Rain offers hope in worst Japan wildfire in 50 years

Smoke rises from a mountain in the rain as firefighters continue to battle a wildfire near the city of Ofunato on March 5, 2025. - AFP)

OFUNATO: Japan battled its worst wildfire in half a century Wednesday (March 5) in a region hit by record-low rainfall, as wet weather gave hope for some relief.

The blaze around the northern city of Ofunato in the Iwate region has raged for more than a week, killing one person and forcing nearly 4,000 people to evacuate their homes.