Fire burning in southwestern Japan damages 170 homes and forces evacuations

TOKYO (AP) — Firefighters and army helicopters battled a fire Wednesday that burned through a neighborhood in southwestern Japan, killing one person, injuring another and forcing more than 170 people to evacuate.

A man in his 70s was unaccounted for and firefighters later found a body, possibly of the missing man, and a woman in her 50s suffered a minor injury, the Oita prefectural disaster response team said.

At least 170 homes have been damaged or burned down, the team said.

Dozens of fire engines and more than 200 firefighters were mobilized to battle the fire, which was not fully under control nearly 20 hours after it started. The Ground Self-Defense Force dispatched two UH1 army helicopters to assist.

The fire started during strong winds Tuesday evening near a fishing port in the city of Oita on the southern main island of Kyushu. The blaze spread to a forest, affecting about 4.9 hectares (12 acres), the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.

Authorities are still investigating the fire’s cause and how it spread, the FDMA said.

Japanese television footage showed smoke rising from swaths of land filled with destroyed and damaged houses, though orange flames were no longer visible by midday. The Oita prefecture said about 260 homes remained without electricity Wednesday afternoon.

A resident told Kyodo News Agency she quickly fled without many of her belongings because the fire “spread in the blink of an eye.”

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi posted a statement on X offering sympathy for those affected by the fire and pledged to “provide maximum support.”