Wildfires have swept through western Japan, injuring at least two people, destroying homes, and forcing residents to flee their towns.
The blazes erupted on Sunday in Okayama, Imabari, and Aso, scorching hundreds of hectares of forest. Firefighters and helicopters worked tirelessly to contain the flames, but by Monday afternoon, fires in Okayama and Imabari remained out of control.
In Okayama, six homes were damaged as a fire on Mount Kaigara engulfed 250 hectares (600 acres). A firefighter was injured while battling the flames in Imabari, Ehime prefecture. Meanwhile, in Aso, Kumamoto prefecture, a smaller fire was extinguished early Monday, but not before injuring one person. Local media reported that the Aso fire started when residents were burning trash.
Experts believe dry weather and dried-up leaves fueled the rapid spread of the fires in Okayama and Imabari.
These fires come just weeks after a devastating wildfire in Ofunato, northern Japan, killed one person and destroyed over 200 buildings while burning 2,900 hectares (7,170 acres).
Authorities are urging residents to stay alert as firefighters continue their battle against the raging infernos.
