captioning funded by cbs it is wednesday, august 17th, 2016. this is the "cbs this morning" news. breaking overnight. a southern wildfire explodes, forcing more than 80,000 people to flee their homes. and the investigation into a wildfire in the northern part of the state continues. officials revealing the accused arsonist once worked on the front lines of fires as a state inmate. intense flooding continues to devastate louisiana, while some escape the rising water, spreading across the state,

it's me. i don't want to change. everybody talks about you're going to pivot. i don't want to pivot. >> despite plummeting poll numbers, trump says he is staying true to himself but overnight, a shake-up at the top of his campaign. good morning from the studio 57 newsroom at cbs headquarters in new york, good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. there is a new fast moving wildfire burning near los angeles this morning that has alrede these are the three biggest fires burning this morning. the blue cut, clayton, and chimney fires. the newest is the explosive bluecut fire and it's burned at least 18,000 acres so far, and that is after sparking late yesterday morning east of los angeles. the fire is forcing more than 82,000 people from their homes and more than 34,000 homes are in danger.

kcbs reports, our los angeles station. >> reporter: the flames burned through parts of san bernardino county overnight scorching acres of leaned and reducing structures to rubble. the fire crews reached into the night to keep the blaze from reaching more homes and ordering residents to evacuate immediately. >> this fire is aggressive and we are seeing erratic fire behavior. get out so we can focus on working this fire versus rescuing citizens. >> reporter: the bluecut fire ignited tuesday morning. blaze from the air and ground, the fire expanded in size and in intensity in a matter of hours. as night fell, the historic summit inn, a popular diner, was among structures that burned to the ground. here in the high desert town of felaln, along highway 138, you can see home after home charged their foundation on. laura anderson is still unsure if her home is still standing. >> you can imagine, terror and sadness and concern. >> reporter: the fire caused

down. many drivers were left sweltering in their cars in triple digit temps. >> very little food and no water. i don't know how long we can go on. >> reporter: hot and dry california has been plagued by wildfires for months. fire officials are hoping lighter winds and cooler temperatures can help them get the fire under control. damin pashilk is expected in court today. he is accused of setting the fire. he is charged with 17 counts of arson and is suspected of setting more several fires over the past year. officials told the "los angeles times" he worked as an inmate firefighter while serving a prison sentence several years ago. the clayton fire destroyed 175 homes and buildings and, this morning, it is 35% contained. some louisiana parishes suffering from the historic flooding are under a new curfew

more rain is on the way today. flood alerts remain in effect this morning across the southern half of louisiana. the flooding is blamed for at least 11 deaths and more than 8,000 people are in shelters this morning. first responders rescued 30,000 people and 1,000 pets. 20 parishes have been declared major disaster areas. omar villafranca reports. >> reporter: the historic flooding continues to spread throughout the state. nearly 90% of the homes in denim springs suffered flood damage. as the water flows downstream, towns are being submerged. volunteers and rescue teams are still looking for stranded residents. >> this is our low spot on this street. >> reporter: tonya whitney's sorento street was completely flooded. >> very long road ahead. we just try to do the best we can do. a lot of the local people, you know, we band together and we

because, you know, we are all in the same boat. >> reporter: even though the storm wasn't a hurricane, louisiana governor john bel edwards has said it's been a challenge. >> we asked people to evacuate as soon as we knew that we were going to see record levels of water. >> reporter: was it too late by then? >> well, you can't give the warning before you have it. so, you know, obviously lessons we are learning and i won't say it's been issued a declaration of emergency in the entire state and included the entire state, i think, in a timely fashion. >> reporter: on sunday, adam albright and his family were rescued from the rising floodwaters in baton rouge. today, the father of two is cleaning out his flood-damaged home. >> i knew it was affecting a lot of people out there but i didn't think it was going to hit us, you know? >> reporter: omar villafranca, cbs news, sorento, louisiana.

