making news in america this july 4th, hundreds of homes, hundreds of thousands of acres, the dramatic destruction as wildfires blazing across the west spread even faster and conditions take a turn for the worse. meanwhile in the east, the deadly grip of a relentless heat wave. just how hot will it get for the holiday? the senate intelligence committee releases its report on whether vladimir putin and the russians meddled in the election and who they were trying to help. this while the president makes progress interviewing potential supreme court candidates and directs a new policy on affirmative action. new video of the 12 boys trapped in that flooded cave in thailand, blankets delivered as we learn just how difficult it could be to rescue them. the help now on the way.

those stories, plus the impeach 45 shirt causing controversy at walmart. now the retailer is responding. plus, the government makes a safety decision. are airline seats too narrow? and see how hot dog eating legend joey chestnut is preparing to potentially set an all-time record today and how much is riding on his win. a good morning, everyone. happy fourth of july to all of you as a relentless and deadly heat wave grips the eastern half of the country. a wildfire emergency is now declared in the west. >> already bad conditions are now taking a turn for the worse with dozens of large fires burning out of control. at least one of them is being called historic. and fire crews will be getting little help from the weather today. fire officials in colorado say the hot, dry conditions are pushing the so-called spring fire at remarkable speeds. it engulfed more than 130 square

miles, the state's second largest fire in history.moren ho >> total devastation. it looked like hiroshima had another "a" bomb dropped on it. >> it's believed it was sparked by an illegal campfire. colorado has six big wildfires burning at this hour. authorities say there are nine in new mexico and at least another six each in utah and california. a state of emergency has been declared in utah where one fire has destroyed dozens of homes. the governor says everyone needs to use common sense so more fires don't start. >> only do a campfire in a designated campground. don't leave fires unattended. be careful with fireworks. >> thousands of homes in the fire zones are under mandatory evacuation orders this holiday morning including areas about 70 miles north where nearly 115 e . there's no telling when residents will be allowed back into their homes. meantime, precautions are being taken because of the oppressive

heat wave ahead of july 4th celebrations. in boston, huge fans were put in place to keep crowds cool. the heat in philadelphia believed responsible for knocking out power to a commuter train. >> stuck on train now for almost two hours, and it's probably about 120 degrees on this train. >> and there's not much relief in sight. it's going to feel like over 100 degrees today from the upper midwest all the way into new england. and we're going to have more on the weather situation in a few moments including your independence day forecast from accuweather. we turn to washington where the senate intelligence committee has confirmed that russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election. the republican-led panel agreed with the assessment of the u.s. intelligence agencies saying the conclusion was based on sound analysis and not swayed by politics. they say vladimir putin had a clear preference for donald trump and approved the election meddling himself. the president has continued to

cast doubt on that claim. he will meet face-to-face with putin later this month. and president trump is just five days away from his self-imposed deadline to announce a supreme court nominee. he's now interviewed seven candidates telling a crowd last night in west virginia that they're all impressive. abc's kenneth moton is in d.c. with new details on the search. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, kendis. president trump at that event last night telling supporters he spent the past three days interviewing supreme court nominees. we can also tell you that on the short list, federal judges and at least one gop lawmaker from congress. president trump on the road in west virginia with his big supreme court decision on his mind. >> this is such an important decision, and we're going to give you a great one. >> reporter: the white house says the president has interviewed seven potential nominees this week, three within the past 24 hours. >> these are very talented people, brilliant people and i think you're really going to love it just like justice gorsuch.

