millions getting ready to hit the road today to celebrate the 4th of july, facing higher fuel prices. and a warning from the secret service about getting scammed at the gas pumps. a busy trump white house as the president narrows his choice for supreme court justice while also reversing an obamara policy on colleges use racial factors in admissions. fanatic search for a missing man found alive thanks to the use of high-tech thermal imaging. catching up with one of america's most generous public servants. bob dole at the world war ii memorial. plus the skies over philly already lighting up ahead of tonight's fireworks. "early today" on this 4th of july starts right now. good morning. i'm millisa rehberger in for phillip. >> great being with us. hope you're having a great start

to your 4th of july. frances rivera. as americans prepare their 4th of july celebrations the heat is not letting up. excessive heat warnings and heat advisories remain in effect in parts of the northeast and midwest. the nation's heat wave is being linked to at least three deaths. in new jy pascrell had to be helped from a press conference suffering from heat exhaustion. while in philadelphia a water main break left 2,000 people without water. that means no water, no ac, and the temperature there felt like 107. >> wow. but the oppressive heat doesn't seem to be changing many travel plans. aaa predicts a record 47 million people will travel 50 miles or more for the holiday. gas prices now slowly creeping up as well to an average of $2.86 a gallon. that is up two cents from this time last week. and a warning as you head to the pump. the secret service is urging drivers to look out for skimmers on credit card readers. the agency says there's been a surge in the devices used by fraudsters to steal credit card information. agents across 21 states are

taking part in an initiative to locate and recover the now to some breaking fuse overnight. an explosion at a fireworks mu person to the hospital with moderate injuries. nearly 100 firefighters battled the blaze at the a.m. pyrotechnics plant. the fireworks wholesaler provides pyrotechnics for major fireworks shows. the cause of the explosion is now under investigation. >> dry and windy conditions continue to fuel dozens of wildfires in the west, with some showing no signs of slowing down at all. in california the massive wildfire in yolo and napa counties has now grown to more than 72,000 acres according to fire officials there. and in colorado one inferno has now burned about 80,000 acres with the threat still lingering through the holiday. nbc's miguel almaguer th >> reporter: torching more than n the mountains three colorado's spring fire quickly becoming one of the most destructive in state

history. security cameras capturing the moment a wall of flames becomes a fireball, devouring everything in its path. >> we don't have fires now. we have mega fires. >> reporter: the inferno is exploding so quickly the extent of the damage is unknown. expected to spike when smoke clears. across colorado and utah thousands have been driven from their homes. outside salt lake city the dollar ridge fire closed in on jenny taylor's house. >> it's probably gone by now. a lot of money. a lot of time. all gone. >> reporter: facing a fire season that could rival last year's epic destruction, crews will soon face a new threat, scorching heat later this week. >> we saw rates of spread that normally we would only see in the early and late fall. >> reporter: across the west crews bracing for a firefight in what will be no holiday on the front lines. miguel almaguer, nbc news, los

angeles. the trump white house has reversed yet another obama-era policy, garnering outcries from civil rights advocates and education groups. they announced a reversal on affirmative action, the policy that encouraged colleges to consider race a factor in admissions. and while the change flies in the face of what the president said on the campaign trail in 2016, those on the right cheered on the decision. nbc's hallie jackson has more from washington. >> reporter: on affirmative action a new move back to old guidelines. the trump administration now says colleges and universities should not consider race during the admissions process, a reversal of what former president obama recommended. in a new memo the department of justice called that guidance unnecessary, outdated, inconsistent with existing law, or otherwise improper. for months top trump administration officials have targeted affirmative action policies that they argue are unfair. even though the president himself seemed to have no issue during the campaign.

>> but i'm fine with affirmative action. we've lived with it for a long time and i've lived with it for a long time. >> reporter: civil rights adsxroekts others now furious. the american council ons education points to the need for diversity in classrooms, saying the federal government should not threaten schools trying to be inclusive. it sets up a potential political battle for a president who promised to fight for african-americans. >> i said to them, what the hell do you have to lose? vote for me. what do you have to lose? >> reporter: the new guidelines do not change the law. but schools that keep their current lawsuit from the justice department. the supreme court may hear a critical case on this soon. a group of asian-american students suing harvard university accusing the school of unfairly giving preference to other racial minorities. the last big affirmative action case i fnt of the couras4-3 mar. the swing vote? justice anthony kennedy, now retiring. and that sets up the stakes to replace justice kennedy, with the white house telling us

