just waiting for a bike ride or a walk but like you said stay indoors until it's safe to go out. don't forget the news continues all day on cbsn bay area. >> "cbs this morning" is up next. have a eat day and a ♪ eat day and a good morning to you, and welcome to "cbs this morning." it's frg.ay, september 11th, 2020. i'm gayle king with anthony mason and tony dokoupil. deadly fire storms. the death toll rises in the west as nearly 100 major wildfires burn. reducing some towns to rubble. we'll show you the massive evacuations that are taking place. playing defense. president trump works to justify misleading the country on the coronavirus. what he told a crowded rally of supporters and why he's now attacking journalist bob woodward. >> gameday protest. nfl players demonstrate support for racial justice before the first game of the season. and are booed by fans. how american upheaval and the

pandemic are being handled by the country's most watched. >> and honored to serve. a new generation of firefighters include some of the kids of heroes who died on 9/11. their moving stories as we mark 19 years since the attacks. >> we'll never forget. first, here's today's "eye opener." your world in 90 seconds. >> if you are advised to evacuate, please do so immediately. you may not get a second chance. >> the death toll rises out west in a fire season that's as devastating as it is historic. >> evacuate now. leave immediately. danger is in your area. >> the mountain was j just glowg red. >> it was daylight but it was dark. >> the president face moers backlash for playing down the threat of the coronavirus. >> the whack job that wrote the book, well, trump knew a little bit. they wanted me to come out and scream, people are dying, we're dying! >> the latest covid stimulus package proposal gets voted down

by the senate after failing to get 60 votes. >> i can't have a skinny bill when we have a massive problem. >> southern maryland and washington, d.c., were slammed by flash flooding. dozens of cars got stuck. some had to be rescued. >> within 20 minutes the water was up to the doors of our cars. >> microsoft says once again hackers supported by state-backed groups are trying to interfere with u.s. campaigns and elections. >> all that -- >> stunning upsit at the u.s. open. serena williams lost in three sets. >> and all that matters. >> please join us in a moment of silence dedicated to the ongoing fight for equality in our country. >> the night that football fans had been waiting for as the nfl finally kicks off the new season in kansas city. >> and he'll take it to the end zone. what a debut for this guy! >> on "cbs this morning." >> never forgetting 9/11. the tribute in lights piercing the sky. >> a glowing tribute to those killed. the towers of light in new york

city, washington, d.c., and shanksville, pennsylvania. >> we mourn again. we honor those we lost. god bless them all, and to all the families grieving again, as we approach this memorial, god bless you. >> god bless you is right. welcome to "cbs this morning." we begin with a werance of the victims of america's worst ever terror attack in lower manhattan. family members and other members marked the solemn occasion with moim moments of silence. we'll honor the 19th anniversary of 9/11 throughout this broadcast. on this day, i always do think of the family members. i can't imagine what it's like for them. as we sit here 19 years, depepending on your point of vi, either went really fast or feels like yesterday. >> it feels like yesterday. and as the mayor said, those families are grieving again was they do every year. >> it's amazing how much power that moment of silence has all these years later. >> it's important that we never forget, and we will not. we will begin with the raging wildfires in the west where the

death toll increased dramatically overnight. nearly 100 major fires are burning across 11 states, california, oregon and washington are hit the hardest. >> fire storms have led to mass evacuations, including more than 500,000 people in oregon, nearly 12% of the state's population. entire towns have been laid waste. now rescuers in california have discovered seven more bodies, bringing the overall death toll in the west to 16. carter evans is outside a burned fire station in barry creek, california, north of sacramento. carter, good morning. >> good morning. to give you an idea how incredibly fast this fire was moving, this is the local fire station burned to the ground inside.e fire truck still so far, this fire has killed at least ten people, and 16 are missing. the unstoppable explosion of wildfires continues to tear across the west.

in california, six of the largest wildfires ever have occurred this year with more than 3 million acres burned. >> it's been really difficult. >> in oregon, flames have scorched more than 900,000 acres in a 72-hour period. that's nearly double the amount that typically burns in the state in a year. >> it's unimaginable. >> reporter: in washington, dawn marie baxter's sister jamie highland was camping with her husband jake in a remote section of the state where there was no cell service. the couple couldn't escape the flames of the cold springs fire in their truck so they ran over a mile in the dark to a river. >> jacob was carrying at least a 5 gallon bucket of water and the baby and shielding him with his whole body. his burns are less because he was covering the body and hunched down over him so low. >> by the time rescuers arrived, yuriel had died. his 2nd birthday would have been next month.

