firefighters make some progress against the deadly wildfire ravaging los angeles. but santa ana winds are expected to pick up again this week as the death toll climbs. in the senate hot seat, confirmation hearings are set to kick off for trump cabinet nominees. we're live from d.c. with what we can expect, starting with the hearing for pentagon hit pete hegseth. and meta becoming the latest giant scaling back on diversity initiatives. and the commanders and bucs go head to head in prime time as the nfl wildcard weekend kicks off. who came out on top in that duel. and who else has moved on. and holding onto faith in the face of the fires. the congregation welcomed into a new home after their church building was lost. it's monday, january 13. "early today" starts right now. good monday morning.

i'm frances rivera. we begin this morning in southern california, where the wildfire-related death toll has now risen to at least 24. this includes 16 killed in the eaton fire, which could make it the fifth deadliest blaze in the state's history. at least 16 people are missing, and police say dozens more missing persons reports came in sunday, but they need to reconcile the numbers before reporting them. firefighters have made some progress, due to calmer winds over the weekend. reaching 27% containment on the eaton fire. and 95% on the hurst fire. but the massive palisades fire, which has devoured more than 23,000 acres is still just 13% contained. entire neighborhoods have been levelled, with more than 12,000 structures destroyed. california governor gavin newsom has issued an executive order to help people impacted by the catastrophic fires rebuild homes and businesses. evacuation orders are in effect

for 105,000 l.a. residents, and 87,000 are in evacuation warning zones. there is a public health emergency warming that smoke particles could cause immediate and long-term threats. people are urged to stay indoors, replace air filters often and wear n95 or respirators outside. >> reporter: a glimmer of hope as crews make small progress containing 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%. >> this massive palisades fire >> reporter: big push as the dangerous winds pick up again. the battle involving crews on the ground. >> flames were right across the street from homes. >> reporter: we traveled with

cal fire to the top of this 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're not out of the woods yet. >> reporter: and we saw that first hand. so this hot spot just popped up just behind us. you see the flames there rising. the good news is there's a helicopter in the air that's going to attack it from above. choppers with hundreds of gallons of water, and on this drop, bull's eye. that's why these airdrops are so critical, attacking these fires from above. with machinery and aircraft like that, that's how they can make progress and get ahead of the fires. coordinating with crews like these doing what's called cutting line, removing brush that fuels the fire. how are your teams holding up? >> the good thing is they're borne and bred to work hard. they're tired. in the beginning, we were working crews 36-40 hours

multiple days at a time. and they're ready here. this is what they do. >> reporter: meanwhile, flight crews working into the night, making airdrops. an estimated half a billion gallons used so far to try to battle the flames. this video showing the view from inside an international 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're actively tracking who's flying them. >> we have equipment that can detect the drones in the air. but also we work backwards to identify the actual operator. >> reporter: these new photos show the damage to a canadian superscooper, a hole punched in the wing by a drone. >> the superscooper and that

technique is the number one tool to fight wildfires like this. when folks fly drones, personally-owned drones into restricted areas, that hampers those abilities significantly. >> reporter: the investigation is ongoing. as this 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. california governor gavin newsom taking our jacob soboroff there are now 14,000 firefighters battling the fires and now nearly 2500 national guard troops providing logistical 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 race crack in arcadia, a marathon drive, collecting much-needed supplies like clothing, shoes and bottled

water and disbursing them to residents. >> it's just amazing seeing the support and how the community comes together. >> reporter: and a happy conclusion to a story we told you about. >> how do i get to my house! >> reporter: casey coleman losing his dogs. first responders were able to rescue one of them. but the other, oreo still missing. casey overcome with emotion as he was reignited with oreo. >> oh, honey, oh, honey! >> our thanks to tom for that report. today begins president biden's last week in office, which will include two major speeches. this afternoon, president biden will deliver a foreign policy address from the state department. the white house says this speech will discuss the work of the administration to strengthen america and lead the world. and, on wednesday, president biden will deliver a farewell address to the nation. sources familiar tell nbc news the speech had touch on mr. biden's entire political career, and he will have a message about

