Hundreds of firefighters, supported by Japan Self-Defence Forces, are battling fast-spreading wildfires in the mountainous forests of the Iwate region in northern Japan, as authorities ordered the evacuation of more than 3,200 residents.
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According to local government officials, the fires have burned approximately 700 hectares (around 1,730 acres) of land over the past three days since they first broke out. The blazes have mainly affected rugged, forested terrain near the town of Otsuchi, making firefighting efforts difficult and slowing containment operations.
【消防庁 岩手県大槌町の林野火災に対する消防機関の活動状況】
今回の林野火災には、消火を任務とするポンプ車だけではなく、様々な特殊車両が出動し、車両の特性を生かした活動を行っています。緊急消防援助隊（新潟県大隊）特殊車両による活動#緊援隊 #小型救助車 #ドラゴンハイパーユニット pic.twitter.com/M1BRluXqW5— 総務省消防庁 (@FDMA_JAPAN) April 25, 2026
Two forest fires continued to spread toward residential areas in a northern Japanese town on Friday, prompting authorities to expand evacuation orders to more than 3,000 people, with the blazes still uncontained, media reports said. https://t.co/ubm8v6NAzA https://t.co/ubm8v6NAzA
— Reuters Science News (@ReutersScience) April 24, 2026
Thick smoke was seen rising above valleys near the town on Saturday morning, with reports indicating that the smell of burning wood could be detected up to 30 kilometres away. Firefighting helicopters were deployed to drop water on the affected areas while ground crews worked to prevent flames from reaching residential zones.
Authorities said at least eight buildings have been destroyed in the fire, although all residents in nearby communities were safely evacuated ahead of the advancing flames. Emergency services have been working continuously to ensure that no casualties have been reported so far.
More than 1,300 firefighters, along with multiple helicopters and military personnel, are expected to be involved in the ongoing operation to contain the fires. Officials said conditions remain challenging due to dry weather and strong winds, which are contributing to the rapid spread of flames.
An Iwate regional official told AFP that efforts are ongoing to extinguish the fires and that updates will be provided as the situation develops. Local residents expressed hope for rainfall to help bring the blaze under control.
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Experts have warned that increasingly dry winters in Japan are raising the risk of wildfires. Climate scientists also note that global warming is intensifying drought conditions in many regions, creating environments that are more susceptible to large-scale forest fires.