Japan fights a forest fire that has damaged dozens of homes and caused hundreds to evacuate

A forest fire, which started last Wednesday, continues to spread behind houses in Ofunato, Iwate prefecture, northern Japan, Monday, March 3, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)

TOKYO — Japan is fighting a forest fire that has damaged dozens of homes and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate in a northeastern coastal city.

The fire has burned about 2,100 hectares (5,190 acres) of forest in Ofunato since it started Wednesday, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

The agency said at least 84 homes have been damaged, and over 1,200 people evacuated. The fire has subsided in some areas. More than 2,000 troops and and firefighters have been deployed from across the country.

A man was found dead on a road Thursday, and authorities are examining if the death was linked to the fire, the agency said.

The northeastern regions, including Ofunato, have had their driest winter since 1946, when the Japan Meteorological Agency started collecting data.

Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press