Iwate Town Declares Forest Fire under Control on 11th Day

Otsuchi, Iwate Pref., May 2 (Jiji Press)--The northeastern Japan town of Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, declared Saturday that the forest fire that broke out on April 22 has come under control.

According to the prefectural government, the fire burned about 1,633 hectares, making it the second-largest fire in the prefecture since at least the start of the country's previous Heisei era. The largest fire occurred in the city of Ofunato in February 2025.

The latest fire destroyed a total of eight houses and other buildings and slightly injured two people.

On April 22, separate forest fires were confirmed in the Kozuchi and Kirikiri districts of Otsuchi, prompting the town to order up to about 3,200 residents in about 1,500 households to evacuate. The order was fully lifted by Thursday.

At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Otsuchi Mayor Kozo Hirano said that he was informed by the town's fire chief that the fire could now be contained.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]