Fukushima wildfire revives worries over airborne radiation from “difficult-to-return zone”
05/10/2017 // Frances Bloomfield // Views

On the evening of April 29, a wildfire broke out in a mountain forest near the now-disabled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant. In a report by the Mainichi.jp, the publication stated that the fire started on the 448-meter high Mount Juman in Namie, a town in the Fukushima Prefecture. In response to the prefecture government's request for aid, the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) dispatched eight helicopters to pour water on the blaze. Far from being a normal wildfire, it raised concerns over the probability of airborne radiation spreading from the site. The area has been designated a “difficult-to-return zone” since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The high radiation levels originating from the power plant forced officials to bar entry into the area. It's these high radiation levels that have sparked worries among the population.

In a 2016 blog post by Anton Beneslavsky, a member of Greenpeace Russia's firefighting group, he noted down the dangers of forest fires occurring in contaminated sections of land. “During a fire, radionuclides like caesium-137, strontium-90 and plutonium rise into the air and travel with the wind. This is a health concern because when these unstable atoms are inhaled, people become internally exposed to radiation,” Beneslavsky wrote.

Formal regional government official Ludmilla Komogorsteva told Beneslacky that forests similar to the one in Namie were “ticking time bombs”. Based on her experience with the infamous 1986 Chernobyl disaster, Komogorsteva explained that “woods and peat accumulate radiation and every moment, every grass burning, every dropped cigarette or camp fire can spark a new disaster.” (Related: Fukushima radiation is affecting the health of the entire global ecosystem, scientist says)

Brighteon.TV

However, an official with the Ministry of the Environment commented that where were “no major changes to radiation levels”, stated CommonDreams.org. The official then added they will “continue to closely watch changes in radiation doses in the surrounding areas.”

The cause of the wildfire is still unknown. According to the Fukushima Prefectural Police, a lightning advisory had been issued for the town of Namie by the Fukushima Meteorological Office on the day the fire occurred. They speculate that a lightning strike may have started the blaze, which has since consumed several hectares of forest.

The 2011 nuclear disaster, in brief

On the afternoon of March 11, 2011, an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 struck the Pacific Ocean, 80 miles off the Japanese east coast. For several minutes, there was shaking and rumbling with little pause. The impact of the earthquake caused Fukushima Power Plant Reactors 1,2, and 3 to automatically shut down to prevent further damage. Heat was still being produced within the reactor core, however. “This heat was caused by radioactive decay, and you have to keep cooling it. When the reactors shut down, the cooling was supposed to be by an external power source... but that failed too,” Jim Smith, a professor of Environmental Science at Portsmouth University, told the IBTimes.co.uk.

A horrific chain of events followed. Two external power sources for the power plant were disrupted, forcing workers to rely on 13 emergency diesel generators. A 45-foot high tsunami struck the coast 50 minutes after the earthquake and flooded the basement levels of the nuclear power station, destroying all but one emergency generator. Hydrogen gas began to fill the reactors and, at 3:36 pm on the same day, Reactor 1 experienced a hydrogen explosion and radiation spilled into the environment.

The rest is history, and the effects are still felt by Japan to this day. Authorities have since been dealing with an increase in cases of different types of cancers, particularly thyroid cancer.

What effects the wildfire may bring remain to be seen.

Stay up to date on all news concerning radiation by visiting Radiation.news.

Sources include:

Mainichi.jp

GreenPeace.org

CommonDreams.org

IBTimes.co.uk



Take Action:
Support Natural News by linking to this article from your website.
Permalink to this article:
Copy
Embed article link:
Copy
Reprinting this article:
Non-commercial use is permitted with credit to NaturalNews.com (including a clickable link).
Please contact us for more information.
Free Email Alerts
Get independent news alerts on natural cures, food lab tests, cannabis medicine, science, robotics, drones, privacy and more.
App Store
Android App
eTrust Pro Certified

This site is part of the Natural News Network © 2022 All Rights Reserved. Privacy | Terms All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing International, LTD. is not responsible for content written by contributing authors. The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms and those published here. All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.

This site uses cookies
Natural News uses cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using this site, you agree to our privacy policy.
Learn More
Close
Get 100% real, uncensored news delivered straight to your inbox
You can unsubscribe at any time. Your email privacy is completely protected.