talks today about tax fairness at a stop in ohio. while donald trump receives his first classified intelligence briefing. this morning, "wall street journal" reports on an overhaul of trump's campaign team. the nominee is moving two people into top positions, as his poll numbers slide. paul manafort still remains his campaign chairman. amid a "the new york times" report, he may have received millions in cash from prooperatives in ukraine. craig boswell reports on both campaigns. is the law and order candidate after days of unrest following a police shooting of an armed black man in milwaukee. >> crime and violence is an attack on the poor and will never be accepted in a trump administration. >> reporter: although the latest wisconsin poll shows the billionaire trailing hillary clinton by 15 points, trump says he sees no reason to change his style. >> i don't want to change. if you start pivoting, you're not being honest with people. >> reporter: clinton campaigned

private e-mail server. some congressional republicans want to know why the fbi did not recommend clinton face criminal charges. on monday, they sent a letter to the dcs attorney calling what they call purgery and falls statements made by clinton. the fbi released notes from its interview to clinton to congress on tuesday with the expectation it will not be disseminated or disclosed. clinton's campaign said it would rather see the report released lawmakers, saying this is an extraordinarily rare step that was sought solely by republicans for the purpose of further second-guessing the career professionals at the fbi. based on the fbi recommendations, the justice department declined to press charges and considers the case closed. craig boswell, cbs news, the white house. "the new york times" reports former fox news chairman roger ailes is helping trump prepare for the presidential debates.

claim. ailes was ousted from fox news last month over sexual harassment allegations. friends and family and fans as well are mourning the death of tv host john mclaughlin of the mclaughlin group. >> has the time come for george bush to reach for the telephone and say, get me -- >> no. >> and say to john tower, john, your time is coming and interest the party and yourself and the republic? you want to withdraw your nomination? has that time come? richard nixon's speech writer pioneered the political talk show. he served as an abrasive conservative commentator while interviewing a panel of journalists and hosted his show on sunday morning for 34 years. during those years, he only missed one show and that was this sunday's broadcast. mclaughlin died monday. he was 89. a mix of history and

on tuesday. in gymnastics, simone biles captured her fourth gold medal in the games on the floor exercise and five total medals in rio, four gold and a bronze, she ties the record for the most medals won by a single american gymnast in the olympics. aly raisman brought the medal count to nine. in men's, to the beach now, where the power duo of kerri walsh jennings and april ross were upset in the semifinals by the brazilians. walsh jennings was handed her first-ever olympic loss in her bid to make it four straight gold medals in the event. they play the other team for the bronze later today. the u.s. continues to dominate the medal count with 28 apiece in gold, silver, and bronze. americans are way out ahead with 84 medals.

hall. gracing this week's "sports illustrated" is swimmers katie ledecky and michael phelps, along with simone biles, combining for 16 medalses. still ahead on the morning news. edge faces backlash over a jolt about usain bolt. and a woman known for defending her son, faces personal troubles. this is the "cbs morning news." and what helps me do it? new oikos greek nonfat yogurt. now with all-natural ingredients with vitamin d, 25% less sugar than before and 12 grams of protein to help keep me going. i'm misty copeland. and i am unstoppably myself.

want great whitening without the mess? think outside the box colgate optic white toothbrush plus whitening pen for 5 shades whiter teeth. brush, whiten, go! no mess, no waiting, no rinsing. colgate optic white toothbrush plus whitening pen. [music] no, no, no, no, people are both soft and strong... yey! which is why our products are too.

discover card. i'm not a customer, but i'm calling about that credit scorecard. (to dog)give it. sure! it's free for everyone. oh! well that's nice! and checking your score won't hurt your credit. oh! (to dog)i'm so proud of you. well thank you. get your free credit scorecard at discover.com. univision is reportedly buying gawker media after a lawsuit bankrupt the company. the associated press says the spanish language broadcaster bought gawker to $135 million at auction. the company went bankrupt following a $140 million judgment against it in an invasion of privacy case brought

