Over 80 homes lost, 2,000 people told to evacuate due to Iwate wildfire

More than 80 homes appear to have burned down and some 2,000 people have been ordered to evacuate after a wildfire broke out in a northeastern Japan city, local authorities said Thursday, as the region was hit by its third fire in around a week.

The blaze since Wednesday has burned across 600 hectares of land in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, the municipal government said. Firefighting efforts continued through the night, while Self-Defense Forces helicopters were mobilized in the morning to contain the fire from the air.

A burned body was also found in the area, with police investigating its possible link to the wildfire, they said. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency called for the emergency support of 680 personnel from firefighting departments in six nearby prefectures.

An information liaison headquarters has been established at the prime minister's office. Top government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said the central government will "work closely with local governments to provide necessary support."

Nearby schools and kindergartens were closed Thursday, while 500 homes in Ofunato were without power, according to local authorities. A section of a train line in the city was also suspended.

At an evacuation center in the city, 87-year-old Sadao Kumagai feared he had lost his home, saying the "fire and smoke got closer at an unbelievable speed."

Efforts to contain the blaze Wednesday were carried out at ground level, the city government said, as the strong winds precluded waterbombing by helicopters.

When the latest fire broke out, strong wind and dry air warnings were in place in the area.

A wildfire previously broke out in Ofunato on Feb 19 and was largely extinguished by Tuesday. A second blaze emerged in neighboring Rikuzentakata on Tuesday and was contained by around Wednesday noon.

While the latest fire is close to the site of the first blaze, officials said they are not sure if the two are linked.

© KYODO