Latest news with #KiyoshiFuchigami
Japan Times
08-04-2025
- Climate
- Japan Times
Ofunato forest fire declared extinguished
The city of Ofunato in Iwate Prefecture has declared that a massive forest fire that had ravaged the city since Feb. 26 has been extinguished. 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. 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. Akira Niinuma, chief of the Ofunato fire department, told the news conference that it took time to extinguish the fire after containing it because "the fire spread over a wide area." The blaze started around 1 p.m. on Feb. 26 in the city's Akasakicho district. It consumed a total of roughly 2,900 hectares, or some 9% of the total city area, 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, then 90, died due to the fire.
Gulf Today
10-03-2025
- Climate
- Gulf Today
Japan brings huge wildfire under control, says mayor
Japan's worst wildfire in more than half a century, which killed at least one person, has been brought under control, the mayor of the northern city of Ofunato said on Sunday. The fire had raged in the mountains around the rural region since Feb.26, killing at least one person, damaging at least 210 buildings and forcing more than 4,200 residents to flee their homes, local officials said. 'Following an aerial survey, we assessed that the fire no longer posed the risk of further spread. I declare that the fire is now under control,' Ofunato Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami told a news conference. The fire 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 burnt by a 1975 fire on Hokkaido island. Japan endured its hottest summer on record last year as climate change pushes up temperatures worldwide. Ofunato received just 2.5 millimetres of rainfall in February, breaking the previous record low for the month of 4.4 millimetres in 1967 and far below the average of 41 millimetres. At least 78 buildings are believed to have been damaged, although details are still being assessed, according to the fire agency. The number of wildfires in Japan has declined since a peak in the 1970s. Wildfires in Japan tend to occur between February and May, when the air dries out and winds pick up. However, there were about 1,300 in 2023, concentrated in the period from February to April. A rain, which began falling on Wednesday following a record dry period, had helped firefighting efforts. 'Thanks in part to the rain, the situation has subsided to an extent,' Ofunato Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami told a regular briefing. 'We realise many residents are aching to return home,' he said. Greg Mullins, a former fire and rescue commissioner for the Australian state of New South Wales, said this fire as well as the recent ones in Los Angeles were 'highly unusual' because they took place in the cooler winter months. Agence France-Presse
Jordan Times
06-03-2025
- Climate
- Jordan Times
Rain checks spread of Japan wildfire
TOKYO — Rain appears to have halted the spread of Japan's worst wildfire in more than half a century, officials said Thursday, as residents expressed relief the smoke was blaze had raged around the northern city of Ofunatofor more than a week, killing one person and forcing more than 4,500 residents to evacuate their rain, which began falling Wednesday following a record dry period, had helped firefighting efforts, a local fire official said."Thanks in part to the rain, the situation has subsided to an extent," Ofunato Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami told a regular briefing. "We realise many residents are aching to return home," he said, adding that evacuation orders would be lifted when safety was columns of white smoke and fire sources persisted during the day, officials said. "The fires haven't been fully put out yet," another Ofunato official told the briefing. Residents were more positive, however. "I'm relieved to see no smoke", one elderly woman told public broadcaster NHK, while a man said he was "very happy that we had rain yesterday".The wildfire burnt about 2,900 hectares, around half the size of Manhattan, making it Japan's largest in more than 50 years, surpassing the 2,700 hectares engulfed by a 1975 fire on Hokkaido endured its hottest summer on record last year as climate change pushes up temperatures in February, Ofunato received just 2.5 millimetres, of rainfall, breaking the previous record low for the month of 4.4 millimetres in 1967 and well below the average of 41 least 78 buildings are believed to have been damaged, although details are still being assessed, according to the fire number of wildfires in Japan has declined since a 1970s there were about 1,300 in 2023, concentrated in the period from February to April when the air dries out and winds pick Mullins, a former fire and rescue commissioner for the Australian state of New South Wales, told AFP this fire as well as the recent ones in Los Angeles were "highly unusual" because they took place in the cooler winter months."In both cases the fires were preceded by hot summers, which increased evaporation and drying of vegetation, followed by large rainfall deficits that parched the landscape," he said. "This is a common by-product of climate change," said Mullins, a founder of the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action group.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Rain checks spread of Japan wildfire
Rain appears to have halted the spread of Japan's worst wildfire in more than half a century, officials said Thursday, as residents expressed relief the smoke was gone. The blaze had raged around the northern city of Ofunato for more than a week, killing one person and forcing more than 4,500 residents to evacuate their homes. The rain, which began falling Wednesday following a record dry period, had helped firefighting efforts, a local fire official said. "Thanks in part to the rain, the situation has subsided to an extent," Ofunato Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami told a regular briefing. "We realise many residents are aching to return home," he said, adding that evacuation orders would be lifted when safety was confirmed. Several columns of white smoke and fire sources persisted during the day, officials said. "The fires haven't been fully put out yet," another Ofunato official told the briefing. Residents were more positive, however. "I'm relieved to see no smoke", one elderly woman told public broadcaster NHK, while a man said he was "very happy that we had rain yesterday". The wildfire burnt about 2,900 hectares (7,170 acres) -- around half the size of Manhattan -- making it Japan's largest in more than 50 years, surpassing the 2,700 hectares engulfed by a 1975 fire on Hokkaido island. Japan endured its hottest summer on record last year as climate change pushes up temperatures worldwide. Then in February, Ofunato received just 2.5 millimetres (0.1 inches) of rainfall -- breaking the previous record low for the month of 4.4 millimetres in 1967 and well below the average of 41 millimetres. At least 78 buildings are believed to have been damaged, although details are still being assessed, according to the fire agency. The number of wildfires in Japan has declined since a 1970s peak. However, there were about 1,300 in 2023, concentrated in the period from February to April when the air dries out and winds pick up. Greg Mullins, a former fire and rescue commissioner for the Australian state of New South Wales, told AFP this fire as well as the recent ones in Los Angeles were "highly unusual" because they took place in the cooler winter months. "In both cases the fires were preceded by hot summers, which increased evaporation and drying of vegetation, followed by large rainfall deficits that parched the landscape," he said. "This is a common by-product of climate change," said Mullins, a founder of the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action group. kh-tmo/sco