the country's future. the senate is about to kick off a week of high-stakes job interviews for the next administration. confirmation hearings begin tomorrow for president-elect trump's cabinet nominees, including pete hegseth for defense secretary. then on wednesday, marco rubio for secretary of state and pam bondi for attorney general. nbc's chris pollone joins me from d.c. good morning, chriss. pete hegseth's nomination is one that has faced the most scrutiny. >> reporter: hi, frances, good morning to you. that's absolutely right. hegseth is a veteran and former fox news host. there are questions, a lot of questions, about if he has the experience to lead the pentagon. sources tell nbc news that the two leading members of the armed services committee received an fbi background check on hegseth late friday. senators from both parties have said they want to see that report. but it's not clear if more will get the chance before tomorrow's hearing. while democrats question hegseth's qualifications, he does have the support of john

barrasso. >> i think pete is going to be terrific in terms of recruitment, in terms of morale, in terms of returning america to a fighting force, which is what the american people really want. >> there is not a job that's more serious and more critical to our national security than secretary of defense. and we need a qualified individual in that job. and he just does not seem to have the qualifications. >> reporter: meanwhile, over the weekend, special counsel jack smith resigned. he had planned to exit before the inauguration. smith has handed over his final report on president-elect trump's alleged interference in the 2020 election. attorney general merrick garland is expected to make that report public soon. mr. trump has called the investigation illegitimate and questioned why smith would be allowed to release any report, frances. >> chris pollone for us, thank you. preparations are under way for the second inauguration of donald trump. a full dress rehearsal was held sunday in washington, d.c. the run-through included

stand-ins for both mr. trump and vice president-elect jd vance. the president's own marine band practiced all the songs they will perform during the historic ceremony. mr. trump will be inaugurated at noon on january 20, one week from today. all right, let's get a check now of the forecast. santa ana winds expected to pick back up in los angeles this week. nbc meteorologist michelle grossman is tracking it all. >> hi there, frances. we had a bit of a break yesterday. we're going to start tsee the winds ramp up. especially tuesday and wednesday. so, as a result, 13 million at risk for fire danger once again. that includes from santa maria to santa clarita, escondido. relative humidity remains so low. so it's bone dry out there. we do have a critical risk. we're going to see offshore strong winds and very dry

conditions continuing from right wood to riverside, down temecula as well. so pinine cove included in that critical risk. we also have an elevated risk where you see the orange. the palisades, the eaton fire, we're going to see the winds picking up once again. i stopped the clock around 2:00 this afternoon. we're looking at winds gusting to 50 miles per hour in some spots. by 2:00 a.m., winds at below zer. you factor in the wind, it's going to be colder than that. mobile, 49. all right, that's your monday morning forecast. this weekend's box office heist went off without a hitch. >> it's not about the money.

it's about the challenge. >> stand by. >> should i get in and get out. >> three, two, one. >> without anyone knowing i was there. >> den of thieves 2 debuted at number one, taking in $15.5 million. mufasa the lion king and sonic the hedge hog 3 came in at numbers two and three. coming up, we have your sunday night football highlights. but first, we've got ts r hifo you. yeah, two questions about meta. arghh! [explosion] ugh! here we go again wait there's a red hulk now? i know he's red. he seems very angry. why he's so mad? sorry to interrupt... but what do we do about this? you must be new in town. we use tide oxi boost. it's a life saver. the most powerful clean in any universe, tide. lookin good. thank you. [bus arrives] well at least it's on time. see captain america: brave new world. air wick. every year millions of noses

are ghosted by their plug-ins. new air wick advanced. our ground-breaking plug-in that pulses scent for staying power, up to 60 days. plus a fragrance boost button. our noses won't be ignored again. this charmin ultra soft smooth tear has wavy edges. it's no ordinary square. charmin ultra soft smooth tear has wavy perforations that tear so much better, with more cushiony softness. enjoy the go, with charmin. we are back with the significant reversal from two of the biggest companies in the world. meta and amazon both rolling back some of their diversity and inclusion initiatives. now questions on whether other companies will follow. nbc's emilie ikeda has more. >> reporter: a major changeup in the corporate world, as tech behemoths, amazon and meta are

dialing back their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. robbie starbuck recently telling cnbc. >> they're causing division employee on employee and losing money. >> reporter: amazon saying we've been winding down outdated programs and materials. and meta says they're focussed on hiring, training and picking suppliers. >> it's one thing to say we want to be kind of like welcoming and make a good environment for everyone. and i think it's another to basically say that masculinity is bad. and i think we kind of swung culturally to that part of the kind of spectrum where, you know, it's all like, masculinity is oxic. we have to get rid of it completely many. >> reporter: his comments come as tech giants appear to be trying to make inroads with the

