TOKYO — Japan’s largest wildfire in decades continued to burn on Monday, forcing thousands to evacuate as firefighters struggled to contain the flames, according to local media reports.
Aerial footage broadcast by Japanese news outlets showed thick white smoke billowing from a forested area near the northeastern city of Ofunato, with fires blazing through the night.
The wildfire, which broke out on Feb. 26 amid dry conditions, has proven difficult to control. The Japanese military has deployed multiple helicopters to douse the flames, though water-dropping operations by the Self-Defense Forces are limited to daylight hours, local fire officials said.
As of 3 a.m. Tuesday (GMT), Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported that the fire had spread across 2,600 hectares (6,425 acres), surpassing the country’s previous record set in 1992. Officials have ordered the evacuation of 4,596 residents.
At a local evacuation center, Marei Nakawatari, a middle school teacher, described the emotional toll on students preparing for high school entrance exams. “Some students are heartbroken. One showed me a picture of their house burning down and said, ‘There’s nothing left.’ Another told me, ‘Even if I get into high school, I don’t know where I’ll stay,’” Nakawatari said.
Firefighters continue efforts to contain the blaze as authorities assess the full extent of the damage.