The roughly 1,800-hectare (4,500-acre) fire has been burning for days in Ofunato, a city on the east coast of Japan’s main island that is about 300 miles northeast of Tokyo. It had grown by 400 ...

The Ofunato wildfire, in Iwate prefecture, has more than doubled in size in the past three days to become Japan’s largest for 33 years, and as of Sunday covered about 1,800 hectares (4,500 acres).

A Japanese Self-Defense Force helicopter conducts firefighting operations on a wildfire site in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan, March 4, 2025, in this photo taken by Kyodo.

Japan Struggles With Largest Wildlife In Half A Century, 4,000 Evacuated Japan's largest wildfire since 1975 had damaged 80 buildings by Sunday, although details were still being assessed.

Japan may declare ‘severe disaster’ as record wildfire burns for eighth day. Substantial rain broke a 15-day dry spell bringing hope for an early end to unprecedented fires ...

OFUNATO, Iwate Prefecture—A destructive and deadly wildfire entered its sixth day here, and authorities said there is still no end in sight. The forest fire has burned about 2,100 hectares, up ...

The fire has subsided in some areas. More than 2,000 troops and and firefighters have been deployed from across the country. A woman cries as she watches a village burn in Ofunato on March 3, 2025.

A massive wildfire has devastated Ofunato in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture, damaging over 80 buildings and forcing mass evacuations. Military helicopters have been deployed to combat the raging ...

Firefighters on Wednesday were still trying to put out the wildfire in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, now in its second week, as snow and rain offered hope of some relief. The blaze has so far burned ...

OFUNATO, Iwate Prefecture—All remaining evacuation orders in this city were lifted at 10 a.m. on March 10 after the wildfire that had been raging for 12 days here was finally brought under control.

Over 3,500 residents from over 1,300 households have been evacuated ...