>> how long were they on the shore? >> probably over 48 hours. >> so they survived out there for 48 hours? >> yeah. i don't know at what point yuri passed. there was so much smoke. i don't know how they were alive. >> reporter: they suffered third degree burns and were airlifted to a hospital where doctors told jamie she had also lost her unborn child. >> in my worst dreams i couldn't imagine what my brother and sister-in-law had to go through and to fight for their lives and protect their child and still to lose him and her baby, there's no words, and nothing will ever make it right. >> reporter: still baxter has faith the couple kill weep fighting to survive. >> i'm hopeful they'll be able to come out strong and help other people who suffered because that's the type of people they are. >> reporter: that couple has a long road to recovery ahead. by the way, another crew of firefighters was overrun by fire and they had to deploy their fire shelters. there were only two minor injuries but this is a very rare occurrence usually and this is

the second time this has happened in a month. it gives you an idea of just how erratic and unpredictable these fires are. >> carter, that's a very tough story with that family. harrowing stuff. thank you very much. we'll turn to campaign 2020. president trump travelled to michigan last night after a white house news conference where he bashed author bob woodward and rejected charges that he lied about the coronavirus threat. paula reid is near shanksville, pennsylvania, where the president and democratic nominee will honor 9/11 victims today. paula, good morning to you. >> good morning, tony. both candidates will be here today to pay their respects. both men have participated in this ceremony before. but today is, of course, different because we are in a battleground state, and both candidates have been hitting these key swing states over the past few days. last night, president trump was in michigan. >> keep calm and carry on. that's what i did. this whack job that wrote the

book, he said, well, trump knew a little bit. they wanted me to come out and scream, people are dying, we're dying! no, no, we did it just the right way. we have to be calm. >> reporter: speaking to more than 1500, mostly maskless supporters, president trump defended his decision to intentionally mislead the public about covid. something he told bob woodward he did in march. >> i wanted to -- i wanted to always play it down. i still like playing it down. >> yes. >> because i don't want to create a panic. >> reporter: at the white house thursday, the president said he didn't do what he is heard admitting on tape. >> i didn't lie. what i said is we have to be calm. we can't be panicked. >> reporter: but on the recordings, obtained by "the washington post," the president is heard saying one thing about the virus in private and another in public. >> it's also more deadly than your, you know, even your strenuous flus. >> you treat this like a flu. >> reporter: mr. trump attempted

to shift the blame to woodward. >> if bob woodward thought what i said was bad, then he should have immediately, right after i said it, gone out to the authorities so they can prepare and let them know. >> he had all this information. yet he held rallies. he suggested that to wear a mask is a sign of weakness as opposed to a sign of strength. this is the president of the united states. >> reporter: his democratic rivals blasted the president. >> the virus is not his fault but the deaths are his fault because he could have done something about it. >> reporter: still, the president continues to put forward an optimistic outlook. >> i really think we're rounding the final turn. >> reporter: but mr. trump's health experts say the opposite is probably true. >> i think as we get into the fall, and we do more indoor things, we are likely going to see up ticks in covid-19.

>> reporter: there are just 53 days left before election day. early in-person voting starts in some states next week. the candidates will continue to hit these key swing states. this weekend, president trump will be in nevada and next week former vice president joe biden will visit florida and minnesota. gayle? >> got it, paula, thank you. a new coronavirus stimulus for the economy is looking less likely before the election. as congress remains sharply divided over a fresh package. senate democrats rejected the latest proposal from majority leader mitch mcconnell has too slim, they say, compared to what they say americans need. one major dispute is over the amount of unemployment relief. as the country deals with its worst job crisis in decades. the president is now reportedly considering more executive actions if congress does not reach a deal. >> health officials are reporting a disturbing trend in testing that could affect america's ability to stop the spread of the coronavirus. our lead national correspondent david begnaud is following that.

