Japan Contains Largest Wildfire in Decades

Firefighters in Japan have successfully brought under control a massive forest fire in the country’s north, described as the largest in decades, after an 11-day firefighting operation.

Since late April, hundreds of firefighters and more than 1,000 military personnel have been deployed to combat the blaze, which burned about 1,600 hectares in the mountainous region of Iwate Prefecture, according to Agence France-Presse.

The affected area is roughly five times the size of New York’s Central Park.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported that at least eight buildings were damaged, two people suffered minor injuries, and thousands of residents were evacuated as a precaution.

Local mayor Kozo Hirano said on Saturday that authorities had been informed the fire was now under control, crediting aerial and ground firefighting operations as well as heavy rainfall for helping contain the blaze.

However, officials warned that smoldering hotspots may still remain, requiring continued monitoring.

According to Kyodo News, this is the second-largest wildfire recorded in Japan in more than 30 years.

Experts say increasingly dry winters are raising the risk of large-scale wildfires across the country.

Last year, Iwate Prefecture experienced another major wildfire that burned 2,600 hectares, the largest in Japan since 1975, when a fire in Hokkaido destroyed 2,700 hectares.

Climate scientists warn that climate change is likely to intensify and prolong dry periods, creating more favorable conditions for future wildfires.