we hit a home run there and we're going to hit one here. >> reporter: on the list, federal judge brett kavanaugh, a former clerk of retiring justice anthony kennedy and two women, federal judges amy coney barrett of indiana and joan larsen of michigan, both clerked for the late justice antonin scalia, a conservative titan on the bench and both are trump appointees to the court of appeals. they were asked about abortion during their recent joint confirmation hearing. >> i would be bound by the precedents of the supreme court. >> i agree with justice larsen. >> reporter: the nominee hasn't even been named and outside groups are pledging millions for the confirmation battle. >> president trump has proven that he wants the best of the best on the supreme court. >> reporter: the conservative judicial crisis network launched this ad supporting the president's potential nominees and attacking democrats calling them extremists. the liberal group demand justice plans to roll out health care and abortion rights ads targeting moderate senators like republican susan collins of maine. we've learned president trump also interviewed gop senator

mike lee of utah by phone. the president once again is expected to make his big announcement monday. kendis and diane. >> kenneth moton live from d.c., thank you. and civil rights groups are blasting the trump administration for rescinding an obama era affirmative action policy that was intended to promote diversity in schools. administration officials say the old guidance for colleges to consider race in the admissions process went beyond the requirements of the constitution. the move comes as harvard university faces a lawsuit alleging its affirmative action policy discriminates against asian students, but the school says it will continue to use race as a factor to maintain diversity. attorney general jeff sessions has threatened to sue schools that discriminate against white applicants. republican congressman jim jordan of ohio is denying claims that he failed to address allegations of sexual abuse by a team doctor at ohio state university when he was a wrestling coach more than 20 years ago. now, two former college wrestlers say jordan had direct knowledge of claims that the doctor was groping male

athletes, but jordan insists he was not aware. well, workers at a maryland newspaper where five were shot and killed last week got a bit of a pick-me-up in the form of the stanley cup. a staff member on the washington capitals visited the offices of "the capital gazette." each member of the team gets to spend one day with the trophy and he decided to spend his day at the gazette. the editor called it a big morale boost. meanwhile, president trump ordered flags lowered to half-staff for the victims of that attack. the mayor of annapolis said the white house denied his initial request. time now for a look at your forecast for this wednesday, july 4th. >> good morning. as we take a look at the outlook for july the 4th, staying very hot throughout the center part of the country, tennessee valley region. we'll have a touch of rain throughout the northeast and mostly afternoon, evening showers throughout the southeast. now, for the northeast, look for scattered showers throughout pennsylvania, new york, southern new england states, but we're looking for the storms to hit

along the gulf coast particularly over towards houston with staying hot in texas, oklahoma city and the center part of the country and seasonable heat and dry conditions for the southwest. i'm accuweather meteorologist paul williams. coming up, a clothing controversy for walmart. a shirt calling for president trump's impeachment. should it be sold? but first two hollywood actors kidnapped. one held for ransom. see how this real-life drama finally ended. and the shocking phone mishap sending your photos to random people in your contact list without your permission.

a 92-year-old woman in phoenix is charged with murder after allegedly shooting and killing her own son.

police say anna mae blessings pulled a gun from the pocket of her bathrobe and killed her 72-year-old son after he threatened to move her to an assisted living facility. >> wow. so we're learning some new details about a bizarre kidnapping plot targeting two hollywood actors. los angeles police say this woman you see here arrested monday at gunpoint is one of three people charged in the case. detectives say that she and two men abducted daisy mccrackin and joey capone in may of last year. both starred in the movie "halloween: resurrection." capone was allegedly pistol whipped and then starved in a bathtub. now, detectives say mccrackin was forced to give the kidnappers $10,000 as ransom. a neighbor says mccrackin just seemed to vanish. >> she was really friendly, and i used to go to her house to clean her house like a few times, but one day we didn't see her anymore. police and more people came, but we didn't know what happened

with her. >> so the woman in the video that you see there, amber neal, and one of the men are each being held on a million dollars bail. the other is held on $2 million bail. actor kevin spacey is facing new sex crimes allegations in london. three more men are reportedly accusing the oscar winner of sexually assaulting them when he was in england. some date back to more than 20 years. scotland yard is already investigating three other claims. spacey has denied allegations against him. you will no longer be able to find anti-trump baby clothes for sale on walmart's website. the shirts and other items said impeach 45 referring, of course, to the 45th president. they prompted a campaign on social media calling for shoppers to boycott walmart. a company spokesman said the merchandise was offered by a third party seller and not walmart itself. samsung is now investigating a phone glitch that randomly shares photos with people in your contacts without your approval. some users say this happened

