Firefighters were Tuesday battling Japan's worst wildfire in half a century, which has left one dead and forced the evacuation of nearly 4,000 local residents.White smoke billowed from a forested area around the northern city of Ofunato,

The fire, in a forested area of the coastal city of Ofunato, killed at least one person and prompted evacuation orders for thousands of residents.

Over 1,200 residents have sought refuge in temporary shelters such as school gymnasiums, while another 2,000 have taken shelter with friends or relatives.