OITA — People affected by a massive fire in the Saganoseki district of Oita entered the area on Saturday and checked the status of their homes for the first time since the fire broke out.

The fire destroyed about 170 houses and burned about 48,900 square meters of residential and forested areas. In the residential area on the Saganoseki Peninsula side, the fire is now under control with no further risk of it spreading. However, there is no prospect of when the fire will be completely extinguished.