Otsuchi city: Wildfires are raging in northern Japan, forcing the evacuation of more than 1,800 people. Japan has ordered more than 1,800 people to evacuate their homes immediately after a severe wildfire broke out in the northern part of the country on Wednesday.

According to Thai News Agency, Japanese Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara announced today that residents of more than 700 households in Otsuchi City, Iwate Prefecture, have been ordered to evacuate their homes for safety reasons after a wildfire spread, burning approximately 937 acres of forest and damaging seven rural structures.

The fire originated in two main areas of Otsuchi City. The first started in the mountainous region of Kotsuchi on Wednesday afternoon, with authorities receiving reports of forest fires and damage to residential buildings. Later that evening, a second forest fire was reported in the Kirikiri area. As of Thursday morning, at least 875 acres of forest in Kirikiri had been destroyed, while approximately 94 acres in Kotsuchi were damaged. As a result, Otsuchi city authorities issued an evacuation order covering 1,884 people across three districts, with 249 already sheltering in evacuation centers.

Currently, more than 220 firefighters, along with 42 fire trucks, are still working to control the blaze both on the ground and from the air, with helicopter support. The police headquarters stated that there are no reports of injuries or people trapped in the fire area. Iwate Prefecture recently experienced its largest wildfire in decades last year, which damaged nearly 18,750 rai (approximately 2,960 acres) and resulted in one fatality from an accident that started the fire. This year, there have been no reported fatalities.