Two forest fires prompt mass evacuations in Northern Japan

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.

Irene Wang and Mariko Katsumura/Reuters

24 April 2026 at 11:28:59

A satellite image shows smoke from wildfires in the Kamihei District, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, April 24, 2026.

2026 PLANET LABS PBC/Handout via Reuters

TOKYO - 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.

The blaze broke out on Wednesday afternoon in a mountainous area in Iwate Prefecture, followed by another fire about two hours later roughly 10 km (6.2 miles) away near Otsuchi town.

The Fire Department has been battling the flames from both the ground and the air, but the fire remains uncontained, said public broadcaster NHK.
The wildfires have scorched more than 1,176 hectares (2,905 acres) and forced evacuation orders covering 1,541 households and 3,233 people, according to NHK.
It is the second-largest wildfire in Japan, behind a 2025 Ofunato fire that consumed about 3,370 hectares, said TBS News.
Seven buildings have burned, including one residence; no casualties reported, according to NHK.
One evacuation shelter was closed on Friday morning as fire approached, NHK said.

-Reporting by Irene Wang and Mariko Katsumura; Editing by Sharon Singleton/Reuters