be nice to make it three in a row. we will see. >> and ryan blaney with two in a row, and rick, opportune time to make it happen. and the daytona fans love it. >> so much momentum going into the playoffs and now he is going to be heading back to ruoff mortgage victory lane. a familiar site of the 12 car making it back in there this time at one of the most famous racetracks in the world, daytona international speedway, and big win for ryan blaney, and make sure to join us on nbcsn for nascar america post game show. coming up next is your local news. and ryan blaney is going to continue to celebrate with the fans. we'll be back to finish. a wild race and a wild finish. it is ryan blaney who outlasts

the rest through attrition on the last lap collecting over half the field, and kevin harvick is involved in 2021, but he is part of the playoffs, and three wins on the season, and the snapshot app from progressive rewards you for driving safe and driving less. okay, what message did you hear this time? safe drivers can save using snapshot? -what's snapshot? -what the commercial was about. -i tune commercials out. -me too. they're always like blah, blah blah.

tell me about it. i'm going to a silent retreat next weekend. my niece got kicked out of one of those. -for talking? -grand larceny. how about we get back to the savings? [ everyone agreeing ] fireworks over the 2 1/2-mile superspeedway celebrating what ryan blaney just accomplished winning here, and the racetrack is showing you the unofficial playoff standings. kyle larson looks as though he is going to be the regular season champion, and all of the way down to kevin harvick.

the one who did make it in is tyler reddick and again unofficial but on the points. tyler reddick ended up ahead of teammate austin dillon so he is going to be ahead of 16 drivers fighting for a championship. >> it is clear that blaney was out in front, and the cars involve and nascar is going to have to peel that onion back to figure out who was where, so he is in the unofficial stand, but either way, kyle larson with such a great year. >> and again, victory lane and "nascar post race show" coming up on nbcsn. we saw incredible racing today. there were saves and then there were things that just nobody could have held on to. it happened on the last lap. drivers' dreams dashed as they

were hoping to make it into the playoffs and so close for some. chris buescher who was second in the race, and if he gets win, he is in the playoffs, but now he'll have to watch the playoffs and think about what might have happened. ryan blaney though, momentum, and he wins at daytona.

right now on nbc bay area, the smoke has returned and in a big way. we are tracking where air quality is the worst tonight and how long we will be dealing with it. remembering the fallen. a marine corps sergeant among

those killed in the attack in kabul. how she is being remembered tonight. >> we are grateful to be able to take them back and leave afghanistan. >> and he tells us about the mission and interaction with afghan evacuees in a story you will only see in the bay area. thanks for joining us in this special edition. we begin in afghanistan where the u.s. is warning of a new security threat. the embassy warning all americans to leave immediately. we are learning more about the 13 servicemen killed tonight. among those, nicole was 23 years old. just days before her death she

posted a picture of herself holding a baby in kabul saying i love my job. in a gofundme pose, her sister said -- as the nation mourns, evacuation efforts continue. troops are racing against the clock which is just three days before the deadline. today it was announced that troops have already begun to leave the airport. it is said 350 americans who want to leave the country are still there. >> we continue to evacuate american citizens and others at kabul. there are approximately 400 who

are at the airport screened and ready for flight out today. and from travis airport base and has already flown thousands to safety, here is the report. we are bringing them back from kabul to various locations around the world. >> this is the 21st airlift squadron, but right now this commander is in qatar. >> we are grateful to bring them back with us and help them leave afghanistan. >> the lieutenant colonel is in

the left seat of the cockpit. he has been involved in five flights since then. each flight moves about 400 evacuees. he gets to hear some of their stories. >> the most important thing we want them to know is that we are grateful to help them out and that we want to make sure they are treated with dignity and respect. >> and they are grateful, too. he remembers one moment when they offloaded passengers and were cleaning it up for the next trip back to kabul. we found some shoes and they were made out of cardboard and tape. some family made a pair of shoes so their family could walk to

freedom. it is a forgotten opportunity to walk to freedom. >> it changed the mission. >> we went from a normal mission to an air medical evacuation. they brought me a team of medical professionals that do air medical evacuations and we loaded them on aircraft and flew them to kabul. >> and travis air force base shared these pictures. he said when they land he tries to reach out again. >> i personally try to shake hands with people and wish them well. >> this is just one of many protests over the situation in

afghanistan. this is -- >> we are calling for humanitarian aid and help. >> we need to help these people get on their feet because they are coming with nothing but the clothes on their back. >> about a dozen protests including in washington, d.c. tomorrow chuck todd will discuss the withdrawal on "meet the press." and also mcmaster will weigh in on what went wrong during the 20-year war. top story, the heat, the smoky skies. this is a look outside walnut creek. and you probably knew that, the

