Smoke rises from a wildfire in the hills of Ofunato, Iwate prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Thursday. Photo by Jiji Press/EPA-EFE
Firefighters from around eastern Japan have joined in the effort to slow the largest forest fire in Japan in 30 years after it has burned nearly 3,000 acres of forest in the Iwate prefecture from Tuesday into Friday.
Some 1,600 firefighters have been sent to Ofunato in the prefecture after the Fire and Disaster Management agency in Iwate called for assistance. Officials said 15 helicopters have also aided in dumping water over the burning areas. Advertisement
Two of the helicopters have been provided by Japan’s Self-Defense Forces.
The fire has been blamed for one death and more than 80 homes being destroyed. Ofunato Fire officials said 1,300 structures remain under evacuation orders, leaving about 3,000 temporarily homeless.
Fire Disaster and Management said the wildfire has surpassed the 2,545 acres burned in Kushiro, Hokkaido in 1992, making it the largest forest fire in the Heisei area.
