Devastation of Massive Fire in Japan’s Oita City Seen in Drone Photo, 187 Structures Declared Burned Down

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:02 JST, December 7, 2025

OITA — A vast expanse of scorched land in a densely populated residential area of the Saganoseki district in Oita was captured in an aerial photo The Yomiuri Shimbun took on Saturday via a drone.

The area was devastated by a massive fire that started on the evening of Nov. 18.

The collapsed roofs and shattered windows of buildings whose structures still remained can be seen in the photo.

According to the Oita municipal government in a preliminary tally, the fire burned down 187 structures, with the burned area totaling about 48,900 square meters across the Saganoseki Peninsula residential area and part of the forested hills nearby.

The blaze was declared extinguished on Thursday, including the uninhabited Tsutashima Island, where the fire had spread.

Drone flights had been prohibited around the area because of helicopter firefighting operations, but the ban was lifted after the fire was declared extinguished.