smoke is back. how long will it stick around? >> there will be a day three as the spare the air alert is extended to sunday. it is down to santa clara valley towards santa rosa. tomorrow we will see wind start to increase off the ocean. i think the worst of the air quality will be around for the morning hours. if you have afternoon and evening plans around the peninsula, you should see improvement as the sea breeze picks up. it is likely to do this with the aqi reports. plus we have more valley heat on the way. 90s to near 100. and wind will clear the air, but

that could endanger fires. tonight flames coming right up to the community of strawberry. the fire has grown to more than 152,000 acres. it is 52% contained. air quality is a major concern. be sure to follow rob on twitter. even when we are not on the air he is on twitter. and after being shut down for three months, service will be resuming, ever since that mass shooting. tomorrow will be one very emotional day for these workers. >> it certainly is. many of the workers have decided that they are still not ready to come back to work. but light rail service here will

resume tomorrow morning which means trains will be ready to take as many as 6,000 passengers to the 49ers game at levi stadium. >> this shows vta testing light rail trains without passengers. but sunday things will look different as service resumes for the first time since a mass shooting in may. >> we brought employees back in small groups with mandatory recovery training as they came back to work. and we were just interacting and communicating with our employees making sure they were doing okay. then people started going back to work little by little. they did some work on the lines. >> the orange line will run. and the green line along first street will run from downtown

san jose taking passengers to the 49ers game. judy, who has relied on buses the past three months is thrilled. >> it's great. we need that. we need the light rail. i always feel like it's a luxury way to travel instead of the buses and all of that. >> but not all vta employees have felt comfortable returning to work. because of that, it is not at full staffing levels. there is no word on when full service will return. developing news out of east bay where a teenager has been killed and several more injured in a car crash. six students were in a pickup truck that crashed.

four were rushed to hospitals in ambulances and two were airlifted. one of those have died. and a rally cry outside san jose city hall. immigrants are asking for a pathway for all eligible immigrants. >> we want to do this demonstration to tell biden to show congress we are paying attention. we want this path forward for the 11 million immigrants in at the united states. he made a promise and he needs to stick to that promise. >> the approval outlined in the budget package could give a path

way to 10 million. caitlyn jenner held a town hall. a few people gathered in the hilton ballroom to ask jenner questions. she said she entered the race because she came from a long line of patriots. >> my father stormed omaha beach. 360 stormed the beach and only 60 came back. if he could see what is happening to this country and state, he would be devastated. so i thought why not stand up. >> she was just in san francisco for a similar event this week. a reminder for anyone who intends to vote but has not. midnight monday is the deadline

to register. forms must be dropped off or post marked august 30th. on line you have until 11:30 p.m. to get them in. you can find out how to vote on newsom recall in our bar at the top of the page. coming up, overcoming the unimaginable. a former cal rugby player about to do something doctors never thought he would do again. and he is inspiring others going through similar situations. we will take you to the bay area's newest camp ground. 66 degrees. we hit 84 today in san francisco, the warmest day of

the year so far. we will find out if we are going to see more in your sunday forecast when we come back.

in 2017 robert was playing rugby for cal in the championship game when the unimaginable happened. he was carried off the field on a stretcher paralyzed. he became a quadriplegic. doctors told him he would likely never walk again. that was just the beginning of the story because tomorrow he will take the most important steps of his life, walking across the stage to receive his college diploma. i had a chance to speak with him. >> first of all, thanks for being here today. >> thanks so much for having me. >> during your rugby days, you had to get ready for your opponent physically, mentally,

emotionally. what are you doing for tomorrow's event where you will be center stage? >> absolutely. this preparation has been going on for about 75 days since i had my injury. my doctors told me i would not walk or move my hands for the rest of my life. that outlook was horrific. it has taken a lot of hard work and determination and support, but it's pretty amazing to announce that i will be walking across the stage tomorrow, sunday. it's a culmination of all of these events. walking across the stage of the number one university in the world is an accomplishment for anyone, but for me, it's something i am never going to forget. >> robert, we were looking at

video of you going through your rehab process. what is it going to be looking like tomorrow on the stage? give us a vision, a preview of you walking on the stage. will someone be with you or how will that look? >> how it will work, i will roll up in my wheelchair, have my rugby coach in front of me who assisted me with me rehab in the last two years when i was at cal. i will have my girlfriend behind me. i am going to stand up out of my wheelchair on my own and walk about ten yards. then i will sit back down. i am sure it will be a rush of emotions of the accomplishment to do that. i wanted to do that in 2020, but i'm so happy it is happening now. this was a motivator for me when