incoming president. and following similar moves from companies like ford, walmart and mcdonald's, still companies are bucking the trend. costco urging board holders to vote against it as the workplace see as new wave of scrutiny. emilie ikeda, nbc news. still to come, wildcard weekend turned out to be more of a mild card weekend. but the blowouts and dominant performances gave way to one final thriller in tampa. weave avenue got the full recap right after this.

the first time you try bounce, it hits you. your laundry feels way fresher, softer. so you start to wonder. if i put a sheet of bounce on the finance guy, will it make him softer? bounce can't do it all but for better laundry, ♪ put a sheet on it with bounce. ♪ jordan's sore nose let out a fiery sneeze, so dad grabbed puffs plus lotion to soothe her with ease. puffs plus lotion is gentle on sensitive skin and locks in moisture to provide soothing relief. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. america's #1 lotion tissue. can neuriva support your brain health? mary. janet. hey! eddie. no! fraser. frank. frank. fred. how are you? support up to seven brain health indicators, including memory. when you need to remember, remember neuriva. welcome to the 100° sweat test. which one of these two antiperspirants can stand up to the heat? that's it. take it up notch. looks like ordinary antiperspirants can't take the heat.

ordinary antiperspirants can't fight sweat better than secret clinical. still living with odors? get back in there and freshen instantly with febreze air mist. febreze's fine mist floats longer in the air to fight even your toughest odors. so long stinky smells and hello amazing freshness. febreze air mist. (♪♪) when life spells heartburn... how do you spell relief? r-o-l-a-i-d-s rolaids' dual-active formula begins to neutralize acid on contact. r-o-l-a-i-d-s spells relief.

the washington commanders on the upright, and it is in! >> it was the only way. a back and forth showdown on wildcard weekend could end. the washington commanders

doinked their way to the first playoff victory since 2006, taking down the buccaneers for the only road win of the weekend. if you remember this, right, washington's last playoff victory was against the bucs in that exact city. so now washington will travel to detroit next weekend to play the juggernaut lions. >> that's going to be tough. what a way to win with that doink. it went in. so happy for them. and that thriller was a swift change of pace. the chargers fizzled out in spectacular fashion with the texans' defense picking off justin herbert four times in the 32-12 rout. later on, it was another lamar marvelous performance. the mvp frontrunner and derrick henry sent the steelers home 28-14. the broncos may have struck first in buffalo on sunday, but it was just to delay the

inevitable fireworks from josh allen as always. the superstar qb threw two touchdowns, including a 24 yarder on fourth down as the bills rode all over the broncos, 31-7. and green bay is packing up after failing to replicate last year's magical playoff. jordan love and the pack were cycled by the eagles' defense while the birds did just enough on other side of the ball to escape with the 22-10 win. >> it was tough when it comes to that broncos win. i mean broncos loss i should say. for my husband, at least if he's going to lose, he's going to lose considering my son is a huge, huge bills fan. >> forgot about that. >> the patriots fans meet the new boss same as the old boss. they've officially hired mike vrabel. he previously led the tennessee

titans. it comes after they fired jerod mayo, another former player, immediately after their win over the bills last weekend. so new direction for patriots nation. when we come back, because of the br'oas head, the cause is revealed ep coming back. start to break away from uc with tremfya... with rapid relief at 4 weeks. tremfya blocks a key source of inflammation. at one year, many people experienced remission... and some saw 100% visible healing of their intestinal lining. serious allergic reactions and increased risk of infections may occur. before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tb. tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms or if you need a vaccine. healing is possible with tremfya. ask your doctor about tremfya today. ♪

i forgot to wash my work shirt. just wear it again! i added unstopables with odor blocker and it keeps our clothes fresh all day! [sniff] ooo, imma be feelin it at work today. she smells so good i'm actually paying attention! smell unstopable. if you're frustrated with occasional bloating or gas, your body's giving you signs. it's time to try align. align probiotic was specifically designed by gastroenterologists to help relieve your occasional bloating and gas. when you feel the signs, it's time to try align. unlike those other messy whole body deodorants, to help relieve your occnative whole body deogas. dries on contact, doesn't leave white residue on clothes, and fights odor for 72 hours. for your pits, privates, chest, thighs, and feet! how do they do it?

