Japan is reeling after its biggest urban fire in almost half a century tore through more than 170 buildings and left one person dead in the coastal city of Oita this November 19. The blaze engulfed the hilly Saganoseki district, prompting evacuations, power outages, and a major aerial firefighting response.
Aerial images showed entire blocks reduced to rubble, with dense plumes of smoke rising over a fishing harbor famous for its premium Seki-brand mackerel. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed condolences to displaced residents and said the government would offer “maximum support” to local authorities coping with the destruction.
Officials reported around 300 homes without power, underscoring the scale of the devastation. The fire is the largest to hit Japan since a 1976 blaze in Sakata, excluding earthquake-related incidents. For comparison, a 2016 fire in Itoigawa burned 147 buildings, but caused no fatalities.
Indeed, fires have been a destructive force throughout history, affecting civilizations from Ancient Rome to present-day California. To learn about the deadliest fires in human history, click through this gallery.