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Once a wildfire starts, it takes time to put out, and the damage could become extensive. It is necessary to enhance measures to prevent wildfires from starting and to come up with a system for extinguishing them at an early stage.
There have been wildfires intermittently in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, since Feb. 19, and firefighting efforts have been beset with difficulties. In the fire that broke out on Wednesday, about 1,200 hectares of forest and over 80 houses and other buildings were destroyed or damaged, and a burned body was discovered. The causes of the fires are unknown in all cases.
Heavy snowfall on the Sea of Japan side of the country is believed to have brought dry air to the Pacific side and intensified the fires.
Firefighters and Self-Defense Forces personnel are continuing their efforts to extinguish the fires. It is hoped they can stop the fires from spreading and prevent further damage.
The number of residents who are subject to the evacuation advisory due to the wildfires has exceeded 3,000. Wildfires grow quickly and can spread widely. If people are not sufficiently cautious, it could end up being too late for them to escape. Residents in the affected areas are urged to follow the advisories and evacuate immediately.
The areas affected by the wildfires were also hit by the tsunami caused by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. It is thought that some buildings rebuilt after the disaster may have been destroyed by the fires. The prefecture and municipal governments need to quickly assess the damage and consider support measures to help rebuild the livelihoods of local residents.
A wildfire also broke out in Otsuki, Yamanashi Prefecture on Wednesday. According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency and other sources, there are about 1,300 fires nationwide every year. They are concentrated in the three-month period from February to April.
During this period, in addition to leisure activities such as picking edible wild plants and hiking, it is also the season for the controlled burning of fields, and there is an increasing tendency for people to mismanage fires.
People who go into the mountains must follow basic rules such as not having a bonfire in places where there is dead grass and making sure to completely extinguish any fire after use. It is important to check the weather forecast carefully and not have a bonfire or conduct field burning during times of strong wind or low humidity.
In some areas, firefighting systems are inadequate. In the case of the wildfires in Ofunato, firefighters from at least 10 prefectures, including the neighboring prefectures, took part in the firefighting efforts. It is essential to prepare a system of cooperation in advance and ensure that firefighting is carried out properly in the initial stages.
In recent years, global warming is thought to have been an influence behind a series of large-scale wildfires around the world. Analysis suggests that huge wildfires in a suburb of Los Angeles in January, which caused many deaths, were exacerbated by a combination of dry weather and strong winds fueled by global warming.
Nearly 70% of Japan’s land is forested. If there is a link between global climate change and the occurrence of large wildfires, the situation will be serious for Japan. The nationwide campaign week for raising awareness about wildfires started on Saturday.
