The fire in northern Japan, which coincides with a long period of record-low rainfall, has raged for over a week. One person has died and thousands have been forced to leave their homes in Iwate Prefecture.
I've never seen anything like it. The fire towered up and spread so quickly, says 85-year-old Mitsuo Otsubo.
On Wednesday, pillars of white smoke can be seen rising through rain and snowfall near the city of Ofunato. Promises of continued wet weather bring hope.
It hasn't rained or snowed all year. Thank God for today's rain, says Otsubo.
An 86-year-old woman describes how she saw "enormous amounts" of smoke rising towards the sky.
I was so shocked that my pulse became irregular.
Severe wildfires during the winter months are described as unusual. Both the fire in Japan and the fires in California earlier this year have been preceded by dry summers followed by severe rainfall deficits, which have been linked to climate change.
