>> yeah. >> good night. . on this saturday night, fire fight. the battle is on to gain the upper hand after a devastating week of wildfires. concern this is only the beginning. deadly virus, another american tests positive for the infection that has killed more than 170 people overseas. dr nancy snyderman will have the latest. rising star, the surprise news about a leading young democrat headed for a new role in the obama administration and perhaps beyond. and how equal? six decades after a landmark civil rights ruling, the disturbing trend in america's public schools.

from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >> good evening. that epic battle going on to beat back rampaging wildfires threatening neighborhoods near san diego has taken a turn. a change in weather gave them a window to gain the upper hand and fuel the hopes of evacuees anxious to return to homes. the fires this week have destroyed around 27,000 acres, and claimed more than two dozen homes and residences. fire crews, some standing toe to toe with the wind whipped flames have managed to save countless others but looks like their fight is far from over. joe fryer is in the fire zone tonight joining us from a burned out section of san marcos, california, joe? >> reporter: good evening, lester. crews are making progress on all fires today thanks to cooler temperatures and calmer winds. here in san marcos, the destructive cocoas fire is 70%

contained but the fire season is just getting started. at it's peak, the unpredictable cocoas fire threatened thousands of homes. >> last video i can shoot. >> reporter: this is what it looked like when flames raced through a neighborhood where several structures were destroyed. >> it took probably two minutes to make it through here and do this devastation, two minutes. >> wow, there it is right there, there it is right there. >> reporter: warm santa anna winds fueled massive fires like this one in carlsbad. >> oh my god! >> essentially driving through hell's kitchen. i couldn't see anything. i was just driving through a black wall of smoke. intense. >> reporter: the 11 wildfires that burned through 27,000 acres north of san diego this week are simply a destructive prelude. >> this is the first time we've done the drought monitor. we have 100% of california in drought. we would definitely categorize this as a once in a generation drought. >> reporter: in modesto, california, this is what the splash pad looked like last year and this year it's closed as the city conserves water.

>> before we ask citizens and residents to do something, we should be proactive and be as conservative as possible. >> reporter: the drought danger extends across the west coast into the central and southern plains. in wichita falls, texas, no outdoor watering is allowed and car washes are only open five days a week. >> everybody knows it's serious. everybody is concerned we'll run out of water by the end of this year. >> reporter: the federal government expects to spend $1.8 billion fighting fires this season. that's at least $470 million more than what's available, expecting the worst, california hired 300 additional firefighters just days before the san diego fires. >> it's made a huge difference because what it allows us to do is have extra hands on deck and put the fire out. >> reporter: this year they will need every last resource to save homes and lives. the causes of all 11 fires still under investigation. three people were arrested for

arson earlier this week, but so far they are not accused of starting any of the major fires. lester? >> joe fryer tonight. thank you. tonight, there is late word of a third case of the mers virus in the u.s. federal health officials say an illinois resident tested positive but shows no signs of being sick. he had contact with a man that first brought the disease to this country. nbc's chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman joins us now with details, nancy, good evening. >> good evening, lester. the cdc decided today to announce there is a third case, the first case of transmission within the united states and that is significant because they have been watching this very closely. this virus, the middle east respiratory syndrome virus has been well-known in the middle east and globally for the past few years affecting more than 572 people but knowing to have caused at least 173 deaths. and it's the death count that almost 30% death rate that concerned people.

so for the two index cases in the united states, that's why the cdc has been working 24/7 to follow every one, those two people, one in florida, one in the state of illinois have come into contact with. this is a business associate. they tested family members and everybody that's been on an airplane. a reminder right now, the cdc is not recommending people change travel plans but if anyone has fever, cough, chest pain and the symptoms of influenza, this is not flu season, report it to your doctor and get tested for the mers virus. lester? >> dr. nancy snyderman thanks. we learned a rising star in the democratic party has been tapped for a cap anytime position in the white house. president obama plans to nominate castro as secretary of housing and development. tonight there is speculation the move could be part of a larger play.

kristen welker is at the white house with more tonight, kristen. >> reporter: he turned down a job as transportation secretary after the 2012 elections but a source tells nbc news he is being vetted for secretary of housing and urban development and if asked, he'll likely say yes. san antonio mayor castro became the first hispanic to keynote the democratic convention. >> america will prevail. >> reporter: and now he may be heading to washington. government sources tell nbc news president obama plans to tap castro to become the secretary of housing and urban development impressed with his record on urban revitalization and what he'll bring to the cabinet. >> this is one way for him to secure his legacy and be the equal opportunity president. >> reporter: the move not only catapults castro, but sends a strong message to a key voting block ahead of the midterm elections.

>> president obama is sending a clear message to the latino community, he cares about them and wants to push immigration forward. >> reporter: him and his twin brother, a texas congress man are democratic darlings both popular on the fundraising speakers. but it is julion getting buzz about a vice presidential nominee. he told the san antonio newspaper, i don't want to play the speculation game. there is not a person who can predict what will happen in 2016. president obama won with 71% of the latino vote. democrats would like to replicate that in the midterms and beyond. >> it's a little early to brand anybody a likely vice president pick in 2016 but it's clear that the obama team and the democratic party has seen julian castro as a raising star since they showcased him at the convention and rounds out his resume and puts him in a position if the 2016 nominee wants to go in that direction, he'll be ready.

>> reporter: if nominated and confirmed, castro would replace sean donovan who is expected to move. to another position within administration, the onb. castro is married with a young daughter. he calls his mom who ran for city counsel while growing up his inspiration. the white house is not commenting tonight. lester? >> thanks. david gregory will have much more tomorrow on "meet the press" check your local listings for times. tonight at least 25 people are dead after the worst flooding in more than a century. many forced from their homes after more than four months of rain fell in a single day. duncan has the latest from london. >> reporter: for thousands of people across bosnia, this has become the only way to safety from rooftops and balconies, young and old poured on helicopters. there is a moment of relief before the next precious cargo arrives, a baby saved from the flood water below.

in serbia, entire towns being evacuated, the water nearly reaching tops of houses. rivers burst banks unable to hold in heavy rainfall. this man says a wave of water came like a tsunami destroying everything. the floods washed away roads and cut off power to hundreds of thousands of homes. but the biggest danger has been landslides, at least 300 in bosnia alone. a catastrophe this man says. he watched his home slide away. now there is the risk of land mines being disturbed, a legacy of the country's past. through the night volunteers join soldiers and firefighters trying to build up flood defenses against the rising river levels but it might not be enough. surges of high water are expected to reach rivers over the weekend threatening more homes and lives. more than a month after hundreds of school girls were

kidnapped by terrorists in nigeria, african leaders met in paris today and pledged to work together to bring them home and it comes amid growing cries that the nigerian government isn't doing enough. bill neely reports from nigeria. >> reporter: they came to declare war and to save the kidnapped school girls. from five african nations, leaders met and agreed to join forces to fight a brutal insurgency. nigeria's president good luck jonathan said their target, the islamist group boca haram killed thousands. >> boca haram is no longer the terror group with some reaching sentiment changed and operating clearly as an al qaeda organization. >> reporter: the french president called the group a major threat to them all. they agreed to share intelligence and cooperate across borders to fight boca

haram but all nigeria's president could say is we're doing our best to find them. nigeria says they have thousands of men searching for the school girls. there have been no confirmed sightings. the u.s. is searching with csurveillance planes and expectations of a break three. >> fewer than 300 people who are being searched for in an area at least the size of west virginia, and portions of which are very densely forested, as i understand it. so this is a difficult challenge. >> reporter: the anguish for parents still waiting and praying more than a month on is clear, their land scared by boca haram's violence, their daughter at the group's mercy and the president failing to meet them yesterday. there was plenty of tough talk from african leaders today

but a rare show of unity amid a conflict they are not winning. boca haram claiming more lives here today and still holding the school girls. bill neely nbc news, nigeria. >> so you can see people are living in fear of more attacks at the attacks of boca haram. it's prompting many nigerians to flee and pour into neighboring countries. stephanie gosk is traveling with cameroon special forces and has this report. >> reporter: for the refugee camp, you can get a sense of the urgency, people of nigeria wanting to get out of their country. this is not an easy trip, as you can see. a long journey. a lot of people come here by foot. it shows you this is not just a problem that is nigeria's problem, it's cameroon's problem, chad's problem. they are worried not just about militants boca haram but the nigerian military. they are worried they will get caught in the cross hairs as

they fight. stephanie gosk nbc news, california. we've got a lot more to tell you about when "nbc nightly news" continues. 60 years after brown versus board of education. why america's schools are becoming more segregated. they know how to win big. we'll tell you the secrets of beating the sweeps stakes odds. >> 25, yeah.

we're back in the 60th anniversary of brown versus education with a look how equal schools are. integration is declining and the achievement gap is widening. rehema ellis takes us inside one school that takes us on the losing side of that gap. >> reporter: at coleman middle school in greenville, mississippi, expectations are high. >> i want to see nothing but a's and b's from you, okay? >> yes, ma'am. >> reporter: they have an f rating. 95% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, nearly all are black. in fact, most of the city's public schools are low performing, run down and with a high teacher turnover rate. do you think this is the way it's supposed to be? >> no. >> reporter: this after a ruling saying segregated schools are unequal and illegal. >> this will encourage the

people. >> reporter: here whites make up more than 20% many of the population but only 2% of the city's public schools. leaving them to look as if brown versus board of education never happened here and greenville is not alone. a new study finds in 19 88 integration peaked at 44%. that number slowly declined to 23%. nationwide, the report finds new york is the most segregated state for black public school students. nearly 65% attend virtually all black schools, followed by illinois, maryland, michigan and new jersey. the overall result, the achievement gap between blacks and whites and latinos and whites has gotten wider. >> the issue of access and access is determined by transportation, by money if the schools are private. it's determined by whether or not the schools themselves choose you. >> reporter: in greenville, private schools are open to students of any race, but most black families can't afford the tuition. the mayor says that has a huge

