not confirmed any spread of fire fire reaching buildings or white smoke," Toshifumi Onoda Firefighters were planning to enter forests to check that the fire was put out City official Shinichi Matsukawa told reporters that an evacuation order for nearly 1,000 residents had been lifted It surpassed the 2,700 hectares burnt by a 1975 fire in Hokkaido Japan endured its hottest summer on record last year as climate change pushed up temperatures worldwide Ofunato received just 2.5 millimeters of rainfall — breaking the previous record low of 4.4 mm for the month The number of wildfires in Japan has declined since peaking in the 1970s wildfires tend to occur between February and May There have been around 1,300 a year in recent years An evacuation order affecting a northeastern Japan city was partially lifted Friday as the risk of the further spread of a wildfire that broke out nine days earlier abated in some areas The evacuation order was lifted for 957 people in part of Ofunato in Iwate Prefecture while remaining in place for 3,639 people in other areas of the city Firefighting efforts and recent rainfall have helped weaken the fire "I was worried my house might burn down because we are close to the mountains and I was constantly worried," one 77-year-old resident who was allowed to return home said "When I saw on TV that the evacuation order was lifted The fire has burned approximately 2,900 hectares Smoke was still seen rising in several areas as of Thursday with fire authorities working to confirm what connection they have to the potential source of the blaze Amid a strong wind and dry weather advisory issued for Ofunato firefighters continued battling the fire from the ground on Friday while Self-Defense Force helicopters dropped water from the air leaving 1,249 people in evacuation centers and 3,061 people sheltering at relatives' homes or other places as of Friday morning Massive wildfire in northeastern Japan persists despite rain More homes at risk as massive wildfire expands in northeastern Japan To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox, subscribe here. Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription. Please check your inbox for a confirmation email. If you wish to change your message, press 'Cancel' to go back and edit. Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible. Aerial videos showed several houses gutted by fire, with thick smoke blanketing towns Aerial videos showed several houses gutted by fire I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A charred body has been found, and more than 84 homes have been engulfed in raging forest fires in northeastern Japan, as firefighters battled intense blazes fuelled by strong, dry winds More than 2,000 panicked residents have evacuated Ofunato in Iwate Prefecture since Wednesday The blaze has swept across 600 hectares of land in Ofunato, the municipal government said, reducing everything in its path to ashes. However, the damage is expected to be even more extensive Aerial videos showed several houses being gutted by fire with thick smoke blanketing towns as firefighters worked around the clock to prevent the inferno from reaching densely populated areas said at a news conference on Thursday morning that firefighting operations had been ongoing since Wednesday “Aerial helicopter firefighting operations have been underway since this morning. There is no doubt that work to extinguish the fire will be extremely difficult given the strong winds, but we will do our utmost to suppress the fire as quickly as possible,” he added. A charred body was recovered from the area with police investigating whether the person died in the wildfire, officials said, according to Kyodo. Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, stated that the central government would work closely with local authorities to provide necessary support. “We ask all residents in the area to continue to pay close attention to evacuation information from the local government and to give priority to ensuring their own safety,” he said. All schools and kindergartens in the affected area were shut down on Thursday. Around 500 homes were without power, and a section of a train line in the city was also suspended, according to local authorities. A 67-year-old resident who escaped her home told NHK broadcaster: “I am so distressed. I could not sleep. It was like a volcanic explosion. The flames were rising in the sky with tremendous force. It was scary.” Another woman, 82, said she saw grass burning at 2pm on Wednesday and fled her home with just medicines and her late husband's mortuary tablet in a backpack. She said she saw smoke rising from her home, realising she could have died if she had stayed back. Strong wind and dry air warnings were in place in the area when the latest fire broke out. It came just a day after authorities fought a wildfire on Tuesday after it broke out on 19 February in Tahama district. A fire also broke out in the city of Rikuzentakata, where eight hectares of land was swept into fire before it was extinguished on Wednesday at around noon. govt and politics"},{"score":0.933185,"label":"/science/weather"},{"score":0.918838,"label":"/law Japanese authorities announced on Friday that an evacuation order for a city in northeastern Japan was partially lifted as the threat from a wildfire The evacuation order was lifted for 957 residents in a portion of Ofunato in Japan’s northeastern Iwate Prefecture; however the order is still in place for 3,639 people in other parts of the city "I was worried my house might burn down because we are close to the mountains," one resident said after she was allowed to return home The fire has scorched about 2,900 hectares with fire authorities investigating the origin of the blaze Despite a strong wind and dry weather advisory for Ofunato firefighters continued to battle the blaze on Friday Local authorities said the fire started on Feb forcing 1,249 people into evacuation centers and 3,061 people to seek shelter at relatives' homes or other locations A wildfire continued to burn through the forested areas of Ofunato forcing city officials to issue evacuation orders Helicopters conducted aerial water drops on Wednesday in an attempt to control the flames.