It has damaged dozens of homes and forced hundreds of people to evacuate in the north eastern coastal city of Ofunato.

Thousands of residents in Japan were evacuated on Monday (March 3), after a wildfire spread to become the biggest fire in decades in the country, according to a local media report. Aerial footage aired by local broadcasters showed heavy white smoke rising and fires blazing at night from a forested area,

Thousands have evacuated after a wildfire broke out in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture last week. At least one person has died. Snow and rain forecast for Tuesday nights onwards could bring relief.