impact. >> economic factors are some of the biggest contributors to the poor school grades. >> reporter: some parents want the government to do more to level the playing field. >> we shouldn't have to fight. i rally for a quality education for our children and for our teachers. >> reporter: despite the challenges, principal diane, adele to native and coalman graduate keeps pushing students to achieve. >> trying to relate to them that they can be anything they want to be. >> i want to be a pediatrician. >> i would like to be ob/gyn or lawyer. >> i would like to be a teacher. >> reporter: helping to bridge the past and present to help create a better future. rehema ellis, nbc news, greenville, mississippi. >> when we come back, newly

discovered, what might be the largest creature to have ever walked the earth.

some remarkable pictures for some of the biggest dinosaur fossil found. this femur is the largest from any known mammal to walk the earth. the 90 billion year old stood at 6 a -- 65 feet tall and 130 pete long. >> they are called sweepers and have a unique hobby that pays off. they spend hours a day entering sweepstakes, sometimes hundreds of them. how they turned the odds in their favor. >> win a say fairy, concert,

car, kitchen remodel. ever wonder who, if anyone, ends up with this stuff? >> this is my winning wall. >> reporter: beth averages 185 entries a day and won a trip to the bahamas, two cars, electronics, more than $80,000 worth. >> this is my passion. i can't stop. >> reporter: how many hours a day? >> probably seven to ten. >> reporter: wow. >> yeah. early in the morning if you're up 3:30 there aren't that many people entering, you you have a better chance of winning. >> reporter: she checks her mail obsessively for any kind of win. >> game systems, cameras, laptops, any big items and i lose it. i mean, i just scream. >> reporter: and marketing companies are sponsoring more contests so they can capture their own prize millions of names and e-mail addresses on entry forms. there are risks, players must pay taxes on prizes, share only

limited information, and watch out for scrams. >> you always want to look for official rules, and the first line should say no purchase necessary. you should never pay or put your credit card, give your social security number to enter a sweeps stakes. >> reporter: robert hoffman is a master sweeper. >> i'm not sure i believe in luck because there is a lot of work that goes into it. super bowl ticket. >> reporter: he's racked up nearly a million dollars in prizes, a family trip to hong kong, race car drive and countless things for his house. >> you have to dedicate at least six months to this on a consistent basis to win. >> reporter: but it's not just about the wins. >> the main thing for me is sharing. just sharing it all. you know, it's happiness. >> these are some of the tallest buildings i've seen. >> reporter: and that's the biggest prize of all. jon fortt, nbc news, ocean side new york. california chrome was tonight's big winner at the 139th preakness stakes in baltimore and also the champion

of this year's kentucky derby, which means he's one step away from winning the first triple crown since 1978, the final leg of the triple crown, the belmont stakes is june 7th right here. up next here tonight, one lady's fight to save the lemurs. why this lady desperately needs our help.

finally tonight, known for big eyes and cute dispositions, but here is a startling fact,

lemurs are the most endangered animal and one is on a crusade to save them from the greatest threat, humans. ann thompson has more. >> sweetest little thing. >> reporter: they stole the animated movie madagascar. ♪ i like to move it, move it, you like to, move it ♪ >> reporter: but in real life, lemurs are under siege, captured on island of lemurs, madagascar dancing, and singing for real in 3 d. co-starring with these often acrobat primates, dr. patricia wright. wright worked to establish the

national park to protect lemurs from their most dangerous predators, humans, who burn down the rain forest and now hunt lemurs for meat. we caught up with her at long island's stoney brooke university. why should americans care about lemurs and madagascar? >> lemurs are some of our most ancient cousins. >> reporter: lemurs like ryan have been around for 60 million years but 90% are threatened, endangered or critically the environmental super star is the winner of the prize for conservation. >> she's a peyton manning, michael jordan. she is someone who others look at and say, we're not just vainly striving to make a difference, here is someone whose actually saved species. >> preserving these man ls of the past and giving them a future. ann thompson, nbc news, stoney

brooke, new york. >> that's "nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. i'll see you tomorrow morning on "today" and right back here tomorrow night. sunday, are questions about hillary clinton's health? it's one of san francisco's most famous events. people are getting ready for bay to breakers. we will show you the change coming for this year's run. the latest on the fires as more people head back home. out of jail but not out of the woods just yet. we will tell you more about the

legal drama following a former supervisor from the south bay. nbc bay area news starts now. good evening. i'm diane dwyer. >> and i'm terry mcsweeney. only in san francisco may be the best way to describe tomorrow's bay to breakers race. the city is getting prepared for anything and runners better be prepared for changes along the route. it starts at the bay and finishes at breakers. monty francis live with the details. >> reporter: runners will not be allowed to stop here at alamo square. you can see there are fences surrounding most of the park to keep runners out. that is because the iconic park has been a place for runners to stop. in past years neighbors complained about public intoxication, trash and people