Overview
- Oita Prefecture applied the Disaster Victim Livelihood Reconstruction Support Law, making households with fully destroyed homes eligible for up to ¥3 million in one-time aid.
- Oita City began same-day issuance of disaster certificates for homes judged fully burned to expedite residents’ access to public assistance, with other cases processed after extinguishment.
- One week on, the fire has not been declared out, with multiple hotspots still on Tsuta Island and in nearby mountain areas as suppression work continues.
- The Nov. 18 blaze burned roughly 170 buildings across about 4.89 hectares, left one person dead, affected about 130 households, and kept 71 households totaling 110 people sheltering at the Saganoseki community center.
- Fire officials attribute the wide spread to strong northwesterly winds that carried embers and triggered spot fires, while an expert says video indicates a likely fire whirl; narrow streets and damaged hoses hindered response.