A wildfire in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, on Feb. 25 threatens homes in the city and neighboring Ofunato. (Video footage provided by Iwate Asahi TV)

Photo/Illutration A mountain fire spreads in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, on Feb. 25. (Provided by Iwate Asahi TV)

Hundreds of residents in two cities in Iwate Prefecture were ordered to evacuate on Feb. 25 after a mountain fire broke out and continued overnight.

As of 5 p.m. on Feb. 25, a total of about 8 hectares had burned in Rikuzentakata and neighboring Ofunato. But as of 6 a.m. on Feb. 26, there were no reports of injuries or damage to homes.

The Ofunato city government issued an evacuation order for 391 residents, while the Rizukentakata authorities issued one for 155 residents.

Seventy-six residents fled to elementary school gymnasiums on the evening of Feb. 25. Three elementary and junior high schools in the two cities canceled classes for Feb. 26.

Firefighters from the two cities worked into the night of Feb. 25 but could not extinguish the fire. Helicopters were used from the morning of Feb. 26 to dump water on the flames.

Firefighters in Ofunato had just doused a fire that destroyed about 320 hectares of forest on Feb. 25 when the new fire broke out in Rikuzentakata.

Ofunato residents remained uneasy because flames were clearly visible in the night sky.

A 47-year-old company employee who sought shelter at an elementary school with his family said: “I became worried because I heard that sparks were approaching where we lived. I am concerned that the fire will spread further.”

About 40 cars were parked on school grounds.

A 42-year-old woman and two elementary school children fled from their home in Ofunato to an evacuation shelter.

“I evacuated because my children said they were worried that the fire might suddenly become larger,” the mother said. “They may become somewhat assured because their friends are also here.”

Residents said conditions in the Ofunato area were dry due to a lack of rain or snow.

In Rikuzentakata, a woman in her 70s who lives about 100 meters from where the fire started evacuated to a school. She said she hoped the wind would die down.

Another resident said he felt relieved that the earlier fire had been extinguished, but he expressed surprise that the fire had started so close to his home.

“I am pained by the difficult conditions the firefighters are going through,” he said.

Another evacuee, Akemi Sasaki, 59, said she brought along two to three days of clothing because she could not take time off from her job as a nurse.

(This article was compiled from reports by Hana Matsuo, Hideyuki Miura, Erina Ito, Hiroki Koizumi and Yoshikazu Sato.)

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