Hundreds of firefighters were battling wildfires in the forests of northern Japan on Saturday, as authorities urged more than 3,200 people to evacuate from their homes, government officials said.
As of Saturday morning, blazes in the mountainous areas of the Iwate region had burned about 700 hectares (1,730 acres) since breaking out three days ago, local government officials said in a statement.
A large column of smoke, which could be smelled 30 kilometres (20 miles) away, was seen rising in the valley near the town of Otsuchi as two helicopters dropped water on the burning forest.
In Otsuchi, fire engines were spraying the forest near homes close to the fire.
About a dozen helicopters and more than 1,300 firefighters, as well as Japan Self-Defence Forces troops, would be mobilised on Saturday to battle the fires, the statement said.
At least eight buildings had been burnt, but all the residents had evacuated, it said.
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