this as well as a lot of other local news tonight at 6:00. on the broadcast tonight, out of control. the situation in southern california has now grown worse. the fires have gotten a lot bigger, now threatening more homes. tonight we are on the fire lines. work in progress. the good news to end the week about jobs as unemployment drops to its lowest level in four years, and the stock market soars. fighting cancer. in what can be a confusing mine field of prostate cancer screenings, finally doctors have spoken on what men should do and not do and at what age. into the jungle in one of the most remote and pristine places on earth. tonight ann curry journeys to the rain forest as the people prepare for battle to save their way of life. prepare for battle to save their way of life. "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

good evening. again tonight, fires are burning right alongside commuters heading home from work in southern california while others are heading home to check on their homes themselves. the weather is doing no favors for this awful and early start of fire season. this isn't supposed to happen in may. the aggressive santa ana winds that blow in the opposite direction of our weather -- to the west and out over the water bringing heat-fuelled fires barrelling down the dry hillsides. today the major fires got bigger as conditions worsened. nbc's miguel almaguer starts us off our coverage from point mugu, not far from the naval air station there. miguel, good evening. >> reporter: brian, good evening. we are yards away from the pacific ocean. you can hear the choppers overhead scooping water out of the pacific and dumping it on the fire. the blaze is quick-moving, some 10,000 acres have been charred. containment is only at 10%.

take a look at the pictures taken a short time ago. 50 miles away from where we are standing in glendale outside of los angeles, a major freeway has been shut down because of another fire. crews will have their hands full tonight. as firefighters take a stand where they can to protect homes, they allow the blaze to burn where there is no immediate threat. so far, a winning strategy. >> that is getting really dangerously close to those folks. >> reporter: the so-called springs fire has scorched 15,000 square miles. tonight 4,000 homes are threatened. this inferno is moving fast. >> it's been pretty scary. >> reporter: natasha fraser was evacuated as flames moved in on the point mugu naval station. >> i don't think it's hit me really like survival mode, trying to get everything. >> back to on shore now. >> reporter: with nearly 1,000 firefighters on the ground,

crews have stopped flames from reaching large subdivisions. using a steady combination of ground teams and air attacks, only 15 homes have been damaged. shifting winds remain the biggest threat. on the front lines the conditions here are extreme. you can hear this blaze just chewing through bone dry brush. firefighters hope it burns itself out. >> it feels sometimes like you are always behind, you know, just about the time you get caught up the fire is outflanking you, getting ahead of you. that's always a challenge. >> reporter: overnight, fire spread from the foothills all the way to the pacific coast. >> it looks like an atom bomb has gone off. >> reporter: so much smoke billowing into the air, the plume visible from space. people were advised to stay inside. >> wow, this thing is a fire. >> reporter: all day the unfolding drama was captured on cell phones and cameras. >> we are looking at fire just at the trees right behind these houses now. >> reporter: the firefight is far from over as crews dig in for another long night.

with these firefighting choppers filling buckets with ocean water to beat back the flames here, additional firefighters have been called in across the region. there is good news on the weather front. we are expecting cooler temperatures, possibly even rain this weekend. brian, firefighters need all the help they can get here. >> miguel almaguer starting us off from point mugu, california, on the pacific coast. miguel, thanks. we turn now to the good news to end the week on the u.s. economy and jobs. the labor department said 165,000 jobs were added last month bringing the unemployment rate down to 7.5%, a four-year low. wall street celebrated. the dow industrials crossed the 15,000 threshold for the first time before dropping back. the average finished up 142 points to a new record. nasdaq gained 38. s&p was up almost 17. despite this good feeling the

jobs picture is still very much a work in progress. maria bartiromo is here from cnbc to add more on that. maria, good evening. >> brian, good evening to you. the markets reacted to positive economic data for a change as opposed to reacting to the federal reserve stimulus. and the reaction began as soon as the numbers came out. an historic day on wall street today with a big rally. >> breaking news this morning. a few moments ago, the dow crossing 15,000. >> reporter: the market took off this morning after a far better april jobs report than anyone expected. the stock market based on the dow jones industrial average up 14% for the year. in addition to the 165,000 jobs added in april, it turns out that 114,000 more jobs were added in february and march than first reported. the unemployment rate now at 7.5%. the lowest since december of 2008. >> the recovery remains on

