Sun Mar 09 17:41:04 UTC 2025: ## Japan’s Devastating Wildfire Brought Under Control
**Tokyo, March 9, 2025** – Japan’s worst wildfire in over half a century has been contained, officials announced today. The blaze, which began on February 26th in Ofunato city, Iwate Prefecture, has been brought under control thanks to recent rainfall, according to Ofunato Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami.
The fire, spanning approximately 2,900 hectares – roughly half the size of Manhattan – is now considered no longer a threat to further spread. At least one person died in the fire, and over 210 buildings were damaged. More than 4,200 residents were forced to evacuate their homes.
The unprecedented scale of the wildfire surpassed the 2,700 hectares burned in a 1975 Hokkaido fire, highlighting the severity of the situation. The exceptionally dry conditions, with Ofunato receiving a record-low 2.5 millimeters of rainfall in February, fueled the rapid spread of the fire. This follows Japan’s hottest summer on record in 2024, attributed to the effects of climate change.
While recent wet weather, starting March 5th, significantly aided firefighting efforts, the incident underscores concerns about increasing wildfire risks in Japan, particularly during the February-May period when dry air and strong winds are common. Although the number of wildfires has decreased since the 1970s, approximately 1,300 occur annually in recent years.
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