Wildfires broke out Wednesday at two sites in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, prompting authorities to urge over 1,000 residents to evacuate. No casualties have been reported amid ongoing firefighting efforts. Dry air and strong winds exacerbated the blazes.
Wildfires erupted Wednesday in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan, with the first breaking out around 1:50 p.m. in the Kozuchi district, spreading to multiple buildings and nearby woodland. Police reported another fire igniting that afternoon about 10 kilometers away in the Kirikiri district.
Local authorities urged 1,077 people from 566 households near the second fire to evacuate and requested assistance from the Self-Defense Forces. The Iwate prefectural government established a special disaster headquarters at 4 p.m., deploying disaster response helicopters for firefighting.
A resident reported the initial fire at about 1:55 p.m., describing it as "fire coming from a slope," according to police. At least five structures, including homes and barns, have been destroyed, with flames continuing to spread through woodland 8 kilometers northwest of Sanriku Railway’s Otsuchi Station.
The Morioka Local Meteorological Office had issued dry weather and strong wind advisories for southern coastal areas, including Otsuchi. A 61-year-old evacuee at a gymnasium said, "I'm surprised that fires broke out in two locations," adding she was worried about her home. No injuries have been reported.