i was laying in the hospital bed and when i was having tough moments in school and rehab. walking the stage is what motivated me. so being able to do that tomorrow is a big moment. >> we are looking at you at a football game with the walker in front of you. the crowd going wow. are you ready for this tomorrow? i am going to predict you are going to get a standing ovation. there will be some people crying and people cheering. are you ready for that? >> i am absolutely ready for this. being able to go across the stage and be recognized for my own personal satisfaction and cheered on, everybody will be excited about that. but what motivates me and gets me most excited is the impact i hope it leaves on others. everybody has a problem.

everybody has a challenge in their life or goal they want to achieve. i hope when they see me walk across the stage, that they see them doing things others told them they couldn't do. and that they will see them doing goals they want to accomplish. it will be a huge moment for me, but i hope it will be a huge moment for others, too. taking this out of what happened to me, which you would think is the worst thing that happened, to turn that around and turn it into a gift. it's the reason i do what i do. >> robert, before you even walk across the stage, motivated us. all of a sudden our problems don't seem so big. best of luck tomorrow on that

stage tomorrow at berkeley. let's check on the hazy skies. >> the end is in sight. we have another spare the air day tomorrow, but i think the worst of the heat is behind us. it's still 87 degrees in livermore. as we head into san francisco it was 84 earlier today but then the sea breeze turned on which helped the air quality. 66 right now. as we head into tomorrow morning, similar start to the day. probably more smoke to start the day. 50s to mid 60s to start. our highs tomorrow are pretty hot again. not much change if you are

around the tri-valley or antioch. big time cooling for monday and tuesday. raisers back in town taking on the 49ers. 1:00 levi stadium. it will be mid 80s, moderate air quality which is like what we are seeing now. we will see the effect of the sea breeze picking up in the afternoon. you see the morning with a lot of orange. the aqi index should improve, too. we will see more smoke getting pushed to the east. the reason is that wind will be accelerating and unfortunately will put more wind on the wildfires. so unfortunately, the sea breeze

will lead to problems around the caldor fire and dixie fire. these are likely to be upgraded to red flag warnings. by tuesday, big drop in temperature. san francisco you get some of the cooling benefits tomorrow. for the valley, you will probably have to wait. better air quality towards the middle part of the week. >> still ahead, getting back on course. helping students from oregon get their project across the pacific ocean.

homelessness, housing, taxes, water, electricity, crime, wildfires. [sfx: bear roar] gavin, you've failed. we have to immediately cut taxes twenty-five percent. fix housing and homelessness. and make life in california affordable again. i'm a businessman, the only cpa running. shouldn't we choose ability this time? do you think john cox will be a better governor than gavin newsom? [sfx: bear roar] does a bear sh*t in the woods?

right now at 8:30.

it is said that hurricane ida could be the strongest hurricane to hit the state since the 1800s. ida is on target to make landfall tomorrow as a catastrophic category 4 hurricane exactly 16 years after katrina hit. >> louisiana,alabama and mississippi issuing warnings. lines stretch from gas stations to rental car counters where people waited for hours. people are told please don't come here unless you have your travel confirmed. >> by the time you go to bed

tonight, you need to be where you intend to ride the storm out. >> when ida makes landfall sunday, it will be 16 years to the day to katrina. there have been similar in path, but not size making it so deadly. >> president biden acknowledging the anniversary employing 500 fema personnel. >> it is a stark reminder we have to make sure we are ready to respond. >> ida is on a course for houma, louisiana. and with the family getting covid, they will have to stay home. >> it's hard to get into hotels when they find out you are covid positive. >> this will probably be

something you will never experience again i tell my kids. dad and mom will be right here with you. and workers for the east bay regional park district put off a strike vote. it is said they make 10% less than others doing the same jobs. it's just not parks, it's firefighters and accountants too. negotiations still happening. we could learn more on monday. the bay area has a new campground on the water. this is at the foot of the dunbarton bridge. it used to be a highway. now 63 camping spots are nestled steps away from the bay. there are showers and wi-fi.

it gives access to so many people. >> access to coyote hills and others that are just a short hike away. >> and this is the first urban campground to open on the bay in three decades. there is a call for an event center, cabins and large group areas. tomorrow pg & e will be testing pipes. the intersection of story and king will shut down from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 in the morning. these inspections will last through november. they say to call them if there is any issue with your gas service. helping hands are getting

this back to sea. >> the miniboat program helps grade schoolers send boats across the ocean. second wind got a little off cower. -- course. community members found both boats. the coast guard plans to relaunch them soon when the weather is just right. and the relaunch of a popular comedy convention. silli-con showing they could work the covid rules into their play. because of covid we spoke to one fan going for the very first time. >> i am going for the first time. i am excited. i will meet a friend of mine i

met during covid for the first time. i am excited. >> masks and temperature checks are a must. trying to check out the costumes as i read this. it runs again tomorrow ending sunday afternoon. up next, you never want to get into a crash especially like this. what one woman said she was doing when her car hit a florida patrol officer. and there you have it— -woah. wireless on the most reliable network nationwide.

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my new spicy tiny tacos, a spicy twist on my snackable tiny tacos. 15 for $3.50 or loaded for just a buck more. i don't know which is better, the spice or the price. try my new spicy tiny tacos starting at $3.50. only at jack in the box. tonight we continue to track the wildfires and poor air quality in the bay area. live at walnut creek. see the skies, you can still see the smoke. advisory extended to tomorrow. and fires is a reminder for most in sonoma and napa county.

most are still rebuilding. a critical discussion was had. >> senator alex padilla was surrounded by leaders in a public event center that was recently rebuilt after being destroyed in fire four years ago. taking notes as one official after another explained the hardships and challenge they face. >> we have went from fire to flood to pandemic in one year. so we are constantly in response or recovery mode. >> they also listened to tribal leaders. >> we need more for prevention, for staffing. >> and about the toll the fire

brings. >> $340 million impact to sonoma county last year. >> they said climate change is changing the rules and risks and we need changes fast. >> climate change has arrived and that adds to the urgency with which we need to act. >> when padilla returns to washington, d.c. he said he will push for support and plans to push for a $7 billion fire and hurricane indemnity program. >> it has taken way too long for funding or to be reimbursed, for a homeowner, from their insurance company. santa rosa has a new

firefighting tool. the arrival of engine 26 designed for wild land fires. it is the first that pg & e has bought. the city says the engines will enhance response capabilities. and another crash involving a tesla. it crashed into a parked police car and suv in orlando. a woman said she was using the autopilot feature when this happened. no one hurt. it brings federal scrutiny on tesla and the way they market them. fires and smoke and all around the bay area. >> it has been a lot day when it's almost 8:00 and still

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yup, we all do! with flex alerts. they notify us when to shift our energy use if our power supply is stretched. so from pre-cooling our homes, to using less energy from 4-9pm, together, let's flex our power to save our power. sign up for flex alerts today. it's time for the biggest sale of the year, on the new sleep number 360 smart bed. it helps keep you effortlessly comfortable by sensing your movements and automatically responding to both of you. and, it's temperature balancing to help you stay comfortable all night. it even tracks your circadian rhythm, so you know when you're at your best. in other words, it's the most energy-building, wellness-boosting, parent-powering, proven quality night's sleep we've ever made. don't miss our weekend special where all smart beds are on sale. save 50% on the new sleep number 360 limited edition smart bed. plus, 0% interest for 60 months. ends monday.

it's a symptom of our climate in crisis. wildfire season is getting longer. fire season in some parts of california is now three times longer than 50 years ago. people living in areas prone to fire are facing a tough decision. >> we thought about moving before this happened. we were actively looking for properties elsewhere. but after this devastation, a lot of people will be thinking that. watch the whole report of nbclx. you can stream it any time and can watch it on channel 11-15 or on xfinity cable. news is not good in the

sierra. >> the wind that brings cooling to the bay area, it will be a strong sea breeze, but for lake tahoe, unfortunately we have these watches up for monday and tuesday of the sierra. there will be very dry conditions and we will watch that closely heading into monday and tuesday. still mild and 66 degrees. san jose 78 and inland valley in the mid 80s. for the morning, 50s and 60s to start off. first half of the day will probably have more smoke much if you want to hold off on plans, things will start to improve as

the sea breeze turns on. raiders/49ers levi stadium. you can see the numbers. by halftime upper 80s. it will be hazy and warm. you can see how the morning starts off. what will be different about this time tomorrow is we should see more of a sea breeze with more smoke or at least unhealthy air is pushed out. as winds pick up, a fire danger problem for lake tahoe, but

that's what will drop the temperatures down and a subtle improvement. and by tuesday i think we will see more smoke moving out. sunday we will be in the upper 80s to low 90s. wednesday more comfortable. seven-day forecast brings in fog and perhaps coastal drizzle storms for the middle part of the week, but better air quality. for the valley, by tuesday a big drop in temperatures and better air quality through the middle part of the week. we will have to watch the sierra monday and tuesday. it will unfortunately be dry and gusty around lake tahoe.

