As of the evening of the 23rd, ?ita Prefecture City, Sagaguan area of the large-scale fire has lasted 6 days, some areas of the fire has not been put out. Local government said the fire caused about 170 buildings were damaged, of which about 70 houses are presumed to be empty. The number of such vacant houses, the structure of the old, coupled with the strong wind on the night of the fire and the recent dry air, resulting in the fire is difficult to put out, the extension of the burning area continues to expand.
According to Japanese Asahi Shimbun, Sankei Shimbun and other media reports, Saganoseki area empty houses dense, is difficult to control the fire is an important reason. According to the 2020 annual survey of the city, there are 561 vacant houses in the area, about one-third of which were built before 1959. Once the fire, wooden old building structure is fragile, easy to collapse, combustible parts, so that the fire spread more easily and quickly. The population decline has also exacerbated the problem of empty homes that are prone to fire. By the end of October 2025, the region’s population of 6,937 had fallen by about 27% in a decade, with the number of permanent households down by more than 550. A large number of houses have become vacant because they are unoccupied and have not been properly managed, greatly increasing the risk of fire spreading after a fire has occurred. The report said that due to restrictions on street conditions and the structure of old buildings, heavy machinery can not easily enter and demolition costs are high. Even if the municipal government provides some subsidies for demolition costs, some owners cite the lack of demand for vacant land, unwilling to tear it down.
The Dafen County government said winds could exceed 15 meters per second on the night of the fire. Sato said strong winds were the biggest cause of the spread of the fire. Propelled by strong winds, the blaze spread to about 10 surrounding mountains and forests, and even crossed the sea to desert island, about 1.4 km away. Saganoseki’s location at the end of the peninsula could also make it easier for fires to be carried quickly in certain winds, the government said.
A total of 76 residents were allowed to return to their homes in vehicles Sunday after the fire was extinguished in a safe area for the first time. Many residents are saddened to see their former neighborhoods reduced to ashes.