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); As the flames crept dangerously close to residential neighborhoods city officials issued evacuation orders late Thursday Around 300 personnel from firefighting units police and other agencies have been deployed on the ground while seven helicopters from Iwate and Miyagi prefectures and the Self-Defense Forces are conducting aerial water drops No injuries or property damage have been reported so far with the fire posing an increasing threat to nearby homes officials ordered 62 households — covering 157 residents — in the Tahama district to evacuate Thursday night Footage from NHK showed flames and thick smoke engulfing large sections of forest Friday morning as SDF helicopters continued their water-drop efforts A dry-air advisory from the Meteorological Agency remains in effect for Ofunato as of 10:16 a.m with officials concerned that parched conditions could accelerate the fire’s spread “The mayor and the local government are continuing to work alongside fire and emergency departments in order to ensure the safety of all residents,” said Daiki Inomata a spokesperson from the city’s general affairs department Please activate JavaScript function on your browser Iwate Prefecture—Much-needed rain finally arrived here on March 5 raising hopes that firefighters can slow a raging wildfire that entered its eighth day The Morioka Local Meteorological Observatory has forecast rain or snow throughout the day and precipitation is expected to continue into March 6 the forest fire had burned about 2,900 hectares covering roughly 9 percent of Ofunato’s total area according to the Iwate prefectural government Smoke continued to emerge from multiple locations in the mountains The smoke had been rising high into the sky Evacuation orders remain in place for 1,896 households or around 15 percent of the city’s population 1,225 people were still in 12 evacuation centers At least 2,805 others were staying with relatives had been under a dry weather advisory for 15 consecutive days since Feb But a low-pressure system and a passing front have now brought rain to the region the poor weather conditions could hinder the operations of helicopters that are dumping water on the blaze “It’s hard to say how much of an impact the rain will have,” a fire official said Despite the efforts by firefighters and Self-Defense Forces on both the ground and in the air making it difficult to extinguish the flames even with water dry branches and other forms of kindling have accumulated so even if the flames on the surface are doused embers hidden beneath the leaves could reignite and spread the fire again “Wildfires are less likely to occur when the mountains are covered in snow,” said Koji Tamai a research director at the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute in Tsukuba snowfall (in Iwate Prefecture) has been extremely low.” an associate professor at Chiba University who is well-versed in wildfire mechanisms said three key factors contribute to forest fires The first factor is reduced snowfall and prolonged dryness The second factor is a lack of undergrowth management as depopulation has left many forest floors across the country neglected rugged terrain of the Sanriku coastline in Ofunato which makes it even easier for fires to spread Kato said these three conditions are all evident around Ofunato which has allowed the wildfire to more easily rage out of control (This article was written by Takemichi Nishibori and Yoshikazu Sato.) Forest fires continued to devour wilderness and threaten communities in three mountainous prefectures on March 1 as authorities ordered more areas to evacuate officials estimated the flames had consumed 1,400 hectares as of 6 a.m It is the worst forest fire in Japan since 2002 The fire is now approaching urban areas and evacuation centers three areas in the city’s Sanrikucho Okirai district were ordered to evacuate Evacuation orders were issued the day before for six areas in Akasakicho district A total of 1,896 households and 4,596 people were ordered to evacuate authorities announced that 1,033 residents had taken up temporary residence in 11 evacuation centers in the city The anxiety of residents is growing by the day I thought I would be able to return in a day or two so I didn’t bring anything with me,” said a 70-year-old woman who fled to an evacuation center set up at the Okirai Elementary School She had been staying with a relative in the Kamihorei area since Feb an evacuation order was issued to that area as well A man in his 70s evacuated from the Ohora area of the city’s Akasakicho district to the Ofunato Junior High School he stood in the school grounds and gazed at the smoke rising from the fire in the mountains “The source of the fire is far from my house,” he said The man said his house was destroyed in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster he moved to higher ground in the Ohora area “I thought I was safe because it’s a tsunami-free zone “Firefighting efforts have been stepped up considerably but the situation has not yet been brought under control,” Ofunato Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami told a news conference on March 1 “Evacuations have taken place over the past three to four days and I think (the evacuees) are experiencing changes in their physical condition I would like to inform the staff and hope that (the evacuees) will lead as stable a life as possible in the evacuation center.”  Forest fires have broken out in many areas in Japan 26 in the Saruhashimachi Ozawa district in Otsuki As firefighting activities resumed on the morning of March 1 officials estimated that 120 hectares of forest two Self-Defense Forces aircraft and a helicopter used for such emergencies by the Yamanashi prefectural government were engaged in firefighting activities from the air Approximately 90 firefighters and fire brigade members were dispatched to extinguish the fire and provide on-site warnings and updates on the crisis The Otsuki city government set up an evacuation center for 189 people from 102 households near the fire scene according to prefectural police and the fire department A resident called emergency services around 1:45 p.m “I was burning dead grass and other materials when the fire spread,” officials said A forest fire also broke out in the Takeshikamihoniri district in Ueda and there is no immediate prospect of fire containment three SDF aircraft dumped water over the area About 220 firefighters and fire brigade members were dispatched to the area and Shizuoka prefectures were also scheduled to join the firefighting efforts Fire officials said a resident reported that “the mountain is on fire” around 12:15 p.m The fire is believed to have been started by burning dead grass that spread to the forest A man in his 70s suffered burns to his face and hands (This article was compiled from reports written by Nobufumi Yamada SDF helicopters enter battle against wildfire in Yamanashi Local authorities on Monday lifted all remaining evacuation orders issued in response to a massive wildfire in the city of Ofunato The move came a day after Ofunato Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami said that the fire has been contained.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); A 90-year-old resident of the city was found dead during the fire "We now see no danger of the fire spreading further," Fuchigami said at a news conference on Sunday Firefighters will continue to work to determine whether the fire has been extinguished which had been issued for a total of 4,596 people in 1,896 households in the city a resident who came to check on his house following the lifting of the evacuation order is making gradual progress in rebuilding lives two months after massive forest fires broke out The fires that started on February 26 killed one person and damaged 222 structures The blazes burned about 3,370 hectares before being declared extinguished on April 7 193 residents were sheltering at evacuation centers or elsewhere after their homes were damaged Those people began moving to public housing on Friday Temporary housing units are expected to be completed at two locations in the city early next month But the approaching rainy season poses new challenges since the wildfires diminished the water-holding capacity of soil in the burned areas such as piling large sandbags in areas deemed to be at high risk of landslides.