track. that's the good news. the bad news is it's still uneven. we'd like to see a more even recovery to get the economy to where we want it to be with unemployment not a problem for a lot of americans. >> reporter: there is good news in kansas city where ford is hiring 2,000 people. >> to build the economy of the future, you have to have the p in gdp. you have to make things. you have to have products. >> reporter: 900 workers are needed on a third shift to build the f-150 ford truck. another 1100 to build a new version of the transit. at a nearby union office gary conkling learned his year of unemployment is over. >> to put in a third shift and hire another shift when the transit comes is a good opportunity for people especially in this community. >> reporter: 17 million americans are still unemployed or underemployed. in miami the owners of the miami dolphins were taking names for 4,000 potential new jobs as they pressure lawmakers to approve a hotel tax to pay for upgrading the dolphins stadium. >> i hope i will be employed.

that's my expectation. >> reporter: it may be political hardball, but plenty of people still need jobs. it's very important to note that part of the reason the unemployment rate is moving lower is because people have stopped looking. they have not been able to find a job so they are out of the counting. we are still waiting for more information, brian. we need to know what the payroll tax increase is going to do to the economy as well as the sequester. we could see continued bumpiness in terms of job creation. it's good news to see the numbers moving in the right direction. >> so many people anxious for any bit of good news on this. maria bartiromo, pleasure as always. thank you. now to the latest on the bombing investigation out of boston. we are learning more tonight about how the suspects plan to carry out the attacks including the report they were planning to do it on july 4 and not patriots day originally. and how one of them was killed in the days after the bombings. once again tonight our justice correspondent pete williams in our d.c. newsroom. pete, good evening. >> brian, good evening. officials say it's probably impossible to verify everything

that dzhokhar tsarnaev told his interrogators such as his claim they originally planned to attack on the fourth of july. authorities say he explained when they decided to do something earlier he and his brother were not focused on the marathon until they saw all the preparations and until then didn't realize they were planting one of the bombs near the finish line. investigators are also asking more questions of tamerlan tsarnaev's widow. they say material from the al qaeda magazine "inspire" was found on her computer, though it's unknown whether it was downloaded by her, her husband or his brother. her lawyer said she was shocked by the bombing. and the department of homeland security is working to get border agents real time information about student visas. one of dzhokhar tsarnaev's friends charged with throwing away his backpack, azamat tazhayakov stopped attending

classes and left for a visit home to kazakhstan in december. when he returned the border agents didn't know his visa was suspended and he was allowed back in. tonight the official cause of death of tamerlan tsarnaev, gunshot wounds, head and chest trauma from the shootout with police and being run over with the car his brother was driving. brian? >> pete williams with the latest from our washington bureau tonight. pete, thanks. men's health is making news tonight, specifically this. prostate cancer screening, it's become a confusing mine field lately. what to do and not do and at what age. today the doctors in that specialty spoke out with new guidelines, new rules to make it easier to navigate. specifically where the psa test is concerned. our chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman in our new york studios with the latest on this. this has been confusing. >> it has been confusing, brian. they have made it easier today. there are over 240,000 cases of cancer of the prostate every year.

that's one reason why men have been so urged to get this psa blood test. today the american urological association said that's just not good medicine. these are the changes. it's not indicated at all for men under the age of 40. for men aged 40 to 54, again no psa test. for men 55 to 69, discuss it with your doctor, the risks, benefits, does it make sense? and for men over 70, no psa test. know your family history. instead of mass screening, do you have a risk factor for cancer? have you already had it? if you are african-american you are at increased risk. if you're having changes. if you can't urinate or have pain you check with your doctor. but there is routine screening of everybody, we now know it wastes money, it's not good medicine and in some cases, brian, it hurts people. >> so an attempt today to make this easier. >> that's right. >> dr. nancy snyderman with our report tonight. nancy, thanks. the fight over guns took center stage in texas today as the national rifle association opened up its annual convention. gun rights group has, of course, been at the center of the debate.

