Japan's Wildfires Force Thousands to Flee

0:00On April 24th, wildfires are tearing through northern Japan right now, pushing toward homes in one town and forcing authorities to evacuate more than 3,000 residents from over 1,500 households. Firefighters are hitting the blaze as hard from the ground and helicopters, but the flames keep spreading after scorching more than 1,000-1. 176 hectares of forest. No one's heard or killed so far, which is a huge relief. Those seven buildings are gone, including one house, and the fire got so close it shut down a key shelter Friday morning. This blaze now ranks as Japan's second largest wildfire, only topped by a 2025 fire that burned around 3,300. 70 hectares. Crews are still grinding to contain it, while officials keep a sharp eye out, prepping for any more evacuations as conditions shift fast. You've been listening to U.S. News today, AI-powered national coverage.