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[SSS12-P10] Fire characteristics in Tokushima and Wakayama Prefectures during the 1854 Ansei Nankai earthquake
Keywords:historical earthquake, fire
Earthquakes cause building collapses, landslides, and tsunamis. Earthquake-induced fires are not negligible because they can spread to more expansive areas. Although there are many records of fires in historical documents, they are not well investigated. This study investigated the fires in Tokushima and Wakayama prefectures during the 1854 Ansei Nankai earthquakes from documents and drawings. We primarily focused on the points where fires stopped.
Detailed records of the fires exist in Uchimachi of Tokushima City, Komatsushima City, and Tanabe City. According to historical documents, the fire in Uchimachi broke out in three places, spread in all directions, and burned for about 23 hours. The Uchimachi was the residence of a feudal lord or retainer and a town for townspeople. We identified the two fired houses from the historical drawings. The residences' fences, roads, and rivers were fire stopping points, preventing the fire from spreading. The area burned was the largest among the three areas, and the number of people killed or injured was also the largest. In Komatsushima City, a fire broke out from a restaurant to spread to the entire town in the northwest winds. However, the fire was out in the shortest time among the three areas. The temple's walls, the river, and the paddy fields prevented the fire from spreading. The fire injured no one but burned out 348 houses. The fire in Tanabe city broke out in a collapsed house and spread to the lower-class Samurai soldier residences due to the changing wind direction. One person was killed, many were injured, and 355 houses were burned out. We confirmed from the drawings that Tanabe Castle and moats surrounding it existed at that time. The fire stopped at moats, riversides, large houses, and roads. The area burned was the smallest, but the fire lasted for the longest time among the three areas. This study showed that the fires during the 1854 Ansei Nankai Earthquake in Tokushima and Wakayama Prefectures broke out in collapsed houses and restaurants preparing for dinner. The large houses, temples, walls, roads, rivers, and moats worked as fire-stopping points.
Detailed records of the fires exist in Uchimachi of Tokushima City, Komatsushima City, and Tanabe City. According to historical documents, the fire in Uchimachi broke out in three places, spread in all directions, and burned for about 23 hours. The Uchimachi was the residence of a feudal lord or retainer and a town for townspeople. We identified the two fired houses from the historical drawings. The residences' fences, roads, and rivers were fire stopping points, preventing the fire from spreading. The area burned was the largest among the three areas, and the number of people killed or injured was also the largest. In Komatsushima City, a fire broke out from a restaurant to spread to the entire town in the northwest winds. However, the fire was out in the shortest time among the three areas. The temple's walls, the river, and the paddy fields prevented the fire from spreading. The fire injured no one but burned out 348 houses. The fire in Tanabe city broke out in a collapsed house and spread to the lower-class Samurai soldier residences due to the changing wind direction. One person was killed, many were injured, and 355 houses were burned out. We confirmed from the drawings that Tanabe Castle and moats surrounding it existed at that time. The fire stopped at moats, riversides, large houses, and roads. The area burned was the smallest, but the fire lasted for the longest time among the three areas. This study showed that the fires during the 1854 Ansei Nankai Earthquake in Tokushima and Wakayama Prefectures broke out in collapsed houses and restaurants preparing for dinner. The large houses, temples, walls, roads, rivers, and moats worked as fire-stopping points.