breaking overnight, dozens of wildfires are engulfing california, oregon and 11 other states with little relief in sight as the megadrought are sparking fires. tennis star coco goff tests positive and pulls out of the games. primed for a liftoff jeff bezos blue origin is ready for launch. johnny paycheck famously

flagged take this job and shove it millions of americans are doing this what's driving the trend and where are they going. the remarkable award winning horse jumper who's over coming some steep odds to blaze a trail. "early today" starts right now good monday morning. i'm phillip mena >> glad you're with us, i'm frances rivera a shooting spree in tucson, arizona, puts first responders in the fire. two emts shot. they were 20 and 21 years old and one is in extremely critical condition. the subject's next target was a house fire where neighbors were arriving to help. >> one of the firefighters is in fact struck in the arm he is in good condition and one of the neighbors is shot in the head and he is deceased.

>> next the gunman rammed into an arriving police car the shootout with the officer left the suspect in critical condition. police say one unknown victim also died in that house fire and there were two or three children in the household who are unaccounted for. law enforcement say this will be a very complex investigation. breaking in the west, wildfires continue to explode out of control 80 large wildfires burning across 13 states new evacuations have been ordered for the bootleg fire in oregon which is the largest in the nation burning nearly 300,000 acres. it's 22% contained meanwhile, the tamarack fire is not contained at all it has quickly grown to 18,000 acres and has spurred mandatory evacuation. there are already signs of trouble at the olympics and the games have not even gun yet. three athletes have tested positive for covid-19. one of them 17-year-old tennis

star coco goff who dropped out of the games molly hunter has more. >> 17-year-old tennis play jericho could he goff announced she has tested positive for covid-19 forcing her to pull out of the olympics. i am so disappointed to share the news i want to share the news it's unclear if she has been vaccinated before traveling to europe or where she tested positive in tokyo with less than a week until the opening ceremony the case numbers are rising. >> there's no such thing as zero risk and that we all agree at the same time, the mingling and crushing of population is incredibly limited, incredibly limited and we can ensure that transmission between the various groups is almost impossible.

>> reporter: since july 1st, 55 people under their jurisdiction tested positive for covid including four athletes all nonresident of japan, four media, and the other game personnel. south africa announced two players tested positive in the village. >> screening program since the 1st of july has delivered 30,000 results so that's how diligent we are in terms of monitoring the population that is here and will continue to do so. >> dozens of people following strict protocol under quarantine athletes hoping they won't have to miss their big event. molly hunter, nbc news. from asia to back here in the u.s., covid-19 is far from behind us as it is on the rise in every state in the country. the surge is being driven by the death at that variant at places with low vaccination rates kathy park has more. >> reporter: good morning.

we saw covid cases trending in the wrong direction. meanwhile, one former health official is asking the cdc to act with more guidance on a national mask mandate. no signs of covid backing down in los angeles county a 700% increase in positive cases in just the last month as masks go back on while indoors. >> i think better safe than sorry. >> reporter: former surgeon general jerome adams saying the premature stopping of wearing masks was wrong. they should vax it and mask it the current surgeon general defended the cdc's decision on masks for the fully vaccinated. >> they gave them the flexibility of what to do. >> across america cases are rising in all 50 states, some hit harder than o a deadly tren

>> the death count iunvaccinate >> reporter: in arkansas dr. cam patterson said their hospital is full and running out of caregivers more worries around the world. prime minister boris johnson is in quarantine after an exposure. >> i've been asked to self-isolate after i've been in contact with somebody who has covid. >> reporter: this comes just hours before the u.k. lifts its remaining restrictions dubbed freedom day, meaning no more mask mandates and capacity restrictions on sporting events. the world health organization is issuing another warning saying the pandemic isn't over and there are four variants of concern and possibility of even more emerging into the future. back to you.

