Bangkok: Japanese firefighters are racing to contain a forest fire in Iwate Prefecture. Two major wildfires in Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, continued to burn for a fourth day on Saturday, forcing an intensified ground and aerial firefighting operation with more than 1,000 personnel mobilized. The situation is alarming as the flames threaten residential areas in Osuchi City.
According to Thai News Agency, reports indicate that the first wildfire erupted Wednesday afternoon in a mountainous area, before another fire broke out shortly afterward about 10 kilometers away, near a residential area in Osuji Town. Latest reports say eight buildings have been destroyed, including one house. While there are no reports of injuries or fatalities, authorities have issued an evacuation order covering 3,233 people from 1,541 households, or nearly one-third of the town's total population.
Kozo Hirano, the mayor of Osuji City, a key figure in the city's recovery from the 2011 tsunami, revealed that it would be unacceptable for residents to lose their homes again. The city was previously devastated by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and required reconstruction on the same site, with residents relocating to higher ground for safety.
Currently, 1,225 firefighters, including support units from other areas and the Japan Self-Defense Forces, are working urgently to extinguish the flames at various locations. Helicopters from several prefectures are also being used to drop water to control the situation as quickly as possible. Data indicates that this wildfire has already damaged over 4,562 acres of land, making it the third largest wildfire in Japan's history, after the Ofunato fire in 2025, which burned over 21,062 acres, and the Kushiro fire in 1992, which damaged 6,437 acres. The Japan Meteorological Agency predicts that there will be no rain this week to alleviate the situation.