Ashikaga Wildfire Threatens Residential Areas


Ashikaga wildfire threatens residential areas

A mountain fire in Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, has been raging for four days, threatening residential areas in a local city.

The fire broke out in the Nishinomiya district of Ashikaga City on Sunday.

Prefectural officials say it had burned about 76.5 hectares of land as of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and continues to spread.

Ashikaga officials have issued an evacuation advisory for 177 households. They say a total of 37 people from 21 households had taken shelter at three evacuation centers as of Wednesday night.

City officials say no one has been injured in the fire, but that a wooden building at a Shinto shrine on the mountain has burned down.

Firefighters continued fighting the blazes throughout the night in two districts where the fire is nearing residential areas. But they are unlikely to be brought under control anytime soon.

Ground Self-Defense Force members resumed their firefighting efforts on Thursday morning, using helicopters.