Ofunato: Japan's worst wildfire in half a century continues to burn intensely in the northeastern Iwate prefecture, with around 2,000 firefighters engaged in battling the blaze both from the air and on the ground.

According to Anadolu Agency, the wildfire has consumed approximately 2,600 hectares as of Tuesday morning, resulting in one fatality and prompting nearly 4,000 people to evacuate. Authorities had advised a total of 4,600 residents to seek shelter. The fire, which has been raging for six days, has engulfed an area in Ofunato city that is more than seven times the size of New York's Central Park.

Japan has not seen a wildfire of this scale since 1975, when a blaze consumed 2,700 hectares in Kushiro, located in the Hokkaido region. A city official stated that there is minimal risk of the fire reaching more densely populated areas, and emphasized that efforts are being maximized to contain the blaze.

The region has been experiencing record low rainfall this season, compounded by last summer being the hottest on record for the East Asian nation. The fire has also damaged at least 80 buildings, and a body believed to be that of a man was discovered on Thursday.