More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecutive day, as flames advance towards residential areas and force thousands to flee.
The fires, burning in and around the town of Otsuchi in Iwate Prefecture, have already scorched around 730 hectares, making them among the largest recorded in the country in recent years.
The first blaze broke out on Wednesday in a mountainous area, followed by a second nearby fire that began threatening homes. Authorities have issued evacuation orders for 1,541 households, affecting more than 3,200 residents, roughly a third of the town’s population.
Difficult terrain, dry conditions and strong winds are hampering containment efforts, officials said, with helicopters from multiple prefectures and the Japan Self-Defense Forces deployed to support firefighting operations.
The unfolding crisis has revived painful memories in Otsuchi, which lost nearly a tenth of its population during the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
“Even during the 2011 disaster, this area didn’t burn,” said evacuee Taeko Kajiki, 76.
“There was a tsunami but we had no fire here.”
Volunteer firefighter Masashi Kikuchi, who lost his home in the 2011 disaster, described the relentless challenge of tackling the blazes.
“With the land so dry, fires keep igniting. We put one out, then race to extinguish another,” he said.
So far, eight buildings, including one home,have been damaged or destroyed, though no injuries or fatalities have been reported.
Mayor Kozo Hirano said authorities were working to support evacuees and prevent further losses.
“I can’t let people lose their homes again after losing them once to the tsunami,” he said.
While wildfires have historically been less common in Japan compared with other regions, officials warn that climate change is increasing their frequency and intensity.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said no rain is forecast in the coming week, raising concerns that the fires could continue to spread.
According to official data, the current fires rank among the largest on record, surpassed only by a major blaze in Ofunato in 2025 and the Kushiro wildfire in 1992.
Authorities remain on high alert as crews continue efforts to contain the fires and protect nearby communities.
Eurasian leaders have gathered in Bishkek during a bilateral Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit focused on security, economic...
U.S. forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, with Tehran responding by launching ballistic missiles at two U.S. bases...
Russia views NATO’s growing military activity in the Arctic as a direct threat to its national security, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said....
Iran has reached an understanding with Oman on transit arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz, but the waterway will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils its commitments, a senior Iranian diplomat said on Saturday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused U.S. government and Israel-aligned actors of manipulating energy markets to promote the war with Iran.
Eurasian leaders have gathered in Bishkek during a bilateral Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit focused on security, economic ties and regional co-operation, as the bloc marks its 25th anniversary. Xi Jinping also hailed the “unprecedented” development in China-Kyrgyzstan relations.
Russian strikes on the Kyiv region overnight killed 37 people, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. Zelenskyy added that the Ukrainian capital was under "virtually nonstop attack" from drones.
At least 37 people were killed after a Russian drone strike hit an ammunition depot in the Kyiv region, triggering powerful secondary explosions President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday, vowing to punish suspected negligence in the second such incident in two months.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the actions of Israeli settlers in the West Bank village of Qusra, saying security operations should be handled only by state institutions, including the army and police.
Rescue teams in Nepal, supported by Chinese and Indian experts, worked through the night to reach hundreds of people believed to be trapped inside blocked hydropower project tunnels following last week’s catastrophic Himalayan flood.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 31st of August, covering the latest developments.
Around 20 people are reported missing after flooding struck parts of Grand Canyon National Park in the U.S. state of Arizona, prompting evacuations of people to safety and a large-scale response from park authorities.
Russia views NATO’s growing military activity in the Arctic as a direct threat to its national security, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment