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tv   NBC Nightly News With Lester Holt  NBC  January 12, 2025 4:00pm-4:30pm PST

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♪♪ tonight, we are live in los angeles.
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firefighters making major progress, but there are new warnings. the weather is about to get a whole lot worse. the massive aerial assault over los angeles. firefighters using everything they have. we are on the ground crews as water is dropped from above. >> a helicoer in the air. it's attacking from above. how they we able to slow the fires today. now the city bracing for another round of dangerously strong winds. firefighters from all over north america flooding into to help. including warnings about drones interfering with firefighting planes. new images after one was damaged. the fbi now on the case. long lines as desperate families wait hours and hours, hoping to get in to see their homes. we are able to show one family that their house is still standing. >> i can't thank you enough. death toll rising. the former child actor, the father staying behind with his disabled son.
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what we are learning about those who didn't make it out. thexpressway's report on president-elect trump set to be released. our reporting on what's in it. and faith after the fires. the family singing hymns where their home once stood and the congregation welcomed into a new home. >> announcer: this is nbc "nightly news" with hallie jackson. and good evening. i'm tom llamas in for hallie tonight. we are live here in los angeles surrounded as you can see by the destruction from the palisades fire. this right he used to be a three-story office building and you see what's left of it now. absolutely nothing. but we are coming on the air tonight with a note of cautious optimism. firefighters have made major gains in their battle to slow this fire, but the winds here are set to whip up again to extremely dangerous levels. a flood of resources are now pouring into the city. of firefighters from mexico and canada, desperately needed equipment as well.
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and that war from above is ramping up. this was the scene throughout the day. look at this. one aircraft after another dumping water and fire retardant. the governor saying they are flying as many planes as air traffic controllers will allow. officials also saying they expect the list of dead and missing to grow. entire neighborhoods here still sealed off. these are the long lines of cars packed with residents desperate to get back to see if their house survived. and police say there are too many possible looters infill ritting the evacuation zones, included some dressed as firefighters. we begin with the firefighters on the front lines. >> reporter: tonight a glimmer of hope as crews make slow progress containing some of the massive fires burning in los angeles. >> it is sad. this entire block here is wiped out. >> reporter: the eaton fire now 27% contained, but the other big fire, the palisades, only 11%.
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>> this massive palisades fire is still spreading. >> reporter: today a big push as the dangerous winds pick up again. the battle involving crews on the ground -- >> planes were right across the street from homes. >> reporter: we traveled with cal fire to the top of a canyon where they stopped the palisades fire from burning encino and calabasas. the burn scar massive. but proof progress is being made. >> today is the first day that everything is looking really good. we are not out of the woods yet. >> reporter: and we saw that firsthand. this hot spot just popped up. you can see the flames there rising. the good news is a helicopter in the air, it's going to attack from above. choppers with long line buckets carrying hundreds of gallons of water and on this drop bull's-eye. that's why the air drops are so critical attacking the fire from above. that's how they make progress and get ahead
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of the fires. koorpdnating with crews like these doing cutting line, removing brush that fuels the fire. how are the teams holding up? >> well, the good thing, they are born and bred to work hard. so they are working hard. they are tired. they are worked. in the beginning we were working crews 36 to 40 hours multiple days at a time, and they are ready here. this is what they do. >> reporter: flight crews working into the night making air drops. an estimated half a billion zbals used so far to battle the flames. this video showing the view from inside an air national guard plane as it makes a drop. warnings blaring in the cockpit as it flies low to hit its target. but these critical efforts are being hampered by unauthorized drones in those flight areas. the fbi says there have been dozens of such incidents so far, and they are actively tracking who is flying
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them. >> we have equipment that detects the drones if in the air and we work backwards to identify the operator. >> reporter: photos from the fbi show the damage to this canadian super scooper on thursday. a hole punched in the wing by a drone. this plane is now grounded. >> the super scooper in that technique is our number one tool to fight wildfires like this.. when folks fly drones personally owned drones into temporary flight restricted areas, that hampers those abilities significantly. >> reporter: the fbi recovered pieces of drone and their investigation is ongoing as it wildfire battle is an international effort. fire crews arriving from mexico on saturday, joining other teams from canada and nine western states from oregon to texas. >> >> we have got the resources. >> reporter: in an interview with nbc news, california governor gavin newsom telling our jacob soboroff there are now 14,000 firefighters battling these fires. and now nearly 2,500 national guard troops providing logistical
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support and security. as residents grapple with what they've lost, the community stepping up to fill in the gap. >> thank you so much. >> reporter: here at the famed santa anita racetrack in arcadia, a marathon drive overnight collecting much needed supplies like clothing, shoes, and bottled water and dispersing them to residents. >> it's just amazing seeing the support and how the community just comes together. >> reporter: and the happy conclusion to a story we told you about earlier this week. casey losing his dogs in the fires on tuesday. first responders were able to rescue one of them, but the other, oreo, still miss. that is, until today. casey over come with emotion as he was reunited with oreo. >> how was the fire! oh, honey! oh, honey! >> reporter: one reunion giving so many others hope tonight. i want to bring in meteorologist melissa magee if our nbc los
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angeles station. thank you for being here. we are already feeling the wind tonight. talk about how bad it will get. we have now round of santa ana winds arrives as we get into monday through wednesday with a peak intensity arriving monday night into tuesday. some of the highest wind gusts across our mountain communities ranging anywhere from 50 to 70 miles per hour. you get those classic santa ana winds racing through the mountains, cutting through the canyons and passes, drying out the atmosphere and dropping the humidity. so the red flag warning stays up. >> explain why firefighters are so worried about those winds. >> tom, with our last event we had hurricane-force winds in southern california. and we were seeing some of those embers flying more than a mile. the good news with this event, it's not anticipated to be that strong, but with the drop in the humidity and the conditions firefighters are facing, it's going to make new or existing fires spread rapidly, which will be a challenge for firefighters. >> all right. melissa magee from knbc here. tremendous coverage throughout all of this. thank you. >> thank you. and someone 150,000 people are under evacuation
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orders. many still have no idea if their house is even still standing. ellison barber was with residents today trying to get back in to find out. >> do i wait here? >> you can if you like. >> reporter: tonight growing frustration outside the pacific palisades. massive lines of cars with residents waiting for hours, anxious to see what, if anything, remains in their homes. this is criminal dereliction of duty. >> we do care. we want to get you back into your homes. >> reporter: los angeles county sheriff robert luna warning about criminal activity. >> people that do not belong in these disaster zones need to stay out or they are going to get arrested. >> reporter: saturday two people were detained in the evacuation zone near vice president kamala harris' home, according officials. the l.a. fire chief adding it's too dangerous for many residents to go home. >> there is still active fires that are burning within the palisades area making it extremely,
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extremely dangerous for the public. there is no power. there is no water. there is broken gas lines and we have unstable structures. >> reporter: we met shannon when she walked up to talk to police. her family waiting since 4:00 a.m. >> we are hopeful to get a couple minutes to grab some things and then get out of town. >> reporter: she was with her fiance shea and shea's 8 #-year-old matter trying to get back to their pacific palisades home. >> we don't have any answers and there is a lot of different information which is why i'm posted up here. >> reporter: shannon couldn't get in. she told us about something she forgot to take. >> my aunt passed away recently and left me a small diamond. and i was saving to be able to afford to make it into a new ring. >> reporter: i asked for her address, her house while sed reporting, we might be able to help. a couple of hours later we saw it. amazingly, it's still standing because if you look around across
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the street, their neighbors not nearly as lucky. they told us the door was unlocked because they had to evacuate so quickly. you can smell, it smells of smoke. i texted asking if she needed us to get stuff. they needed some medicine for judy, things they left behind as they scrambled to evacuate. we couldn't find the diamond ring but found the medical supplies. i saw these and i just -- >> oh, my god. >> reporter: i showed them videos of their home. >> were the windows closed? >> reporter:et. >> i was right. >> reporter: in the middle of chaos, a moment to help a family still looking at an uncertain tomorrow. >> powerful reporting there. are officials offering any updates when residents can see their homes? >> reporter: yeah, tom, yesterday we did see and spoke to residents who had been escort by police up into their homes, but today officers on scene, they were
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telling residents their guidance comes from the fire department. fire officials say tliet now they can't let residents back up into the evacuated areas because it is not safe, especially, they say, as the winds are picking back up. tom. >> still too dangerous. ellison, thank you for that. the death toll from the fires stands at 16 this evening and it's likely to grow. we are learning the stories of some of those who lost their lives. dana griffin has their stories. >> reporter: these are the faces of neighbors, family and friends forever tied to the most destructive wildfire in los angeles county history. anthony mitchell, a father who stayed behind with his disabled son justin refusing to let him die alone. >> he said i got to go. the fire need to my yard. >> reporter: 83-year-old arlene kelly. >> we didn't expect to lose her so tragically.
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>> it's not what happens in life. >> it's what you do that counts. >> it was my baby. and he died needlessly. >> reporter: former child actor rory sykes born blind, also had cerebral palsy. >> he said, mom, leave me. no mom can leave their kid. and i have got a broken heart. i couldn't lift him, couldn't move him. >> reporter: his mom telling an australian news organization she drove to get help from firefighters. >> when the fire department brought me back, his cottage was burnt to the ground. >> reporter: at least two victims tried to protect their homes from flames where they raised families and lived for decades. like victor shaw and rodney nickerson. >> great person. funny. the life of the party. loved people. very intelligent man. loved to read. >> reporter: and there is randy, a malibu sur officer who lived on the pacific coast highway in his well known red crab shack.
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he was found there according to hi mom who said his last words were, pray for the palisades and pray for malibu. i love you. >> the sad reality is that officials say the death toll could rise in the coming days? >> reporter: that's right, tom. and some areas they say are still too dangerous to go into. authorities say it will take time to go home to home with cadaver dogs to make sure no one is left behind. tom. >> dana griffin for us tonight. thank you for that. and as the winds are picking up tonight here e we will have much more from los angeles coming up, including the fires scrambling the nfl playoffs. how a rival team helped fly the l.a. rams to their game. plus, special counsel jack smith has resigned, but what's in his report about president-elect trump? it could be released at any moment. used my flame. untii got clearer skin. with bimzelx, you could say, i'm back.
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spanned two years and included interviews with hundreds of witnesses, including former vice president mike pence. the clock is ticking for the report's release. today the president-elect on social media questioning why smith should be allowed to issue a report at all. meanwhile, team trump preparing to head to capitol hill with more than a dozen of his cabinet picks set to begin confirmation hearings this week. including marco rubio for secretary of state, john ratcliffe for cia director and pete hegseth for defense secretary. >> there is not a job more serious and critical to our national security and we need a qualified individual in that job, and he just does not seem to have the qualifications. >> reporter: democratic senator and retired navy captain mark kelly critical of hegseth. wanting to see his fbi background report, so far given to leaders senate armed services committee.
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so some democrats concerned it may not be thorough enough for a cabinet facing controversy and negative allegations. >> it is bipartisan. across the aisle. folks want to seat fbi background check. by i think we should get an opportunity to look at it. >> reporter: john barrasso coming to hegseth's defense. >> andy think pete is going to be terrific in tournaments of recruitment, morale, returning marijuana to a fighting force which is what the american people really want. >> reporter: aaron joins us live it the white house. aaron, there has been a delay in the confirmation hearing for another controversial trump cabinet pick it? >> reporter: yeah are, tom, tulsi gabbard's hearing this week to be director of national intelligence is being delayed because of a paperwork problem. the former congresswoman and veteran will likely face tough questions next week. tom. >> okay. aaron gilchrist at the white house. we are tracking a winter blast set to blanket much of the u.s. temperatures 10 to 30 degrees below average
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for the rockies, plains and the southeast through the middle of the week. and in parts of the west, freeze warnings are in effect for tonight. we are back in a moment from here in los angeles. the fires even impacting this nfl wild card weekend. how the game set to be played here was quickly moved out of state. plus, the family singing this hymn after they found the only thing standing at their home after the fire. a statue of the virgin mary. ts can be challenging at times. (fisher investments) i understand. that's why at fisher investments, we keep a disciplined approach with your portfolio, helping you through the market's ups and downs. (husband) what about communication? (fisher investments) we check in regularly to keep you informed. (wife) which means you'll help us stay on track? (fisher investments) yes. as a fiduciary, we always put your interests first. because we do better when you do better. at fisher investments, we're clearly different. for more than a decade farxiga has been trusted again and again, and again. ♪far-xi-ga♪
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>> reporter: with wildfires raging in los angeles -- >> the nfl family is heartbroken. >> reporter: the city is being braced on one of the sports world's biggest stages. >> we salute the brave nirps and everyday heroes who continue to support their neighbors. >> reporter: this weekend marks the start of the nfl playoffs, and before the l.a. chargers played the texans in houston saturday, a moment of silence in the stadium. chargers quarterback justin herbert giving a tip of his cap to the l.a. fire department. >> that's it. >> reporter: the chargers lost, ending their season. but tomorrow night l.a.'s other football team, the rams, takes on the minnesota vikings. that game was supposed to be in california but the wild card matchup was moved to arizona. the cardinals pitching in, sending planes to fly in the team, their families, and even some pets, while letting the rams use their stadium for the game. >> our hearts and
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minds and everything, thoughts and prayers go out to everybody who has been affected. >> reporter: the cardinals home field and locker room transforming with rams yellow and blue, as the nfl announces a combined $5 million being donated to help california's fire zaved communities heal. jesse kirsch, nbc news. when we come back, their church was destroyed but their faith is so strong. the powerful service today after they were welcomed into another church. farxiga can help you keep living life, because there are places you'd like to be. (♪♪) serious side effects include increased ketones in blood or urine and bacterial infection between the anus and genitals, both which may be fatal, severe allergic reactions, dehydration, urinary tract or genital yeast infections, and low blood sugar. stop taking and tell your doctor right away if you have nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, tiredness, rash, swelling, trouble breathing or swallowing. tell your doctor about lightheadedness, weakness,
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♪♪ >> reporter: amid scenes causing unimaginable pain, sunday the unmistakable sound of praise. ♪ give him all your years of pain ♪ ♪ >> reporter: the montebello church welcoming new faces in a dark time. >> to overwhelming. >> reporter: the pastor still processising how altadena's community church fell to the flames in minutes. >> 19 members of our church lost their homes, so it's an unusual sense of camaraderie. >> reporter: with nowhere else to go, the congregation was invited here. >> we welcome our friends from altadena. >> reporter: the reverend offering support to a long-time friend. >> whether it's times of struggle or times
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of joy, we need to be together. ♪ redeem ♪ ♪ hallelujah ♪♪ >> reporter: the halpin family singing hymns amongst the ruins where their home once stood. among the items salvaged, a statue of the virgin mary. for the altadena church family, the first step forward presenting their beloved pastor with new clench? gy stoles, symbols of renewal and hope after the fire took his. what do you want them leaving the service today knowing? >> don't give up. church is not a building. we are the church. it will rise from the ashes once again. ♪♪ >> reporter: morgan chesky, nbc news, los angeles.
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and if you want to help, we have a list of organizations you can donate to. that's on nbcnews.com or you can scan the qr code on your screen right now. that's nbc "nightly news" for this sunday. i'm tom llamas. for all of us here at nbc news, good night. and stay right here on nbc. the nfl playoff game is coming up. ♪♪
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