Forest fires in the Japanese city of Ofunato continue to spread for the fifth consecutive day, covering about 1,800 hectares of land, amid intensive efforts to contain them.
According to the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation “NHK”, today, Sunday, the fires that broke out last Wednesday have devoured an additional 400 hectares since yesterday morning, Saturday, until six in the morning today.
Firefighting teams are making intensive efforts to control the fires by air and land, with smoke rising towards residential areas, while the Japanese Self-Defense Forces sent helicopters to assist in extinguishing operations.
Authorities issued evacuation orders for residents of 16 areas, while more than 1,200 people took refuge in temporary shelters within the city.
The fires resulted in the death of one person and damaged at least 84 buildings, while the actual extent of the losses is still being assessed, in light of the ongoing efforts to control the fires.
Forest fires are a frequent phenomenon in Japan, especially during dry seasons, where climatic conditions and strong winds affect the speed of fire spread and the difficulty of controlling them.