good morning. >> anthony, good morning. officials say some people are not getting tested and not because they can't find a test but apparently because they don't want one. >> our nature is to want to be with others. >> reporter: dr. deborah birx of the white house coronavirus task force, went to south carolina yesterday with a clear message. >> if you have been on vacation, if you have gone to a hot spot if you've gone to a party in the neighborhood if you took your mask off and were not socially distants, you really need to get tested. >> reporter: but that's a message a lot of americans are ignoring. according to infectious disease expert dr. michael osterholm. >> one of the most concerning aspects of our concern to covid is the growing number of people refuse to be tested, even when they've been exposed and in some cases are clinically ill. this is only going to amplify the number of cases throughout this country. >> reporter: he says that trend is particularly noticeable on college campuses where cases are spiking. at texas tech university, the school says it's looking into

this video of a young woman at a party claiming she has the virus. >> you have covid? you literally have covid? yes, i do have covid. >> reporter: for many americans like sue, it's a painful reality. >> i want everyone to realize that it is serious. >> reporter: just this past wednesday, sue lost her youngest daughter marie to the coronavirus. she was 40 years old. she had started a job at a family medicine clinic this past sumner branson, missouri. and even though asthma made her particularly vulnerable to covid-19, she never stopped working to treat people who had symptoms of the virus. >> i want people to understand how vital my daughter's life was. and we just miss her. >> reporter: marie leaves behind three children. she spent more than three weeks on a ventilator fighting for her life. tony? >> a lot of americans out there with secondary conditions. don't be careless, people.

thank you, david. the department of homeland security is applauding microsoft for publicizing serious threats to the 2020 election. the tech giant says the very same russian hackers who infiltrated the democratic national committee back in 2016 have tried to attack more than 200 political organizations involved in the upcoming presidential vote. microsoft also says chinese hackers are targeting so-called high-profile individuals, including some associated with joe biden's campaign while iranian hackers went after personal accounts of people associated with the trump campaign. chad wolf said the announcement reaffirms his statements that those countries are trying to undermine american democracy. parts of the washington, d.c., area are still under water this morning after an intense downpour. first responders have been sent with vests and boats to the places where flooding is most severe. it happened so fast that many drivers found themselves submerged in high waters. some had to be pulled from their

cars and many roads in the region are still closed due to hazardous conditions this morning. the 2020 pro football season is under way on time and looking a whole lot different than last year. the super bowl champion, that's the kansas city chiefs, beat the houston texans last night, 34-20, in front of a small and socially distanced crowd. so along with the rules to keep the players and fans safe we also saw a very clear display of unity and new signs of social justice awareness. janet shamlian is at arrowhead stadium where the nfl played its first game of the coronavirus era. good to see you in a football stadium. how did the league handle its return? >> gayle, good morning to you. well, this was more than just the season opener at arrowhead stadium last night. this was a test of the new covid safety measures amid the pandemic. also a first look at the league's acceptance, growing acceptance, of player protest. a sign of new times in the nfl

came before the first play. ♪ lift every voice and sing >> the chiefs lining up as "lift every voice and sing" often considered the black national anthem played throughout the stadium. ♪ o say >> reporter: the team lock arms during the spar spangled banner as the texans stayed in their locker room in support of black lives matter. scattered fans booing as both teams met midfield for a moment of silence in support of racial equality. after a rout of the texans -- >> mahomes on the move. throws. caught! >> reporter: chiefs quarterback patrick mahomes said he and deshaun watson wanted to bring people together, given the challenges facing the nation. >> we wanted to show that we are unified as a league and we're not going to let playing football distract us from what we're doing and making change in this world. >> reporter: the demonstrations only a part of the nfl's new

