TOKYO: Firefighters, supported by aerial operations, are struggling to contain a massive wildfire in northeastern Japan, which continues to spread, local media reported Sunday.
According to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, the fire in Ofunato city, Iwate prefecture, has scorched approximately 1,800 hectares despite ongoing ground and air efforts.
The country’s disaster management agency has called for additional fire departments nationwide to assist in battling the blaze, Anadolu news agency reported.
Nearly 1,700 firefighters from around 450 departments have been deployed as the fire rages for a fifth consecutive day since Wednesday. So far, one burned body has been found, while over 80 buildings have been damaged.
Although the number of wildfires in Japan has decreased since peaking in the 1970s, government data shows that around 1,300 incidents occurred in 2023, primarily between February and April when dry air and strong winds heighten the risk.
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