in a statement, gawker's founder wrote in a statement i am pleased our employees are protected and continue their work under new ownership. this entangled from the legal campaign against the company. ellen degeneres is defending a controversial tweet. a hero baltimore mom suffers a setback. those are some of the headlines on the morning newsstand. a woman who pulled her son from the baltimore's riots last year. her home burned. she was left homeless by saturday. she had no insurance and red cross aid is running out. >> it's a lot to have to put your personal out there for the world to see. >> she was caught on camera last year slapping her teenage son to stop him from throwing rocks in the violence after freddie gray's death. "the washington post"

work for the nfl. kathy lanier was the district of columbia's first male -- female police chief. she will be the head of security. "variety" reports on the answer from ellen degeneres to critics of a jokes she posted on twitter. an et. unedited photo shows her running on the back of usain . errands from now on. degeneres left the picture online and says racism is the furtherest thing from who i am. the "chicago tribune" reports that paying four smokers to kick the habit may help them kick the habit of smoking cigarettes. those who were paid stopped after three months. among those who weren't paid, 6% quit. "mashable" by focusing on the letters that signify blood types. the worldwide campaign calls for a, b, and o to be dropped from

still ahead, taking the wheel ford's announced plans for a self-driving car without a steering wheel and a pedal. >> announcer: this portion of "cbs morning news" sponsored by vagisil. get more from your wash. get vagisil. wish your skin could bounce back like... ...it used to? neutrogena? hydro boost water gel. instantly quenches skin to keep it... ...supple and hydrated... ...day... ...after day. with hydrating hyaluronic acid, which retains up to 1000 times its weight... ...in water. this refreshing water gel... plumps skin cells with intense hydration and locks it in. for supple, hydrated skin that bounces back. hydro boost...

at safelite, we know how busy life can be. these kids were headed to their first dance recital... ...when their windshield got cracked... ...but they couldn't miss the show. so dad went to the new safelite-dot-com. and in just a few clicks, he scheduled a replacement... ...before the girls even took the stage. safelite-dot-com is the fast, easy way to schedule service anywhere in america! so you don't have to miss a thing. y'all did wonderful! that's another safelite advantage. here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around

here in new york city, the mall at the world trade center is now back open with the hopes of revitalizing shopping in downtown manhattan. the four block underground mall will host 100 stores and 60 are open now, ranging from apple to forever 21, as well ash&m. three times as many people live in the area since 9/11 and the area is visited by millions of tourists each year. on the cbs "moneywatch," barnes and noble closes the book on its ceo and the "playboy" mansion finally finds a buyer. jill wagner is at the new york stock exchange with that and more. the markets pulled back a bit yesterday a day after reaching new highs. >> barnes and noble fired its

the company's board said ronald bower wasn't a good fit and they declined to go into detail. he was previously the ceo of sears. the struggling book seller hurt online by amazon is working to cut its business by cutting costs and closing stores. ford says it will have self-driving cars in the next five years on the road. the cars won't have steering wheels or gas or brake pedals. the vehicles are specifically designed for r h ride sharing services. ford says it will roll out self-driving cars for personal ownership later. >> google debuted a new video chatting app. the app named duo is a free service for phones running android and apple. unlike other video chatting apps, duo sends a photo of who is calling you. it's a feature that google calls knock knock. there is no for sale sign on

a neighbor, darren metropolis, bought the mansion for 100 million. the sale comes with a catch. 90-year-old hefner will be able to live there the rest of his life. once hefner moves out, the neighbor plans to connect the five-acre estate to his home next door. should making interesting breakfast conversation. >> indeed. jill wagner at the new york stock exchange, thanks a lot, jill. still to come, a hot tourist attraction. thousands are traveling miles to get a close-up look at a lava

if you need advice for your business, legalzoom has your back. our trusted network of attorneys has provided guidance to over 100,000 people just like you. visit legalzoom today. the legal help you can count on. legalzoom. legal help is here. ? ? with ingredients like roasted hazelnuts and cocoa, nutella adds a smile to any morning.

here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country.