normal. covid safety measures allowed fewer than 17,000 fans in a stadium that seats 76,000. we were inside arrowhead stadium where fans were required to wear masks and socially distance. >> that's kind of our litmus test is, can we provide enough safety to warrant trying this. >> reporter: kansas city's health director rex archer helped establish protocols for fans in the stands. he believes going to the game was safer than watching it from a crowded bar and hopes spectators observe the rules. >> if there's enough noncompliance to where we have an outbreak, then we may not be able to continue this experiment. >> reporter: now as the season gets under way, most teams will do it without fans in their stadiums. only a handful will do what kansas city did last night. in terms of the social justice movement, we saw that on full display. players wearing messages of anti-racism on their helmets and in the end zone, the words "end

racism" stencilled there. so, gayle, this is a season like no other. and it's going to look very different for the next couple of months. >> janet, thanks. a lot of people just glad that football is back. i'm very excited about that. it's so painful to see people booing when the players are saying we want to support racial injustice. >> and they're unified together on the field. this is the team you're rooting for. they're sending you a message and you're booing it? >> i don't get it. when you see what's happening in this country for the last couple of -- really for years but certainly these last couple of months. that's so painful to see that anybody would be against people speaking out that they want racial justice and racial equality. i don't understand it. >> you can call it scattered boos but it was loud enough to >> i heard it. with a reduced crowd. >> it's nice to see the players and the league together on this, though. >> yes. yeah, that is a good spot. i'm going to focus on that. researchers say diversity is key to creating a coronavirus

vaccine. that works. ahead, why they say there's still not enough minority groups participating in clinical trials and the push to change that. 8

we have much more ahead including one of the best-kept secrets about the 2011 raid that killed osama bin laden. only on "cbs this morning," a team member who created an exact replica of the al qaeda leader's hideout shows how he helped navy s.e.a.l.s prepare for that daring mission. you're watching "cbs this morning." i'm jimmy dean and ah...

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♪ [ applause ] wow. >> do you have goosebumps? can you hit that note? i bet you can't. you're not six-time tony-award winning actress audra mcdonald. that was the lovely audra singing "climb every mountain"

from "the sound of music." song still holds up. coming up, she'll share hopes for meaningful progress in the fight for racial equality on broadway. local news is coming up. good morning, it's #:26. i'm len kiese. today marks the 25th straight spare the air day. a record for the bay area. in san francisco, local gyms will be able to start operating indoors with limited capacity monday. but the smoky air is making things difficult for restaurants. in butte county, seven more lives have been lost to the so- called north complex fire. bringing the death toll now to ten. it's now the deadliest fire this year in california. more than a dozen people are still missing. pg&e says it has restored service to essentially all customers. the ps ps event affected nearly 172,000 customers in 22

counties and inspections revealed at least 52 incidents of damage so far. i'm gianna franco in the traffic center. and we've got a traffic alert westbound 80 right at 505 for the commute into vacaville. unfortunately a very serious accident. a deadly crash here involving a box truckto the side. the fire is out. but the investigation continues. that right lane is blocked until further notice and traffic is backed up in the area. still a very slow ride south 680 into the sunol grade from the earlier crash near andrade. mary? all right, we have unhealthy to hazardous air quality extreme heavy smoke for the bay area. please be safe and stay indoors if you can. we have that spare the air alert that len was talking about and record 25 days in a row with our spare the air alert. and because of all this smoke and foggy conditions, a dense fog advisory for the coast and san francisco until 10:00 a.m. cool, belo average daytime

♪ welcome back to "cbs this morning." you are looking at images from the memorial at ground zero in new york this morning. covid-19 has changed many cmmemorations on this 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks but it's not changed the depth of feeling. back in 2001, al qaeda terrorists hijacked four passenger jets crashing three into buildings here in new york and at the pentagon. the fourth, of course, went down to rural pennsylvania, shanksville. nearly 3,000 americans were killed that day. and a decade later, american commandos hunted down $9/11 master mind osama bin laden at his hideout in pakistan. now only on "cbs this morning" we're learning the inside story

