Bushfire burning on mountain west of Tokyo

A bushfire has broken out on a mountain in Japan's Yamanashi Prefecture, which is located west of Tokyo. Residents in a community at the foot of the mountain have been ordered to evacuate.

The blaze started on Thursday. Despite aerial firefighting efforts, it was spreading on Mt. Ougiyama, which straddles the cities of Uenohara and Otsuki. Japanese Self-Defense Force troops, called up by the prefecture, joined the firefight on Friday morning. Firefighters believe that the blaze started along a trekking route in an area where there are benches.