will america's improved ties with cuba make life more "material" there? there is the material girl in the middle. it looked that way tuesday night in havana. pop star madonna danced through the tables to celebrate her 58th birthday there. happy birthday! steam rises from the water when it's hilt by the molten rock from the kilauea volcano. they are warning people to make a distance between the lava and unstable land it forms when it cools. an east texas couple are burned and bruised after hit by lightning. home surveillance video shows the man being hit while he was unloading their suv. his son was nearby. his wife was then shocked when she came into contact with him. everyone is okay, defying the odds. nearly three-quarters of those hit by lightning suffer

this is the "cbs morning news." long-term effects. and this is the "cbs morning news." i'm anne-marie green. edient, it is number one. and we leave out corn, wheat and soy. for your pet, we go beyond. [music] ... yey! which is why our products are too. angel soft. an unprecedented natural outburst seems to have taken over the country. everything's all right in there? security. hi , i'm stuck in an elevator with a cow. a what ? all natural, non gmo ingredients with vitamin d and whole milk. new dannon , natural is back. you brush your teeth diligently...two times a day, right? but 80% of your mouth's bacteria arentt even on teeth. eughty purschunt?!

ums. protecting 100% of your mouth's surfaces.

the navy named a new ship for gay rights pioneer harvey milk. he hid his sexual orientation to serve in the navy and became a san francisco supervisor. he was assassinated in 1978. the "usns harvey milk" will carry oil. a new craze is taking over the internet. jim axelrod looks at what is behind the latest stunt. >> 22 push-ups, here we go. >> reporter: move over ice buckets. there is a new challenge rippling through social media. push-ups. 22, in fact. knocking them out and then challenging someone else to do it. >> i'm taking the 22 push-up

john krasinski to a class of state trooper groups. it is not about pumping a pecs. it's designed to focus on a tragedy. for years, it was estimated 22 veterans committed suicide each day. retired marine don nguyen is the deputy director of 22 kill. a foundation behind the challenge. >> when the statistics came out suicide, it's almost unbelievable. we wanted to find out more about where this number came from. >> reporter: two summers ago, the ice bucket challenge raised $115 million. the group behind this challenge, 22 kill, says it's primary goal is to raise awareness, not money. rusty is an army vet who tried to kill himself after coming home from iraq in 2011. >> if i knew of an organization at the time that was doing what we do at 22 kill, i don't feel that i would have attempted suicide.

adjusted that number down to 20 veterans a day who take their own lives. the numbers may have changed, but the mission has not. >> we are not going to be done until it's zero. we are not going change our name just because of a new study. what matters is the number is going down and not up. >> reporter: the hope now is to keep that number moving in the right direction, 22 push-ups at a time. jim axelrod, cbs news, new york. here is another look at this morning's top story. california's newest wildfire is burning this morning east of los angeles and rapidly spreading. the so-called bluecut fire has burned at least 18,000 acres since it broke out late yesterday morning. more than 34,000 homes are in the fire's path and more than 82,000 people are under evacuation orders. coming up after your local news on "cbs this morning," fallout over a youtube video showing an american hunter killing a black bear with a

plus, after aly raisman's silver medalist win last night, we will speak with her parents about her long journey to rio. and we will talk with comedienne amy schumer about her new book. that is the "cbs morning news" for this wednesday. thanks for watching. i'm anne-marie green.

ausage from the fridge, fully cooked and ready in seconds. it makes breakfast complete, which makes bill feel like completing the gazebo, prompting a celebration in lori's backyard. with jimmy dean, good mornings lead to great days. hey, honey? yes, dear? you're washing that baked-on alfredo by hand,right? yes, dear. dish issues? cascade platinum... powers... through... your toughest stuck-on food. so let your dishwasher be the dishwasher. this turned out great.

hi, everybody. i'm alan gionet. good to have you with us in the cbs4 morning news. >> i'm britt moreno. thanks for joining us on this wednesday morning. this is the news breaking out of denver. a car smashes through a property and then takes off. imagine the people i unsuspecting about this. there's plenty of damage left behind in this area. >> just a pile of damage here. this happened in a backyard in the 3400-block of west evans west of evans and federal. that's where shawn chitnis is right now to bring the news right now. shawn, what's up. >>reporter: alan as you two were describing, that's almost how it happened. we know the homeowner was inside in bed and woke up suddenly to see what was happening.