president trump interviewed three more candidates for that job yesterday. his announcement, frances, is now expected to come just five days from now. back to you. >> okay, hallie, thank you. and overnight the president spoke out on those new supreme court interviews as nbc news confirms the top seven candidates he's met with. the commander in chief telling a west virginia crowd his pick will be a slam dunk. >> i think you'll be very impressed. these are very talented people, brilliant people. and i think you're going to really love it. like justice gorsuch. we hit a home run there, and we're going to hit a home run here. and step by step we are making america great again. this morning we're remembering the photographer, excuse me, behind perhaps the most iconic image of the elian gonzalez saga. retired associated press photojournalist alan diaz has died. diaz won the pulitzer prize for his photo of a terrified elian taken in april of 2000 as armed

federal agents stormed his uncle's homemiami. the moment captured the end of the months-long custody battle between the u.s. and cuba over the little boy. alan diaz was 71. nebraska state patrol is celebrating the technology that helped safely rescue an elderly man lost in a maze of thick crops. a thermal imaging helicopter allowed state troopers to precisely pinpoint the man's location during that difficult search. he had wandered into a dense 180-acre field of corn more than six feet high. nearly impossible to see with a bird's eye view. the man went missing after a fire alarm activated in the locked unit of his nursing home. you can see the heat in the area was approaching 90 degrees and the thermal imaging right there and how they found him. >> that is incredible. the 2018 world cup continues to rewrite history because a third round of 16 match ended in a shootout. at the end of regulation england and colombia had fans at the edge of their seats. two huge saves from england's jordan pickford made room for eric dyer to do this.

england wins, breaking their shootout curse. >> they move none play. the winner of an earlier match between sxweend switzerland. this was a defensive showdown between the two clubs, but sweden would strike early and hold on to win 1-0. so here's a look at the final eight teams. play resumes on friday at 10:00 a.m. eastern. here is meteorologist bonnie schneider with our forecast. our holiday forecast. >> looking very hot for this 4th of july. we have unfortunately a lot of people affected by heat advisories. 82.9 million americans under some sort of heat advisory. and that does include excessive heat warnings. now, the east will be facing the muggy conditions as well, making it feel like it's in the triple digits for many locations. not much relief in sight immediately for thursday, but by the time we get to the weekend we are going to see those improvements in the forecast. eventually this heat will break as a cold front pusheseast. the temperatures could still be above normal but not as hot as what we've been experiencing. for this 4th of july look for plenty of sun to the west, some storms popping up in the

southeast. that includes florida and a little bit of downpour activity toward are of the greatas at the hot and sticky muggy conditions that will persist through the 4th. we're also watching out for the threat of storms in minneapolis for this 4th of july. >> all right, bonnie, thank you. >> thank you so much. well, sometimes the smallest gestures can spark the biggest smiles, like in this sweet moment that'sen a a 6-year-old n a wheelchair. the girl passed a few times an. now the video recorded by the f thousands of online views. >> above and beyond. something you love to see.

still on a new mission in the name of public service. and a daring rescue effort to save the thai soccer team trapped in that flooded cave. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ahoy! gotcha! nooooo... noooooo... quick, the quicker picker upper! bounty picks up messes quicker and is 2x more absorbent. bounty, the quicker picker upper. 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.™ ♪ cleaning floors with a mop and bucket is a hassle, meaning you probably don't clean as often as you'd like. for a quick and convenient clean, try swiffer wetjet. there's no heavy bucket, or mop to wring out, because the absorb and lock technology traps dirt and liquid inside the pad. it's safe to use on all finished surfaces tile, laminate and hardwood. and it prevents streaks and hazing better than a micro fiber strip mop, giving you a thorough clean the first time. for a convenient clean, try swiffer wetjet with a money back guarantee. brand power. helping you buy better.

leading the news, 13 was the lucky number when rescuers found the dozen missing boys and their soccer coach alive in a flooded cave in thailand. but more obstacles still lie ahead. officials are now trying to evaluate the quickest and the safest way to extract the trapped group as heavy rains threaten even more flooding. so with the limited options the boys could face a harrowing 1.2-mile dive to reach freedom. nbc's janice mackey frayer has the latest. >> reporter: after that miraculous discovery -- >> how many of you? 13? brilliant. >> reporter: thai officials say the 12 boys, ages 11 to 16, and their coach are all in stable conditi condition. the huge challenge, getting them out.