let's check with anthony in sports. even though we are in september, i still look back and say, wow, this is special. >> and against the first place team. giants get back on track with a win on the road. what was done to keep his strength alive on the hill. sports is next.

homelessness, housing, taxes, water, electricity, crime, wildfires. [sfx: bear roar] gavin, you've failed. we have to immediately cut taxes twenty-five percent. fix housing and homelessness. and make life in california affordable again. i'm a businessman, the only cpa running. shouldn't we choose ability this time? do you think john cox will be a better governor than gavin newsom? [sfx: bear roar] does a bear sh*t in the woods? every single day, we're all getting a little bit better. we're better cooks...

better neighbors... hi. i've got this until you get back. better parents... and better friends. no! no! that's why comcast works around the clock constantly improving america's largest gig-speed broadband network. and just doubled the capacity here. how do things look on your end? -perfect! because we're building a better network every single day. welcome back. the giants have 42 wins at home and on the road. this could be a postseason preview between leaders. giants off to a fast start. tommy la stella goes on a power trip and it's 1-0 san francisco. webb was king of the hill. he gets the double play, struck

out six in seven scoreless innings. he has not allowed more than two runs in 13 consecutive starts. and how about this home run in the 7th. giants shut out atlanta. final score 5-0. driven, left center field, and that baby is gone! >> blackjack! that's home run number 21. the a's put an end to the yankees 13-game winning streak. a's win it 3-2. levi stadium is the place to be sunday. the 49ers play the silver and black, returning to the bay area for the first time since leaving for lafg -- las vegas.

>> even guys who have been here, you get in a routine and you forget. when you get up is different, when you eat is a little bit different. i think it's good for the players to go through it so they are not wondering where the hell they are. >> the coach said he is not ready to name a starting coach for game one. >> i plan to put jimmy out there with the starters and plan on mixing trey in there. we will see how it goes. this is the final preseason game before the team has to cut its roster from 80 to 53 players tuesday. >> you get to the basis of your decisions in practice and want to confirm it in the game. the raiders no longer call oakland home but there is plenty of excitement for their return

to the bay area. even if it is only a preseason game. >> i always like it when our fans are pumped up. it is still a preseason game so i am not going to get too caught up in the rivalry. but it's always more fun when the fans are into it. >> it will be fun. high school football. de la salle versus saint mary's. and the spartans rushed for 377 yards in this game and they blowout st. mary's 52-16. that's a look at sports. more after the break.

this unplugged device is protecting our beautiful coastlines and more. put off chores and use less energy from 4 to 9 pm to help keep our state golden. a way for children battling illness to have fun. coastal kids home care organized

a car parade and not just any old cars. while covid has taken a toll on all kids it has been especially tough for children with chronic conditions. a day to let go. >> they can sit in their car or on the grass. it is a personal parade for our family. we think they really enjoy it and need it. they are isolated more than anything right now. >> thank you so much for doing this. it ran from presentation high school to a catholic school where there was music. this is the only pediatric home health agency. their mission is to improve the quality of life for sick or injured children by providing care at their home. finally tonight, he's bringing home the gold. amazing and inspiring story.

this is navy veteran brad snider about to cross the line. he won gold. the first american to win a triathlon in a paralympic event. he lost his vision in an ied. inspiring. tomorrow you can see smoke pollution is starting to move east as the sea breeze picks up late in the day. numbers near 100 inland. more cooling in the seven-day forecast. you can see the temperatures dropping off and better air

quality in the middle part of the week. >> some problems in the sierras, some winds picking up. >> cooling winds coming off the ocean, but for the sierra, that's a different story. into midday tuesday we will have to watch those areas closely. winds should start to come down the middle of the week. >> thanks for joining us. we will be back tonight at 11:00. hope can you join us then.

>> right now on "access hollywood" -- barely escaping from the taliban. only "access" has afghan pop star aryana sayeed's heartbreaking story. and we remember the life and loss of aaliyah 20 years later. and why mindy kaling says it was a real gift to be pregnant during the pandemic. "access hollywood" starts right now. ♪♪ welcome to the weekend edition of "access hollywood." i'm sibley scoles. and as a afghan citizens continue to desperately flee their beloved homeland, we've now got the story of one of the country's most famous pop stars, who barely got out in time. let's head up now to