of one of the mission's best-kept secrets. senior investigative correspondent catherine herridge is at the pentagon. good morning. >> good morning. once the intelligence came together, one of the final steps was building a physical replica of the compound so policymakers and militar planners could visualize the target and weigh the risk. now for the first time you'll hear it directly from a team member who built the bin laden compound. >> the united states has conducted an operation that killed osama bin laden. >> reporter: months before the successful raid by s.e.a.l. team 6, analysts zeroed in on this mysterious compound in pakistan. >> i think it screamed, you know, something is different. >> reporter: vice admiral robert sharp leads the national geospatial-intelligence agency that makes maps and models. >> why was a physical model important to the navy s.e.a.l.s planning the raid? >> models like this are incredibly valuable for

execution of this complexity. >> reporter: this is a look inside the secret spy agency workshop where a team of four model makers crafted this replica of osama bin laden's hideout. one inch for every seven feet. now for the first time, one of them is speaking out. he asked us to shield his identity. >> does your family know what you do? >> they know that i build models, but they don't know what i build models of. >> reporter: it's a three-step process. first, they map the boundaries and then create a computer design before printing 3d parts. the bin laden model took six weeks to build. intel flowed from eyes in the sky and spies on the ground. >> this compound stuck out for several reasons. it's about eight times larger than surrounding compounds. right out to the walls and you can see this. the house is centered. >> that detail right there tells you this person is very focused on their security. >> very focused on the security. >> reporter: with high walls to hide the 6'4" bin laden.

>> if you look at the house itself and the top floor, this balcony area, there's a 7-foot wall so nobody can see the individual. >> reporter: the only glimpses in this garden where a man walked for hours earning the nickname the pacer. >> did you ever think about who lived there? >> we had discussions about who we thought it might be. >> reporter: maybe a high value terror target? >> we always joke about if we're modeling your house, then you have something coming. >> reporter: their past targets filled this archive from a cold war soviet aircraft carier to a panamanian dictator manuel noriega's beach house. they even modeled the moon. >> it's one small step -- >> reporter: for the apollo astronauts to practice landing. more than four decades later, the dearing bin laden raid did not go to plan. after one of the helicopters was forced into a controlled crash. >> the model helped them understand and execute plan b. >> absolutely. >> it gave the navy s.e.a.l.s a

sense that they had been here before. >> reporte . >> just like in sports you try to visualize every move you're going to go through. >> reporter: as the world cheered the al qaeda leader's death, the s.e.a.l.s got a message to the model team. >> the navy s.e.a.l.s passed along that they were able to count their footsteps based off of the model. >> you helped keep the navy s.e.a.l.s safe that night. >> yeah, that's how i look at projects like this. >> tonight we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals. justice has been done. >> reporter: the modelmaker we spoke with said he didn't put it all together until he saw the breaking news coverage of the raid on tv and he recognized one of the walls from the replica he built. and on this 9/11 anniversary, everyone we spoke to talked about honoring the families and their deep pride supporting the mission. >> catherine, thank you. what an amazing story that is. i have to admit, i had no idea the national geospatial

intelligence agency even existed. >> but thank goodness it does. >> yeah. job well done. i also love the -- how they quarantine the information so the modelmaker didn't realize what the model was for until he saw the wall on tv. >> except the joke he said, we have -- if we're modeling your house, then you have somebody coming. >> i wrote that down, too. where they talk about a high value terror target. but what also is so amazing that it's able to be kept secret in the age where everything is released. they were able to -- because that night was very hairy. you go back and look and see what happened that night. >> imagine how valuable seeing that model was to all those s.e.a.l.s. thank you, catherine. minority groups are more likely to get the coronavirus than white americans, but not as many are participating in trials for a vaccine. researchers tell us why this has to change. we'll be right back. i'm hector. i'm a delivery operations manager in san diego,

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pandemic. i lost my beloved father. >> reporter: dr. chris pernell watched covid kill her father cancer survivor who is still recovering. that pushed her to enroll in a vaccine clinical trial. >> i felt like this was my way to partly honor my father's legacy. >> reporter: what's the reaction that you get? >> there is that pause, are you sure you should do this? is it safe? you should wait. like i don't think that skepticism can be lessened necessarily. i say embrace it, and then inform people with the facts. >> reporter: in the u.s., three vaccine candidates are currently in phase-three trials, meaning volunteers receive vaccine candidates to see if they work. while latinos represent more than 18% of the u.s. population and african-americans more than 13%, in pfizer's u.s. trial, only 11% of participants are latino, and 8% are african-american. the numbers are slightly better in moderna's trial but not by much. astrazeneca has not publicly