get native. we're in a limestone cave, letting extreme residue build up to put finish jet dry to the test. dishwashers are designed to use jet dry to defend against tough residues for a practically spotless shine. want to get the most out of one sheet? grab bounty. (♪♪) bounty is made to be stronger... ...and more absorbent. so, while ordinary brands can't hold up, one sheet of bounty keeps working, even when wet. (♪♪) now that's the sound of value. bounty. the quicker picker upper. (cough cough) (sneeze) (♪♪) new alka-seltzer plus cold or flu fizzy chews. chew. fizz. feel better fast. no water needed. new alka-seltzer plus fizzychews.

my life is full of questions... how do i clean an aioli stain? use tide. do i need to pretreat guacamole? not with tide. why do we even buy napkins? thankfully, tide's the answer to almost all of them. —do crabs have eyebrows? —except that one. for all of life's laundry questions... it's got to be tide. . >> here's what's making headlines this morning. tesla has recalled over 239,000 cars due to rear view camera malfunctions. a circuit board shortage may cause the car's rear view mirror toot display an image, increasing the risk of a crash. the recall affects 2024-2025 model 3 and x vehicles. the usda now saying it has found the cause of last year's boar's head listeria outbreak. they found, quote, inadequate sanitation practices at the

company's virginia facility. the outbreak left teten people dead and 60 hospitalized. the biden administration is expected to propose a limit on nicotine in cigarettes. while the details of the proposal have not been released, it's suggested that levels will be cut 95%. it does not include e cigarettes. according to nasa, 2024 was the earth's hottest year recorded in history. nasa scientists estimated that the planet was aut 2bo.65 degrees fahrenheit hotter than the average from the mid 19th century. ♪ the heat is on ♪ mist diffuse. it's perfectly portable and glows with a fragrant mist. transform your space with air wick essential mist. are you tired of your hair breaking after waiting years for it to grow? new pantene with more pro-vitamins, plus biotin & collagen. repairs as well as the leading luxury bonding brand. stronger, healthier hair, without the $60 price tag.

if you know, you know it's pantene. [♪♪] are you one of the millions of americans if you know, who suffer from an upset stomach after a big meal? try pepto bismol. unlike some products, pepto coats and soothes your digestive system, to provide fast 5-symptom relief. stock up on pepto today. arghh! [explosion] ugh! here we go again. wait there's a red hulk now? excuse me... what do i do about this? we use tide oxi boost. it's a lifesaver. the most powerful clean in any universe. lookin good. thank you. see captain america: brave new world.

in los angeles, the wildfires have taken away so much from thousands of residents. but, for many, one thing has endured through all of it. their faith. here's morgan chesky. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> reporter: amid scenes causing unimaginable pain, sunday, the unmistakable sound of praise. ♪ ♪ ♪ give him all your years of pain ♪ ♪ >> reporter: l.a.'s montebello congregational church welcoming new faces in a dark time. >> overwhelming. >> reporter: pastor paul tele-strom. >> 19 members of our church lost their homes. so it's an unusual sense of comradery. >> reporter: and with nowhere else to go, his congregation was invited here. >> we welcome our friends from

altadena. >> reporter: reverend mitchell young offering support to a long-time friend. >> whether it's time to struggle or times of joy, we need together. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> reporter: the halpin family singing hymns among the ruins where their house once stood. among items salvaged, a small statue of the virgin mary. for the altadena church family, first step forward, presenting their beloved pastor with new clergy stoles, symbols of renewal and hope after the fire took his. what do you want them leaving the service knowing? >> don't give up. church is not a building. we are the church. it will rise from the

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> reporter: morgan chesky, nbc news, los angeles. >> so true, what makes the church is people, not bricks or walls. stick with nbc and "today" for the latest on the wildfires. our team brings you the latest on the ground including powerful acts of kindness as the community comes together to help one another amidst the devastating damage, all this as craig melvin makes his debut as co-anchor alongside savannah guthrie. hope you have a great monday and see you right back here tomorrow morning. for now your news continues on nbc and our nbc stations.