without any evidence that the pictures were shared at all. it appears the photos are being sent through the samsung messages app. the phones reportedly affected are the galaxy s9 and note 8. coming up, a new study that could make the pap smear a thing of the past. but first we take you to the cave in thailand where officials warn it could take months to rescue those 12 boys trapped underground. what's being done right now to improve their strength and their odds of survival. and later a decision about whether airline seats are too small. to most people, i look like... most people. but on the inside, i feel chronic, widespread pain. fibromyalgia may be invisible to others, but my pain is real. fibromyalgia is thought to be caused by overactive nerves. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i'm glad my doctor prescribed lyrica. for some, lyrica delivers effective relief from fibromyalgia pain... animovunion. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions,

suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worse depression, unusual changes in mood or behavior, swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, muscle pain with fever, tired feeling or blurry vision. common side effects: dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, swelling of hands, legs, and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. those who have had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. with less pain, i can do more. ask your doctor about lyrica. if you're eligible, you could pay as little as $25 a month. i'start at the new carfax.comar. show me minivans with no reported accidents. boom. love it. [struggles] show me the carfax. start your used car search at the all-new carfax.com.

living healthy is a balancing act. that's why i love light & fit greek non-fat yogurt. each delicious cup contains 12 grams of protein and 80 calories. it's nutrition that fits my healthy life. light & fit. do what fits you. first lady melania trump returned to walter reed hospital nearly two months after undergoing a kidney procedure. but this time she was there to pay a surprise visit to wounded service members and their families. she thanked them, of course, for their service and thanked the hospital staff for their care, as well. we turn now to the 12 boys trapped inside that flooded cave

in northern thailand. >> work crews are now trying to run a fiber-optic line down into the cave so the boys can talk to their parents. they've received food and crucial medical supplies from a doctor and nurse who swam underwater to reach them, but it takes at least six hours for divers to reach the boys. now the question is how to get them out. abc's james longman shows us just how challenging this rescue effort will be. >> reporter: the pressure is on. >> we're coming. it's okay. many people are coming. >> reporter: now that those 12 missing boys and their soccer coach have been found alive with more rain forecast this week, the real test will be getting them out safely. >> we are hungry. >> reporter: this new video showing the boys wrapped in mylar blankets after eating a meal, grateful for their rescuers. after ten days of darkness the boys aged 11 to 16 are rail thin. >> eat, eat, eat. >> reporter: the thai navy saying a team of seven s.e.a.l.s are with them including a doctor and nurse. they've all been evaluated and

they're in good condition. these are the kind of military rations that divers are swimming into the cave to give to the boys. things that are protein rich, full of nutrients to build up their strength so they can get out but also things that they can swallow because they've been so long without food. above ground teams are working to find a way to bring them home. none of the options is easy. one plan, teaching the boys who may not know how to swim to scuba dive. workers fitting a mask on this boy possibly testing equipment they would use in a water rescue, and here's what they would face. the cave complex in the mountains of northern thailand is about six miles long. the boys and their coach are here, a half mile underground and a little over one mile from the cave's entrance according to the british diving team who found them. to get there, divers had to navigate a maze of caverns and passageways, some with enough room to stand, others completely submerged barely enough for scuba equipment to squeeze through. a treacherous journey that could take even the most experienced divers six hours. >> you have to dive down and

come up and then you are back to rock climbing really over huge hills and then the diving starts. >> reporter: if swimming the boys out is not an option, they may have to remain in the cave for weeks or months until the rainy season passes, but that poses risks too. the longer they remain underground, the harder it will be for them to re-adjust to life on the surface. their parents alrady imagining their return. this mother saying she can't wait to cook her son his favorite food, a traditional thai omelet. rescuers are working to put down a phone line all the way into that cave, but the phone company told us originally they didn't have a cord long enough. so they've managed now to splice it. it does reach but still no word on when those boys are going to be able to speak with their parents. james longman, abc news, thailand. >> james, thank you. incredible story. and now to a health alert this morning about cervical cancer screening. a new study finds hpv tests may