provided a racial breakdown of its trials. dr. faup fauci says it's not just about optics, it's about effectiveness. >> we've got to get a higher percentage of minorities into the clinical trial so that when we get the data we can say that it applies equally. >> this pandemic is black, is brown, is white. >> reporter: that's why the national institutes of health is funding a media campaign to recruit trial participants, especially minorities. the agency may have a lot of convincing to do. after centuries of systematic racism in american health care. perhaps most notoriously the tuskegee syphilis study. from 1932 to 1972 the u.s. government withheld medical treatment from hundreds of black men who had syphilis as part of an experiment. even decades after a treatment existed. to help prepare trust, reverend edwin sanders is spearheading an

initiative that works with faith-based leaders to disseminate accurate information about covid vaccine development. >> what we're trying to do is to make sure that people have a level of knowledge that allows them to make informed decisions. >> i think we invest in engaging with the communities that we want to see enrolled in our clinical trials, then trust won't be the barrier. >> reporter: dr. hala borno just released a study on diversity and research and clinical trials and found that in all cases african-americans are underrepresented. >> under recruitment is the primary problem. i think it's an unacceptable copout to say that it's just because of mistrust. >> reporter: some may worry about the potential side effects of an unapproved treatment. for trial participant dr. pernell, it's worth it. many people think i'm not going to take that risk. i'll let someone else do it. >> i'm willing to be that someone else. we need to get at an answer, and i want to help us get there.

>> reporter: dr. borno told us her research indicates when specific groups are disproportionately affected by a disease, in her experience they're also more likely to participate in related clinical research. that is good news for the covid trial happening here at university of illinois chicago which is specifically focused on enrolling minorities. anyone who wants to learn more about potentially participating can go to preventcovid.org. the story certainly got me thinking about it. gayle? >> i hear you. such a very important story. i'm so glad you're doing it, and bravo to dr. pernell. really important work she's doing. ahead, we'll look at the stories you'll be talking about later today.

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(peter walsh) people came and they met and they felt comfortable. it's what we did with coogan's. you felt safe and, if you were safe, you could be joyful. everybody has a coogan's. and almost half those small businesses, they could close if people don't do something. we have to keep our communities together. that's how we get through this. ♪ it is time for "what to watch." vlad duthiers is off today, but we are joined again by jamie yuccas in our l.a. bureau. before i toss to you, i want to remind america that we are looking for your best vlad duthiers introductions. make them warm, make them friend

le ly, be creative. >> wear your clothes. >> or not. >> or not -- >> jump into the pool, you know. you know, it doesn't have to rhyme. >> yeah. >> i'm a big fan of calls to attention. like tell the kids to make their own lunches, it's time for "what to watch." >> there you go. i like it. >> tony, don't give them tips. let it do it -- >> surprise me, america. >> you don't have to run. you're right when you say you don't have to rhyme. >> show us how it's done. >> this is what we'll be talking about over the weekend. fox sports condemning one of its on-air personalities for criticizing dallas cowboys quarterback dak prescott after he revealed his mental health struggles. here's what prescott said. >> all throughout this quarantine and this off season, i started experiencing emotions i've never felt before. anxiety for the main one. and then honestly a couple of days before my brother passed i started experiencing depression. didn't know necessarily what i was going through. >> i think so many of us can identify with this.

but in response, skip bayless declared on his talk show that he felt no sympathy for prescott. he said since prescott is the quarterback of america's team, he's supposed to be a leader of men. i don't know about you guys, i think there is leading. prescott said in a statement, "i thinking about a leader is about being genuine and real." bayless has not returned our request for comment. dak's brother had committed suicide. suicide was the second leading cause of death for african-americans between the ages of 15 and 24. so him speaking out and talking about these issues could really help other people. >> what is wrong with skip baymenba bayle bayless? that is so mean. >> he likes to argue. >> he's in the business -- >> i don't care if he likes to argue. that's ridiculous. >> you can't argue about this. you're right, jamie. that is absolutely leading -- and this is something frankly a lot of people are going through in the pandemic. >> yes. >> it's been very difficult emotionally for a lot of people. for him to talk about it is

