Forest Fire Continues to Spread in Japan’s Gunma Pref.; Over 20 Hectares Scorched

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:19 JST, March 22, 2026

UENO, Gunma — Firefighting efforts continued Sunday morning to contain a forest fire that broke out Saturday in the village of Ueno, Gunma Prefecture.

According to the prefectural government and the local fire department, the fire had scorched about 21.2 hectares of woodland as of 9:25 p.m. Saturday. The blaze is reportedly spreading west. No injuries have been confirmed so far, though one shed was destroyed.

The Gunma prefectural government requested the dispatch of the Ground Self-Defense Force on Saturday as part of disaster relief. Starting at 6:30 a.m. Sunday, four helicopters from the GSDF and the Gunma and Saitama prefectural governments resumed water-dropping operations to extinguish the flames.