The fires in the western towns of Okayama, Imabari, and Aso erupted on Sunday, rapidly consuming hundreds of acres.
Japan wildfire
Firefighters and defense helicopters sprayed water but the blazes in the two prefectures had not been extinguished as of Monday afternoon. (for representative purposes only)
Photo: File photo
Wildfires have ravaged several regions in western Japan, injuring at least two people, forcing dozens of residents to evacuate, and damaging numerous homes as hundreds of firefighters battled the expanding blazes in the mountainous areas.
The fires began on Sunday in the western towns of Okayama, Imabari, and Aso, rapidly consuming hundreds of hectares (acres) of land, AP reported.
In Okayama, six homes were damaged after a fire ignited on Mount Kaigara, burning 250 hectares (600 acres) of forest. Meanwhile, in Imabari, located in the Ehime prefecture on Shikoku Island, the fire left one firefighter with minor injuries.
Firefighters and defense helicopters sprayed water but the blazes in the two prefectures had not been extinguished as of Monday afternoon.
Experts blamed dry weather and dried-up fallen leaves on the ground in the forest as likely causes of the wildfires in Okayama and Imabari.
A forest fire, which started last Wednesday in Japan, is still ravaging the residential areas - AP
A forest fire, which started last Wednesday in Japan, is still ravaging the residential areas - AP
Hundreds Evacuate, One Dead as Japan Tackles Forest Fire
BY Associated Press
A smaller fire was detected in the mountainous village of Aso in the Kumamoto prefecture on the southern main island of Kyushu earlier Sunday, but it was extinguished early Monday, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. One person was injured slightly. Local media said the fire started while residents were burning trash.
The fires came just weeks after extensive wildfires in the northern Japanese city of Ofunato left one person dead and damaged more than 200 houses and other buildings as the blaze burned 2,900 hectares (7,170 acres), nearly one-tenth of the land in the city.
With inputs from AP.