2,780 Residents Urged to Flee Okayama, Ehime Wildfires

Okayama/Matsuyama, Ehime Pref., March 24 (Jiji Press)--Evacuation orders have been issued to a total of 2,780 residents of 1,414 households in the western Japan prefectures of Okayama and Ehime as of Monday afternoon, due to wildfires that began on Sunday.

In Ehime, one firefighter was slightly injured while battling the blaze.

A fire broke out in a mountain forest in the city of Okayama around 3 p.m. Sunday, and has burnt a total of six houses and warehouses and spread to about 250 hectares, including part of the neighboring city of Tamano.

As of 2 p.m. Monday, 893 residents of 403 households in the city of Okayama were under evacuation orders.

In the Ehime city of Imabari, there was an emergency call around 3:50 p.m. Sunday reporting a fire in a mountain. The city ordered 1,887 residents of 1,011 households to evacuate.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]