huge. >> we should say thank you, dak prescott. that is leading and being a real, real, true gentleman and speaking up. >> all that's way more important than a football game. >> yes. >> absolutely. makes me want to be a dallas cowboys fan. >> exactly. >> my vikings -- we'll put them aside. >> that's radical. >> i know, right? >> yeah. not surprising skip bayless didn't return your calls. >> right. yeah. i think anthony's point's right on. a lot of us feeling this. i see a therapist to make sure i stay okay. a lot of us talking about these issues a lot of the time. anxiety and depression up amongst the entire population now. >> all right. there was an upset at the u.s. open. >> yeah. >> this hurts. >> it's a tough one, but i kind of like they're both moms, they're competitors that have gone at it a long, long time. serena williams is out of the tournament after leasosing to victoria azarenka of belarus. the three-set victory was decided on a close call at match point. take a look. >> serena hoping hawkeye saves

her. but it's good -- >> wow. >> williams won the first set easily last night before azarenka came back. williams fell short again in her to win a record 24th grand slam title. anthony, as we were talking about, you talked about, there were three moms in this tournament. >> all so good. >> it was -- >> takes on naomi osaka, too, who made major headlines. >> fabulous match. fabulous semifinal. really great fun to watch. jamie, thank you. ahead how climate change could be affecting the wildfires. balanced nutrition for strength and energy. whoo-hoo! great tasting ensure with 9 grams of protein, 27 vitamins and minerals, and nutrients to support immune health. and nutrients to it only takes a second for an everyday item to become dangerous. tide pods child-guard pack helps keep your laundry pacs in a safe place and your child safer. to close, twist until it clicks.

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good morning, it's 7:56. i'm len kiese. health experts are urging everyone in the bay area to stay indoors as much as possible today. all because of smoke from the wildfires. they also say masks for codid do not do enough to filter out particulate matter from the fires. some san francisco students could be back in the classroom inless than two weeks. 53 private and charter elementary schools have filed for waivers. those approved could reopen as soon as september 21st. but the cal state university system says students will continue virtual learning next spring and will not return

to in-person classes. csu is among the first university systems in the country to make that decision. and we're still dealing with some residual delays westbound 80 for the commute out of vacaville this morning. serious crash there over on the shoulder at one point the right lane was blocked and unfortunately this was a fatal accident. that happened in that area. so still might be some activity there off to the shoulder at least in the westbound commute on 80 as you head through there. and south 680 still busy from an earlier crash near andrade. the crash is clearing but slow through the sunol grade. mary? all right, gianna, well, the air quality is really bad. we're talking unhealthy to hazardous levels for our air quality with that extreme and heavy smoke for the bay area. going a record 25 days in a row with the spare the air alert for the bay area. now with that smoke, we have fog. so smog. dense fog advisory for the areas highlighted in y look, this isn't my first rodeo...

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it's friday, and it's september 11th, 2020. we know that date. welcome back to "cbs this morning." i'm gayle king with tony dokoupil and welcome back to cbs this morning. i'm gayle king. raging infernos, nearly 100 major fires burn in the west with deadly consequences, why scientists say climate change is having an effect. audra mcdonald's voice, how the actress is challenging her activism in the black theater united. the group seeking racial justice. >> but first here's today's eye opener at 8:00. ranling filed wooirs in the

west, the death toll indch 11 states. >> to give you an idea of how incredibly fast this fire was moving this is the local fire station, burned to the ground. >> both candidates will be here today to pay their respects. both men have participated in this ceremony before, but today s of course, different because we are in a battleground state. >> you've been on vacation, you've gone to a party in the neighborhood, if you took your mask off and were not socially distant you really need to get tested. >> officials some people are not getting tested. not because they can't find a test, apparently because they don't want one. >> just a season opener. >> this was a test of the nfl's new covid safety measures, also a first look at the league's growing acceptance of player protests. >> dozens of amazon's own original products made for their amazon basics line of electronics have been bursting into flames. yes. but free shipping if you've got

