MORIOKA, Japan (Kyodo) -- A forest fire in northeastern Japan has scorched the largest area of land in more than 30 years, the central government said Friday, as local firefighters and Self-Defense Forces struggle to control the blaze.

The blaze has spread across at least 1,200 hectares in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, over the past three days, according to local authorities. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government has stepped up efforts to limit the damage.

It has surpassed the previous record of 1,030 hectares in Kushiro, Hokkaido, set in 1992, making it the largest area affected by a forest fire since the Heisei era, which lasted from 1989 through 2019, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.

Since the wildfire began Wednesday, one person has died, and more than 80 homes have burned, local authorities said.

The number of helicopters deployed to fight the fire has risen to more than 15, including a doubling of the larger SDF aircraft, which are better equipped for water drops.

The agency under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications also requested emergency assistance from local governments, including Gunma, Saitama and Tokyo, bringing the number of responding prefectures to more than 10.

Over 3,000 residents from more than 1,300 households are still under evacuation orders, the Ofunato government said.