one option, starting the rescue now. oxygen tanks have now been placed along the exit route. but none of the boys knows how to swim. so they're scrambling to teach them diving skills to navigate tight tunnels that are tricky even more experienced divers. two rescue divers would be assigned to help each boy on a dangerouri at some points too narrow to wear scuba gear, other parts needing a steep dive. >> think of looking through a glass coffee cup. where there's no visibility. then on top of that there's very narrow passageways. so the divers needed to run lines in order to be able to get in and get out. >> reporter: the group appearing thin. they're now getting high protein liquid food that's easily digestible. this official tells us a team of medics is there too . only four people can be in the

cave with the boys tone sure there's enough air to breathe. the british diving group that discovered the soccer team is warning a rescue now is risky, especially if the kids panic. >> they talk about teaching them to dive and then do, it that's a bit of a long shot to be honest. >> reporter: another option, keeping the kids underground and sending them supplies until the waters recede. authorities have been trying for days to pump the flood water out, and there's more rain in the forecast, meaning it could be weeks, eve months before they're safely out. >> three to four months. two thai navy doctors have volunteered to be locked up inside the cave. a huge sacrifice. >> reporter: teams have talk to their families and know they are ant loan n't alone as wait. divers are trying to reassure the boys that more than 1,000 people are doing everything they can to get them home. >> many people are coming.

many, many people. we are the first. many people coming. >> reporter: there is a real change in momentum for the rescue workers, who now realize what's at stake. there are just no easy options. another possibility they're looking at is drilling new entries into the cave to pull them out. for the families this is a different vigil now, while people everywhere remain captivated by these boys, their coach and this remarkable turn of events. janis mackey frayer, nbc news, chiang rai, thailand. just ahead, the immigration battle heats up on capitol hill. plus the powerfulen

the smoother the skin, the more comfortable you are in it. and now there's a new way to smooth. introducing new venus platinum. a premium metal handle boosts control... to reveal up to 100% smooth skin. venus could light up the room? aveeno® positively radiant sheer daily moisturizer. lightweight hydration for positively radiant skin that lasts. aveeno®. naturally beautiful results®. no matter how much you clean, does your house still smell stuffy? that's because your home is filled with soft surfaces that trap odors and release them back into the room. so, try febreze fabric refresher. febreze finds odors trapped in fabrics and cleans them away as it dries. use febreze every time you tidy up to keep your whole house smelling fresh air clean. fabric refresher even works for clothes you want

to wear another day. make febreze part of your clean routine for whole home freshness.

no justice, no peace. no justice, no peace! >> more than two dozen protesters were arrested after clashing with police outside philadelphia's immigration and customs enforcement office. demonstrators amassed there for a second straight day, blocking the entrance to the building, demanding the agency be dismantled over president trump's zero tolerance policy. in another silent but very powerful act of protest, one indianapolis church placed a statue of jesus, mary and joseph on their lawn, detained behind a barbed wire cage. despite all the immigration fallout many may feel a deeper sense of patriotism today, though. feds say more than 14,000 new citizens will be sworn in to celebrate the nation's birthday

in some 175 naturalization ceremonies. and while they're celebrating their newfound citizenship today as the company rings in its 242nd independence day, for those thousands of undocumented immigrants in federal custody without their children the trump administration has this new demand. leave with or without your kids. let's go to nbc's chris polone on capitol hill for more on that new directive. chris, good morning. >> reporter: yeah, frances, good morning. this comes from a copy of an immigration and customs enforcement form obtained by nbc news. on it the trump administration gives parents who were separated from their kids in may and june two options -- leave the country with your kids or leave the country without them. that despite a new court order to reunite more than 2,000 migrant children with their parents. with the new instructions not even allowing parents to reunite with their children while they await a decision on asylum. immigration advocates say even those who have already passed their first am as the trump administration no lr says

how many children are still calling for immigrations and customs enforcement to be abolished. now, an i.c.e. spokesman tells nbc news the form is only for parents who have been given a final order of removal but that spokesperson did not clarify whether these parents rb bei ar being allowed to make a claim of asylum in court. live in washington chris poll lone, frances, back to you. just ahead deals for military families and veterans on this independence day. plus a spectacular show for phillies fans courtesy of mother nature. you're watching "early today." like it... you've gotta get in there. okay. careful not to get it in her eyes. i know, i know what a bath is... smile honey. this thing is here we go. second kid. you coming in mommy? ahh not a chance! by their second kid, every parent is an expert and more likely to choose luvs than first time parents. luvs with nightlock plus absorbs wetness faster than huggies snug and dry for outstanding overnight

protection at a fraction of the cost. live, learn and get luvs. yeah... but popping these things really helps me...relax. please don't, i'm saving those for later. at least you don't have to worry about renters insurance. just go to geico.com. geico helps with renters insurance? good to know. been doing it for years. that's really good to know. i'll check 'em out. get to know geico. and see how easy homeowners and renters insurance can be. with two pounds of steak. in each hand. dixie ultra. stress tested so you can stress less at dinner. ♪ ♪ the best way to get together is with a treat you make together. ♪ ♪