be better than pap smears at catching cervical cancer in its early stages. researchers say the less common hpv test is simpler and nearly 95% accurate, however, many experts are skeptical about relying only on one testing for the human papillomavirus. they say using the hpv test in addition to the pap smear is still preferred. the world cup resumes friday after a dramatic second round. sweden got a little luck scoring a deflected goal right there against switzerland. that was actually all they needed. sweden won it, 1-0. and then it was england and colombia going to a penalty kick shootout. oh, man, the goalie there with the save of his life then england scoring right here. the winner sparking a wild celebration on the field and back home where the beer was flowing on a 24-hour basis. >> the beer was flowing into people's mouths and also all over them. >> exactly. >> showers. up next, a decision about the size of airline seats. and also defending the swimsuit competition, miss usa

getsrengid of it> d he prie t world's most famous hot dog eating contest just hours away. (door bell rings) it's open! hey. this is amazing. with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis, are you okay? even when i was there, i never knew when my symptoms would keep us apart. so i talked to my doctor about humira. i learned humira can help get, and keep uc under control when other medications haven't worked well enough. and it helps people achieve control that lasts. so you can experience few or no symptoms. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened; as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb, hepatitis b,

are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. be there for you, and them. ask your gastroenterologist about humira. with humira, control is possible. olay regenerist wipes out the competition; hydrating better than $100, $200 even $400 creams. with our b3 complex, beautiful skin doesn't have to cost a fortune. olay. gives you lasting protection from tooth sensitivity. new listerine® sensitivity with first of its kind protection, it blocks tooth sensitivity at the source. so instead of your favorite foods making you feel like this. you'll enjoy them like this. bring out the bold.™ you shouldn't be rushed into booking a hotel. until the day you leave for your trip. add-on advantage. only when you book with expedia.

♪ time to check "the pulse" and we start off with the faa refusing to take action on shrinking airline seats. >> yeah, a passenger rights group had to petition the faa to do something about it but the agency just weighed in saying even though airline cabins have become a little bit more cramped, there is still enough room for passengers to safely evacuate during an emergency. >> in refusing to get involved, the faa said, we are a safety agency, not a creature comfort agency. >> come on. well, next an apparent division in the pageantry world

over swimsuit competitors. >> this week announced that thee eliminating swimsuits and evening gowns, the newly crowned miss usa speaking out. sarah rose summers called it empowering. >> we wear them at the beach and we wear them at the pool, so for me it's just exciting and it's empowering being able to say that is me. this is the hard work that i'm so proud of. that takes confidence unlike anything else and true confidence not just on the outside but inner confidence. >> well, summers says she believes that women should be supported for whatever they choose to do with their own bodies. next a fourth of july tradition, the nathan's famous hot dog eating contest. so they held the annual weigh-in here in new york yesterday. defending champion joey "jaws" chestnut is going for his 11th championship. >> so, joey set a record last year eating 72 dogs and buns in 10 minutes. he stopped eating solid food ahead of the contest so that he can feel empty and loose in his words. >> 80 grand in prize money is up for grabs.

about a million dollars are bet on the contest each year. >> not bad. so this is a july 4th to remember for a texas couple. >> that's because their quadruple lets are coming home. as a present the agi quads are receiving a patriotic look at the hospital. check them out, mercy, amaris, adriel and their brother zephania, he's in the stars. they were born on june 1st. >> and they're strong enough to go home just in time for the fourth of july. >> that is the cutest american flag ever. >> very patriotic. we got more news coming up right after this. (♪) i'm a four-year-old ring bearer with a bad habit of swallowing stuff. still won't eat my broccoli, though. and if you don't have the right overage, you could be paying for that pricey love band yourself. so get an allstate agent, and be better protected from mayhem. like me. can a ring bearer get a snack around here?