the failed vote on background checks in the senate and the gathering was fired up as it got under way today. gabe gutierrez is following the story in houston. >> reporter: today in texas, a show of strength. >> keep the faith. stand up and fight for our freedoms. >> reporter: sarah palin energizing the nra's annual meeting, possibly its largest ever. it is expected to draw more than 70,000 gun enthusiasts throughout the weekend. martin and donna baker joined the nra this year. >> second amendment needs all the support it can get right now. >> reporter: after the mass shootings in aurora and newtown, the nra's critics had momentum until two weeks ago. >> this was a pretty shameful day for washington. >> reporter: when a bill aimed at expanding background checks for commercial gun sales failed in the senate. >> we will never back away from our resolve to defend our rights and the rights of all law abiding american gun owners. >> reporter: the gun control debate is far from over. >> i'm an nra member.

i also believe in sensible gun laws. >> reporter: this new tv ad airing in houston is part of a renewed push by gun control advocates ahead of the 2014 midterm election. the movement is paid for in part by new york mayor michael bloomberg. outside the convention hall today, small protests on behalf of the victims of gun violence. >> i think about jesse almost constantly. >> reporter: neil heston lost his 6-year-old son in newtown and is in houston this week. >> i wish for a moment they could be in my place to see what i'm going through. >> i pray for them. >> reporter: larry alder says he sympathizes but doesn't think gun control is the answer. >> you cannot legislate

something to handle somebody that is mentally deranged. >> reporter: many say the convention is about more than legislation. it is about a way of life they feel is under attack. this convention continues in the morning with the annual meeting of members. then tomorrow night a rally headlined by political commentator glenn beck. brian? >> gabe gutierrez in houston for us tonight. thanks. when we continue on a friday evening, our journey to a place few have ever seen. ann curry with a close-up look at a battle to save one of the most remote and pristine places on earth. later, taking flight. a first attempt to make it across the country powered only by the sun.

we are back tonight with a battle brewing in one of the most remote and pristine places on earth -- the rain forest of ecuador and south america. for years the u.s. has been the number one importer of oil from that country. now there is a plan to extract even more of it from a vast stretch of land. as nbc's ann curry found in her travels to the region, it has caused alarm in that part of the

world. >> reporter: deep in the amazon, in the world's most biodiverse rain forest, rarely seen tribesmen are sharpening spears and preparing blow guns for what they say will be a fight to the death against ecuador's new plan to drill for oil on up to 8 million acres of pristine rain forest. while the tribal leader sings "we are not going to lose our culture, we are going to protect our land." [ speaking in a foreign language ] >> reporter: angry women from the tribe vow to fight alongside their men. tribal leader patricio hupa says the people cannot survive without the rain forest. >> if i am living, i am going to fight for my community. >> reporter: as long as you are alive you will fight for your community. >> mm-hmm. >> reporter: you feel so strongly. >> yes. i'm sorry. >> reporter: past oil drilling left a toxic legacy in ecuador.

boston university biologist kelly sween, a researcher here for more than 20 years. i understand more oil has been spilled here than in the exxon valdez disaster. >> those numbers are real. we are talking about hundreds of small spills that add up to a huge amount. >> reporter: and, he says, america, a top importer of oil from ecuador, shares responsibility for this coming conflict. >> we are definitely guilty in this story. >> reporter: ecuador depends on amazon oil for up to 50% of its revenue. ecuador's vice president lenin moreno. >> translator: if ecuador were in a position to provide for the needs of its people we would be happy not to exploit. however that's not the case. >> reporter: confronted with indigenous people with spears would ecuador use force? >> translator: according to international law if dialogue fails there is a process of escalation of the use of force. >> reporter: in the battle of blow guns against bulldozers, the tribes know they are outmatched, but are still preparing to make a last stand to save the rain forest and

their endangered people. ann curry, nbc news, ecuador. >> we'll have more on this story, the battle for the rain forest tonight on "rock center" at 10:00/9:00 central this evening. when we come back, a heartwarming update to a story that touched a lot of our viewers when we heard it last night.

