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Ōfunato wildfire

Updated: Wikipedia source

Ōfunato wildfire

On 26 February 2025, a wildfire began in the southeast of Ōfunato, a city in the Iwate Prefecture of Japan. The fire grew to cover 2,900 ha (7,200 acres) before it was extinguished on 9 March, making it the largest wildfire in Japan in over 50 years. It destroyed 171 structures, killed one person, and forced over 4,500 people to evacuate.

Infobox

Date(s)
26 February – 9 March 2025
Location
Ōfunato, Iwate, Japan
Coordinates
mw- 39°02′58″N 141°47′19″E / 39.0495°N 141.7887°E / 39.0495; 141.7887
Status
Extinguished
Burned area
2,900 ha (7,166 acres; 29 km2; 11 sq mi)
Deaths
1
Evacuated
4,596
Structures destroyed
171
Cause
Under investigation

Tables

Structures affected[35] · Impact
Destroyed
Destroyed
Col 1
Destroyed
Home
76
Others
95
Total
171
Damaged
Damaged
Col 1
Damaged
Home
26
Others
13
Total
39
Total
Total
Col 1
Total
Home
102
Others
108
Total
210
Home
Others
Total
Destroyed
76
95
171
Damaged
26
13
39
Total
102
108
210

References

  1. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89ypkq72d0o
  2. Al Jazeera
    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/3/japan-deploys-2000-firefighters-to-tackle-worst-forest-blaze-in-decades
  3. ABC News
    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-04/japan-fights-worst-wildfire-decades/105008022
  4. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/04/japan-wildfires-ofunato-updates-warning
  5. The Asahi Shimbun
    https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST2X7X65T2XOXIE04WM.html
  6. Iwate Disaster Prevention
    https://iwate-bousai.my.salesforce-sites.com/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=00PIU00002blU382AE
  7. Fire and Disaster Management Agency
    https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/items/20250226_iwatekenofunatorinya3.pdf
  8. NTV News24
    https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/society/5bec72c2a43947528ccc875d45b6fc71
  9. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/world/asia/japan-wildfire.html
  10. The Japan Times
    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/01/japan/iwate-wildfire-battle/
  11. Fire and Disaster Management Agency
    https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/items/20250228_iwatekenofunatorinya7.pdf
  12. Fire and Disaster Management Agency
    https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/items/20250228_iwatekenofunatorinya8.pdf
  13. Sankei Shimbun
    https://www.sankei.com/article/20250228-DEFRW62I6JMC7PXZRQYZPRGHRI/
  14. Kyodo News
    https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/02/caf0f941b04b-japan-wildfire-burns-largest-area-in-over-30-years-as-blaze-rages-on.html
  15. Fire and Disaster Management Agency
    https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/items/20250228_iwatekenofunatorinya16.pdf
  16. Fire and Disaster Management Agency
    https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/items/20250228_iwatekenofunatorinya9.pdf
  17. Fire and Disaster Management Agency
    https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/items/20250228_iwatekenofunatorinya10.pdf
  18. Fire and Disaster Management Agency
    https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/items/20250228_iwatekenofunatorinya11.pdf
  19. Fire and Disaster Management Agency
    https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/items/20250228_iwatekenofunatorinya13.pdf
  20. Fire and Disaster Management Agency
    https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/items/20250228_iwatekenofunatorinya15.pdf
  21. Japan Today
    https://japantoday.com/category/national/rain-offers-relief-as-japan-battles-worst-wildfire-in-50-years
  22. The Independent
    https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/japan-wildfire-ofunato-disaster-damage-rain-updates-b2709240.html
  23. NHK News Web
    https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20250305/k10014739961000.html
  24. The Asahi Shimbun
    https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST36038CT36UTIL001M.html
  25. AA News
    https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/japan-partially-lifts-wildfire-evacuation-order/3503166
  26. The Asahi Shimbun
    https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST3725FMT37OXIE01DM.html
  27. Yomiuri Shimbun
    https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20250309-OYT1T50037/
  28. The Asahi Shimbun
    https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST37340PT37OXIE03NM.html
  29. The Asahi Shimbun
    https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST3B04QKT3BUQIP05NM.html
  30. BBC
    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89ypkq72d0o
  31. The Asahi Shimbun
    https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST3505DVT35UTFK001M.html
  32. The Japan Times
    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/06/japan/rain-slow-down-wildfire/
  33. The Asahi Shimbun
    https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST370D6VT37OXIE029M.html
  34. Yomiuri Shimbun
    https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/20250307-OYT1T50183/
  35. 令和7年2月26日 林野火災(赤崎町 合足地内発生)に伴う大船渡市の対応状況
    https://www.city.ofunato.iwate.jp/uploaded/attachment/40398.pdf
  36. NHK News Web
    https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/morioka/20250227/6040024547.html
  37. NHK News Web
    https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/morioka/20250302/6040024628.html
  38. The Asahi Shimbun
    https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST2X56J9T2XUZHB003M.html
  39. NHK News Web
    https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20250302/k10014737371000.html
  40. IBC News
    https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/ibc/1763479?display=1
  41. The Asahi Shimbun
    https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST390TYPT39UJUB004M.html
  42. The Asahi Shimbun
    https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST3B3QXLT3BUJUB00JM.html
  43. Jiji Press
    https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2025030301005
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