A wildfire continued to burn through the forested areas of Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, on Friday, forcing city officials to issue evacuation orders.
The blaze was first detected at 11:55 a.m. Wednesday in the city’s Sanriku district. Despite ongoing firefighting efforts, the fire remains uncontained. Helicopters conducted aerial water drops on Wednesday in an attempt to control the flames.
By 8:00 a.m. Friday, approximately 225 hectares had burned, according to NHK.
As the flames crept dangerously close to residential neighborhoods, city officials issued evacuation orders late Thursday. Around 300 personnel from firefighting units, police and other agencies have been deployed on the ground, while seven helicopters from Iwate and Miyagi prefectures and the Self-Defense Forces are conducting aerial water drops.
No injuries or property damage have been reported so far. However, with the fire posing an increasing threat to nearby homes, officials ordered 62 households — covering 157 residents — in the Tahama district to evacuate Thursday night.
Footage from NHK showed flames and thick smoke engulfing large sections of forest Friday morning as SDF helicopters continued their water-drop efforts.
A dry-air advisory from the Meteorological Agency remains in effect for Ofunato as of 10:16 a.m. Friday, with officials concerned that parched conditions could accelerate the fire’s spread.
“The mayor and the local government are continuing to work alongside fire and emergency departments in order to ensure the safety of all residents,” said Daiki Inomata, a spokesperson from the city’s general affairs department.
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