>> kathy, thanks. billionaire and amazon owner jeff bezos is and crew are making preparations for the space launch >> reporter: all systems go for jeff bezos and blue origin's new shepherd rocket. >> the launch crew is ready, the vehicle is ready, the crew is ready and the flight director is ready. the crew features bezos, mark, and youngest and oldest astronauts. >> how are you >> oh, honey i couldn't be better. >> wally funk is 82 years old. she'll be joined by 18-year-old oliver damon, a last-minute replacement after a winner backed out. >> i feel a responsibility to get more people interested in space not even just space but science. >> reporter: the launch coming a

week after another billionaire got his astronaut wings. unity space ship was the first to soar to the edge of space giving the crew roughly 4 minutes of near zero gravity and out of this world views. >> freedom spirit of the lifetime. >> reporter: blue origin making it clear their ride is different, a rocket taking off from west texas. where branson skimmed space, bezos will cross the karman line recognized as the edge of space. tuesday, july 20th will be the launch day >> kneel armstrong and buzz aldrich stepped on the moon, it was an inspiration to me and the entire world. >> reporter: and come tuesday a whole new generation will be

watching >> countdown to that launch. our thanks to morgan chesky. a covid outbreak has hit the texas democrats who fled to washington two more state lawmakers tested positive yesterday bringing the total infected to five all of the representatives say they are fully vaccinated and all the cases are mild meanwhile, that caucus is still kicking off a five-day conference to keep the pressure on conference. for more, let's get to nbc's tracie potts a big week ahead in the fight over voting rights. >> reporter: hi. right. the whole idea is to build consensus around doing something on the federal level when it comes to voting rights the texas conference was supposed to be mostly in person. it is now largely virtual because of the members who have tested positive for covid but they hope that the message is the same, that message being not just in texas but nationwide action needs to happen to

preserve the right to vote >> the process of electing our leaders is not a partisan process. our selection may be partisan but our election should not be our elections are how we determine the course and the quality of our democracy. >> i think it is sad just how much today's democratic party has decided that voter fraud is integral to helping them try to win elections. >> reporter: senator ted cruz and other republicans saying this is all political. you heard there from voting rights advocates stacey abrams who held a roundtable. more focus on the georgia with the senate rules committee holding their voting rights hearing there. it's the first time they've held a hearing out in the field for 20 years phillip? >> and for that cause. tracie, thank you. let's check in now with nbc meteorologist bill karins who is

here with a look at your weather as we kick off this week good morning >> good morning. we're at the peak of the summer season this is typically when we see the hottest temperatures of the season the exception has been in the south. raining, cloudy, very humid. that's kept temperatures down in some cases watching rain this morning in areas of atlanta, charlotte, just south of nashville. as we go throughout the day, one of the stories is how hot it gets heat warnings from billings, glasgow, sharon. the fire danger in the west continues to be off the chart. we could see what we call dry thunderstorms. they don't have much if any rain but they do have lightning and that could spark new fires that's actually a very dangerous and fearful for a lot of the firefighters there's today's forecast in new england with clouds and showers. some of the great weather, the

ranging in the mid 80s in the northeast cool with the clouds lingering north wards to maine. the weekend forecast, i promise you in the east there is some promise of good weather. >> we're waiting for it, especially on the weekends belle, thank you. >> something to look forward to at least we're back with the christening of the navy ship named in honor of john lewis. >> one of miio othe llnsf americans quitting her job a huge trend details when we return more exciting than ever. and when kids have what they need to move forward together... anything is possible. kohl's.

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all this week the "today" show is live from tokyo with all the excitement ahead of the 2020 olympic games. it's been called the great resignation. a record number of americans are telling their bosses, i quit, but is it the right time for you to take the leap here's senior business correspondent stephanie ruhle on what's driving the mass exodus. >> reporter: it's a sign of the time employees telling customers we all quit and it's not just happening there. >> after you left, a bunch of your colleagues left too >> well, there was 23 of us and

20 of us quit. >> reporter: ashley left her fast food job in oklahoma in june. >> i couldn't do t. i could not work for somebody that treats their employees that way any longer. >> reporter: days later -- >> i immediately found another job after i quit. >> reporter: she had a new job at a call center with better pay. as businesses reopen and the economy takes off employees have options. >> this is a moment of employee empowerment. >> reporter: the great resignation, in april 4 million workers quit and in may another 3.6 million some putting off leaving a job during the pandemic others are burned out after the last year and some saved money working from home and have a financial cushion to try something new. >> what happened >> the pandemic happened i had a lot of free time to think what i truly value as a human being and that all came down to my own personal freedom and i love working remotely.