crisp leaves of lettuce. freshly made dressing. clean food that looks this good. delivered to your desk. now delivering to home or office. panera. food as it should be. how did we test our with two pounds of steak. in each hand. dixie ultra. stress tested so you can stress less at dinner. it's just my eczema again,. but it's fine. yeah, it's fine. you okay? eczema. it's fine. hey! hi! aren't you hot? eczema again? it's fine. i saw something the other day. myeczemaexposed.com. your eczema could be something called atopic dermatitis, which can be caused by inflammation under your skin. maybe you should ask your doctor? go to myeczemaexposed.com to learn more.

spruceask sherwin-williams june 22nd through july 9th and get 30% off paints and stains. visit your neighborhood sherwin-williams store today. i'm and i'm an emt.erer when i get a migraine at work, it's debilitating. if i call out with a migraine, that's one less ambulance to serve a community. i just don't want to let these people down. excedrin migraine. relief that works as hard as you do.

good morning north bay. let's get up and get going. >> this is abc 7 mornings. this >> i do too. >> wonderful. >> can we play dress up every day. >> absolutely. >> happy fourth. wednesday, 4th of july. mike nicco is off and francis is here. nice to see you. >> we are starting off with fog and low clouds this morning. live doppler 7 with the satellite image. we will see sunshine this afternoon. temperatures will be on the cool side, conditions range from 48 degrees in loss guy toes, to 62 in bacaville. 50s around the bay. san francisco 56. oakland 59. i'll have more details coming up. alexis? >> good morning, francis. unfortunately we are starting off with a couple rollover

crashes this morning. we thought we would have a quiet start, but we have some collisions to talk about. northbound 880 before the 80 merge as you get into the maze. rollover crash was briefly blocking all lanes. they did clear that to the shoulder. sounds like we did have injuries involved in that one but no residual delays. that's a little better news there. a backup a moment ago on eastbound 80 near appian way. another rollover crash with injuries. two vehicles involved. they have lanes three and four blocked. this in the clearing stages. definitely want to slow down and take it easy this morning. we'll check out lighter areas coming up in a few minutes. >> thank you. we're tracking this develop the video tells the story. take a look at your screen. at least two cars and a home on fire there. the flames even pred to shrubs along the driveway. we're told this happened last night on a home on griffith street. see the entire front of the house on fire at one point. no word on whether anyone was inside or if anyone was hurt at

the time. firefighters managed to keep the fire from spreading to a neighboring home. the cause is under investigation. >> while on the subject of fires, a wildfire is forcing more evacuations this morning in napa county. >> the county fire has burned nearly 113 square miles. you can see it here. the napa sheriff's office says there are no homes in the evacuation area but they are looking for campers at this point. a mandatory evacuation order is in effect for yolo county. the flames threatened 1,000 homes and businesses. it is 15% contained. more than 2600 fire personnel are fighting the flames. the fear of fires being sparked that has san jose enforcing a total ban on all types of fireworks and for the third year in a row, the city is asking residents to report illegal fireworks on-line. it can all be done anonymously. >> you can fill out the form, everything except for your name and contact information, put your photographs in there. if there's enough information

without contacting you for us to take action, we will take action. >> now, we should note that this didn't work so well last year. there were more than 1,000 complaints but most were dismissed because of lack of evidence. city officials say the entire process is being reevaluated. that being said, if you launch a rockets red glare the first offense is $500, $250 for subsequent offenses. there are more than 60 legal fourth of july celebrations happening today all over the bay area and find a link to every one of them on our website, abc7news.com and our abc 7 news app. >> will we be able to see the fireworks. 4:30, just joining us let's get to frances in for mike nicco. >> great question. we're always dealing with the fog around this time of the year. live doppler 7, satellite image, clouds spilling in from the coast and to parts of the east bay. it will stick around the coast most of the day.