♪ lean on me, when you're not strong ♪ ♪ and i'll be your friend ♪ ♪ i'll help you carry on ♪ ♪ lean on me. wearing powerful sunscreen? yes! neutrogena® ultra sheer. unbeatable protection helps prevent early skin aging and skin cancer with a clean feel. the best for your skin. ultra sheer®. neutrogena®. your digestive system has billions of bacteria but life can throw them off balance. re-align yourself with align pr to help support digestive health.

still don't know why we didn't start on time. >> wait till you see -- ben franklin would have been proud of that one. wow. >> mother nature doesn't always go by the playbook. a severe thunderstorm with intense lightning delayed the start of the phillies' home game against the baltimore orioles by close to 90 minutes. these impressive images captured by nbc sports philadelphia show heavy bolts at citizen's bank park in downtown philly as fans waited for skies to clear up. it almost doesn't even look real. >> no, it doesn't. but more power to those fans. can you imagine? hopefully our weather's going to cooperate so people don't have to wait 90 minutes for their fireworks shows tonight. >> that's true. i think there is that chance for storms in a lot of places but for the most part we should see good weather for the fireworks. particularly out to the west, lots of sun. there are some storms, though, in parts of the us really the h we'll be facing for this 4th of july. if you are heading across the country for this evening's festivities you'll see temperatures are going to be

warm even at the time of the fireworks display. so be prepared for a hot evening ahead. >> all right, bonnie, thank you very much. still to come, we've got a lot going on because it is the 4th of july, america's birthday here. and we're going to celebrate one of america's bravest and most generous public servants at the world war ii memorial. >> and he looks amazing. >> doesn't he? he's still got his wit and everything. his comedic sense of timing. especially when it comes to these guys. >> and always generous. >> that next here on "early today." it's funny really, nobody ever does it and yet it happens.

i didn't do it and of course it's the really tough stains that nobody ever does ready? really? i didn't do it so when i heard they added ultra oxi to the cleaning power of tide, i knew it was just what we needed so now we can undo all the tough stains that nobody did dad? i didn't do it huh, he didn't do it introducing new tide ultra oxi; it's got to be tide it is estimated that only about 600,000 world war ii veterans are still alive.

on any given day you'll find some of them visiting the world war ii memorial in washington, d.c., and often there to greet them a familiar face and fellow veteran. here's nbc's lester holt. >> reporter: at the world war ii memorial on the national mall the crowds gather around an old soldier reporting for duty to say thank you. >> thank you for your service. >> reporter: bob dole, a second lieutenant, wounded during world war ii. a u.s. senator for 28 years. the 1996 republican presidential nominee turns 95 this month. energized by the fellow veterans he greets. >> how are you? >> i'm fine. never thought i'd be 92 years old. but you know. >> i never thought i'd be 95. >> i met thousands of veterans. common?many anymore from world that we were all in this >> well, i keep telling them together. we all did what we were asked to

do. and some were lucky and some were not so lucky. >> reporter: senator dole was the driving force to get this memorial built. today veterans come by the busload to visit. what's it like when you come to this memorial? >> brings tears to your eyes. >> reporter: for dole it also brings grim recollections. >> the morning i was wounded my radio man had been wounded, and i crawled out trying to get him back in a little ravine, and i got shot. and he didn't make it. he passed away. so i tried, but i couldn't save him. >> reporter: but here in the shadow of the memorial -- >> did we get our >> reporter: -- the talk is generally light. jokes, pictures, and lingeri handshakes. >> i hear you like a good kiss. yeah? >> yeah.

don't tell my wife. >> do for your spirit? >> if i feel a little down, when i get here i get pumped up pretty quickly. >> reporter: as long as there are veterans to greet, dole says he'll be here. >> it will be a special 4th of july for them. thanks to lester for that report. businesses are showing veterans and active military personnel a lot of love today with special deals. if you need some new kicks, nike, foot locker and rack room shoes have deals up to 20% off. feeling crafty? home depot, lowe's, michael's and joanne fabric have also deals up to 20% off. and finally, busch gardens and sea world are offering free admissions with a military i.d. for the full list to make sure you head over to our social media pages. we want to wish you a happy 4th of july. i'm millisaday - it )s fourth o-

and we begin with live pictures of an iconic american and good morning to you.

happy independence day. it is the 4th of july. a live look for you right now. iconic american at the golden gai gate bridge. thanks for joining us. >> not a bad day to be off. nice and cool. good sleeping weather. >> yeah. we have all of the conditions around the bay area. all clear skies looking at the south bay. we'll be at 61 at 8:00. today the