nuclear-news

Wildfire continues in Fukushima

A wildfire has been raging for more than 2 days near the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The fire started in a mountain forest on the outskirts of Namie Town in Fukushima Prefecture. The area is part of a zone designated as “no-entry” due to high radiation levels following the 2011 nuclear disaster.

Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures and the Self-Defense Forces are using helicopters to fight the blaze. They are also looking at the possibility of using ground crews.

Footage from an NHK helicopter on Monday morning showed smoke rising from wide areas and fires burning in several locations.

Local officials and firefighters say the blaze abated somewhat on Monday afternoon thanks to rainfall. The wildfire is estimated to have burned about 20 hectares of land so far.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20170501_24/

May 3, 2017 - Posted by dunrenard | Fukushima 2017 | Forest Fire, Fukushima, Namie, radiation