Iwate Pref. Forest Fires Continue into 4th Day, with 30% of Town’s Population Under Evacuation Orders

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:00 JST, April 25, 2026

OTSUCHI, Iwate — Two forest fires continued to burn for a fourth day in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, on Saturday.

Evacuation orders have been issued for 3,233 people from 1,541 households, about 30% of the town’s total population. As of 7 a.m., 321 people from 133 households were taking refuge at six evacuation centers set up both inside and outside of the town.

The central and municipal governments are trying to confirm the total burned area, with the current estimate being 730 hectares. According to town officials, an estimated 131 hectares were burned in the Kozuchi district and 599 hectares in Kirikiri district. The adjacent town of Yamada has opened an evacuation center.

Firefighting helicopters from Ibaraki Prefecture and elsewhere were set to join Self-Defense Force helicopters on Saturday. On the ground, 1,335 firefighters have gathered from around the country to battle the flames, with efforts centered on the Kirikiri district.

“We are managing to prevent the fires from reaching houses. But we cannot lower our guard,” Otsuchi Mayor Kozo Hirano said at a press conference on Saturday morning.