TOKYO – Emergency crews in northern Japan entered their fourth consecutive day Saturday fighting two devastating wildfires that have displaced more than 3,200 residents and consumed nearly 1,800 acres across Iwate Prefecture.
More than 1,000 firefighting personnel are now deployed to combat the blazes, which are advancing dangerously close to homes in Otsuchi, where approximately one-third of all residents have been ordered to leave their properties.
The crisis began Wednesday afternoon when the first wildfire ignited in Iwate Prefecture’s mountainous terrain. A second blaze started just two hours later, located roughly 6.2 miles away and positioned near Otsuchi’s neighborhoods.
Emergency response teams include 1,225 firefighters working both on the ground and from aircraft, with many crews brought in from neighboring prefectures to assist local departments. Military helicopters from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces are joining civilian aircraft in conducting water-dropping operations over the burning areas.
As of Saturday morning, the wildfires had destroyed 730 hectares of land and prompted mandatory evacuation orders affecting 1,541 households containing 3,233 people. Eight structures have been lost to the flames, including one home, though authorities report no injuries or deaths have occurred.
Weather conditions remain challenging for firefighting efforts, with Japan’s Meteorological Agency forecasting no rainfall for the upcoming week.
The combined destruction makes these fires the third-most devastating wildfire event in Japanese history, according to media reports. Only the 2025 Ofunato fire that burned approximately 3,370 hectares and the 1992 Kushiro fire that consumed 1,030 hectares have caused more widespread damage.
