**ISTANBUL**
Wildfires in Japan continued to spread Wednesday across several regions despite intensive firefighting efforts from both air and ground crews since the weekend.
In Ehime Province, a wildfire that broke out Sunday in Imabari City has destroyed at least 306 hectares, according to public broadcaster NHK World Japan. Several homes in the area have been damaged.
In Okayama City, Okayama Province, another blaze has burned through 311 hectares since Sunday, damaging six buildings.
Meanwhile, a new wildfire ignited Tuesday in Miyazaki Province, adding to the strain on emergency response teams.
The Japanese government has deployed helicopters to assist ground crews in controlling the fires, while thousands of evacuation orders have been issued to residents in threatened areas.
Despite overnight efforts, authorities reported that the flames remained uncontained and had approached residential zones during the night. Helicopter operations resumed early Wednesday morning as firefighting efforts continued across the affected regions.
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