Dense Smoke and Firelight Under Mount Fuji Not a Fire: 'Controlled Burning' for Ecosystem Protection, a Thousand-Year Tradition

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Large-scale controlled burning operations will be carried out around Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture, specifically in Fujiyoshida City and Yamanakako Village. This is not a fire but a traditional activity to protect the landscape and ecosystem of the Fuji foothills. The controlled burning helps inhibit tree growth, promote new shoots, reduce pests, and mitigate the risk of forest fires. This practice, known as 'Noyaki,' has been passed down for over a thousand years, embodying a philosophy of 'coexistence between humans and nature' through moderate human intervention to maintain ecological balance.