the scene this afternoon in bremmerton, washington, as the great flat-top, the aircraft carrier stennis returned. among the 3,000 sailors on board, lieutenant michael lemons. we met him last night as family members of his visited him on board ship. today a chance for him to see the rest of his family including a member he'd never seen before -- his newborn son. a very happy day on the west coast. eerie underwater pictures show the shadowy electronic profile of the wreckage, the

last german bomber of its kind from the second world war. this one was shot down 72 years ago during the battle of britain. it was first spotted by divers off the coast of kent in the uk. it will take an estimated three weeks to bring it up in one piece. divers say it is remarkably intact. even the tires are still inflated on the ocean floor. next time you land in little rock you will be arriving at the bill and hillary clinton airport. today's ceremony was moved indoors because of bad weather. this is the first major city airport named for a couple. the former president said today it was the first place he flew out of as a young man. former secretary of state for her part says she remembers flying in there to visit a young man she started dating in college. over 2 million people a year fly into and out of little rock. it's probably a good thing these are not jet trails from commercial airline flights. instead, this happens to be a beautiful slow exposure photo of seagull flight patterns over the city of rome on a beautiful

evening just yesterday. none of them appear to have any specific destination in mind. up next for us on a friday night, perhaps coming soon to the skies over where you live -- a flight like no other.

finally tonight in this age of routine air travel a couple of aviators began a slow journey across the country today. they will push eastward in regular increments flying at about 45 miles an hour. their aircraft took off from an airport in california powered by nothing more than the sun. if all goes well, they will be the first to fly across america in an all solar-powered plane. their story tonight from nbc's tom costello. >> reporter: sunrise over san francisco, and solar impulse is slicing the morning sky on a record-breaking flight across america, cruising at 30,000 feet with 12,000 solar cells and not a single drop of fuel.

andre borshbar and bertrand piccard are the swiss visionaries and pilots taking turns in the cockpit hoping to put wings on a revolution in solar and green technology. >> this is kind of a wright brothers moment, isn't it? >> this is about inspiring people for what they can do in their own life. >> reporter: already in europe their plane has flown higher and longer than any other solar plane. from dawn to dusk to dawn again. charging their batteries in daylight to power the propellors at night, with room in this lightweight plane for just a single pilot. and the total weight? >> 3,500 pounds. that's like a toyota prius or a volkswagen golf or the wingspan of a jumbo jet, 747. >> reporter: now they plan to fly further and longer in a city-hopping trip across america. 24 hours per leg without stopping. if all goes well, in 2015, around the world in 20 days. that means spending three days and three nights over the atlantic, five days and five

nights over the pacific in a cockpit about the size of a bathtub. what does a pilot do when nature calls? for that trip they are actually building a toilet into the pilot's seat. this mission is all about forward-thinking. >> there is science, exploration and this beautiful way to promote clean technology that is so important for the future of mankind. >> reporter: using solar power on commercial planes may be decades away but these two 21st century pioneers believe the only way to push the green envelope is to push science and themselves to the edge. tom costello, nbc news, san francisco. it's a big plane, very visible. it has running lights and there is a way to track the flight via gps on our website especially for those who may live beneath its path and want to try to catch a glimpse as it goes by. for us, for now that's our broadcast on a friday night and for this week. thank you for being with us. don't forget. we're back on the air tonight with an all new "rock center." that's 10/9 central. i'm brian williams.

we'll look for you right back here on monday evening. in the meantime, have a good weekend. in the meantime, have a good weekend. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com good evening. i'm jessica aguirre ri. >> they're saying game on. politicians in florida couldn't get it done tonight and that means the 2016 super bowl will likely be awarded to santa clara but nothing is final yet. the bay area is competing with miami but within the last two hours the florida legislature failed to approve public money to renovate the stadium. we're joined with the new details. damian, you're right at the stadium. what happens now? >> reporter: you can't

officially celebrate yet but you can imagine the excitement in santa clara. ones thou o the nfl won't make the official announcement until may 21st, but with miami being out of the picture virtually, all bets are on santa clara for 2016, and that's only three years away. the last and only time the bay area hosted a big event like this was in 1985. super bowl xix at stanford stadium and who did the niners beat at that game? the miami dolphins and their rookie quarterback dan marino. now it seems all the pomp and circumstance is returning to the bay area. of course, the city of santa clara will have to invest tens of millions of dollars in infrastructure and other items in order to be the host site of super bowl l but it also stands to gain a lot of money in recognition a