>> reporter: she decided to quit her corporate marketing job after her company announced she'd have to return to the office now she's on her own. >> i know there are ebbs and flows but i'm working with clients that i absolutely love and that's really fulfilling. >> reporter: since natalie is no longer tied to an office, she's now moving from ohio to las vegas. >> what the pandemic changed was people taking a step back saying, okay, i have a moment in my life where i can reflect a little bit is this what i want to keep doing? that pause is giving them power. >> reporter: experts say if you're thinking of quit, don't be impulsive it's a huge decision try to think it through. it's easier to get a job when you have a job. >> if you end up deciding to leave, leave on the best note possible. >> reporter: for ashley, she's positive she made the right decision >> are you happier

>> yes they appreciate their employee. >> we all know in all forms our priorities are very different post pandemic, post covid than before this all hit us. >> it's rare you can have the leverage and resources to create the ideal working conditions if you can do it, more power to you. bill karins with a look ahead at your week in weather. plus, overcoming the odds. how this remarkable young horse jumper is blazing the trail for others inflammation in your eye might be to blame. [inflammation] let's kick ken's ache and burn into gear! over the counter eye drops typically work by lubricating your eyes and may provide temporary relief. those drops will probably pass right by me. xiidra works differently, targeting inflammation that can cause dry eye disease. [inflammation] what's that? [inflammation] xiidra? no! it can provide lasting relief. xiidra is the only fda-approved non-steroid treatment specifically for the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. one drop in each eye, twice a day.

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a cincinnati dog is quite the tail after vanishing for five days. it turns out gertel had fallen down a crevice and gotten trapped between two concrete walls. firefighters used a sledge hammer to rescue the pup it took ten minutes to free her and reunite her. bill karins is back with us. it says that all things considered this is actually a good weather week ahead. how about that >> yeah, considering we had a tropical system and then we dealt with the record heat it's been a crazy summer we'll take scattered downpours in the southeast very typical more of your typical afternoon, showers and storms in the southeast. few storms in the northeast wednesday, not a big deal. hot and dry in the west. look at friday, i'm promising you some sunshine, frances. >> can't wait.

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a horse jumper was told she would have to hang up her saddle because of a medical condition she didn't let her diagnosis stop her from pursuing her big dream. nbc's kate snow has the inspiring story. rene zimmerman has always loved horses did you always want to ride? >> gentlemen from the first time i ever saw a horse i had the desire to go near it, grab it >> reporter: yes growing up she never had the chance and in high school a life changing diagnosis a rare genetic condition was taking away her vision

>> i was going to do a masters and ph.d., reading became difficult. when you get a diagnosis like you, you re-evaluate everything. i wanted to do the one thing i had always calling many said simply wasn't possible >> good boy. when i first started riding at the therapeutic center, because of my eyesight they said you would never be able to jump. >> reporter: when they said you couldn't do this, you said challenge accepted >> yeah. >> reporter: she's riding in jumping competitively. legally blind with limited peripheral vision. this is how she sees the jump. before every competition she counts strides between each of the obstacles. >> do you describe it to her >> kind of redirect her as we're going, whether it's colors or a

different amount of steps to that jump or around that turn. that way she has a set plan to be able to get around a course. >> reporter: do you build up to the high jumps >> yes, absolutely. >> reporter: she and her horse val len tire navigate jumps four feet >> he's my seeing eye horse. he gives me freedom from my disability. >> reporter: he sees the terrain for you? >> yes he takes us to places i wouldn't be able to go on my own or without the aid of someone else. >> reporter: it's a feeling of freedom she describes as flying. >> there's a lot of people out there that because society has told them they can't do something, they won't try it my own personal goals might blaze a trail for other people to pursue their own passions and to feel comfortable doing that. >> wren is lobbying for show jumping to become a paralympic sport. it is a great, risky sport more

so with her condition. the trust they both have between the horse and rider. >> the faith and confidence you have to have in your horse and your own ability to jump into the unknown. incredible. >> thanks for waking up with usn

. right now at 4:30, the fate of the a'ses a this morning. a push to get them to stay in oakland. ahead of a crucial vote tomorrow. a south bay city moving you forward. the steps being taken to move towards normalcy. plus -- >> any kind of little flash fire goes pretty quick. >> overnight lightning concerns. how officials were keeping residents and homes safe from wildfires. this is "today in the bay." >> a very good morning to you. happy monday. >> thanks for joining us. i'm laura garcia. >> i'm cierra johnson. we want