Ōfunato wildfire

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/-funato-wildfire

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Ōfunato wildfire?2,900 hectares (7,200 acres)
2. What is the geographic context?Ōfunato, Iwate Prefecture, Japan
3. What is the fire duration?February 26, 2025 - March 9, 2025
4. How long did the wildfire last?The fire burned from February 26 until March 9, 2025, lasting almost two weeks.
5. Why was the fire so big?Dry weather, strong winds, and plenty of fuel helped the fire spread very quickly.

Wildfire: An uncontrolled fire that spreads rapidly through natural vegetation, posing significant risks to life, property, and the environment.
Hectare: A metric unit of area equal to 10,000 square meters, commonly used to measure land area.
Evacuation: The systematic and organized movement of people from a dangerous or potentially dangerous area to a safer location.
Disaster Management: The comprehensive process of planning, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from natural or human-made disasters.