prime. you've got to take the good with the bad. i mean, i've heard of kindle fire, but this is ridiculous. >> highly recommend amazon prime, a lot of bang for your buc. a lot of serious stories today, friday, september 11th and we begin in california with the death toll continues to rise from those historic wildfires bushing in the western united states. right now there are nearly 100 major fires still burning across 11 different states, destroyed more than 4.3 million acres, the deadliest in california and now called the north complex west zone fire, after it was previously called the bear fire. now, that fire has killed at least ten people, including seven victims. they were discovered yesterday. carter evans is in butte county, california, where those lives were lost.

carter, what's the latest on the story? >> reporter: these are pictures you don't see very often. this is a local fire station. the fire truck still inside, it's burned to the ground. it's so bad right now that california is getting help from canada and they're even bringing in some firefighters from israel. now, this is some video that we shot this morning on the way in. we saw a fire crew trying to beat back a flare-up. as we were driving here to berry creek. there are 14,000 firefighters battling at least 29 fires in california, more than 3 million acres have been burned so far. in oregon, this is all that's left of one community in eagle point. president trump has approved an emergency declaration in that state as wildfires have scorched nearly 1 million acres. now for some perspective, that's nearly double its yearly total, and it's happened in just the last three days. nearly half a million people have been forced to evacuate. in all, so far, 16 people have been killed by these fires. including a 1-year-old child. now, that baby's parents

survived, they're in the hospital with serious burns. but that mother also lost her unborn baby. >> very difficult story, carter, thank you very much. in our series eye on earth, we're looking at how climate change is contributing to these severe wildfires. take a look at federal satellite footage from noaa, smoke billowing from california and oregon, extending far over the pacific ocean. several of the california fires started when a so-called lightning siege with nearly 12,000 strikes in a week hit the state last month. jeff berardelli joins us now. hard to overstate how extreme this fire season has been. three out of the four largest fires to ever ignite in california are burning right now. what's going on here? >> reporter: so we have a short-term reason for this, and then there's a long-term reason for this. the short-term reason is we just had two unprecedented heat waves. back to back, some of the

hottest temperatures ever experienced in the south jest a -- southwest and in california. made worse by climate change and that really dries out the foliage, it dries out the brush. it dries out the trees. on top of that it's been very dry. there hasn't been much rain and we have a bad drought in most of the west. and especially in places like oregon. that's the short-term reason. the long-term reason is mostly climate change. yes, there's a buildup of brush, that's for sure but climate change is making things worse. over the course of the past few decades air temperatures in the west have risen a couple degrees to a few degrees depending upon where you are. what that does is it adds energy and heat to the atmosphere. that dries out the brush. it dries out the atmosphere. it causes a moisture gap or moisture deficit. in the atmosphere. and research shows that that moisture deficit can explain almost all of the increase in burned area, since the 1970s. and so because of that, since the 1970s, we've seen an

increase five times in burned area in california, fire season is two to three months longer than it was. and also, 17 of the 20 worst fires have burned since 2000. and we have a graphic to show you, which is really amazing. it shows you in the yellow bars the burned area from each and every year over the past several years, notice what has happened in the year 2020. that is off the charts and that's because, also, we've seen a rise in temperatures. so there's a direct correlation between climate change and burned area. if you look at that chart, we're only halfway through 2020. >> wow, and we're seeing a lot of things we've never seen before. jeff, one of those things is these pictures out of san francisco, the bay area, looked like a scene from blade runner, really apocalyptic looking, an orange haze, no filter at all. what was causing that? >> so it's not climate change and we hope and we think it's not the apocalypse, right, but what it is is very similar to sunrise and sunset. when light has to go through a

wide part of the atmosphere, it gets scattered a lot more. so what happened in places like san francisco is for weeks on end, the smoke was not blowing into town, now it's blowing into town and the air became aski stagnant. during sunrise and sunset the light shines through and it gets scattered and it reveals the spectrum of color the and last of those colors is red and orange. thick enough smoke and thick enough pollution it will scatter and your eye will only see the reds and oranges. when it's really smoky it has the same effect and it turns the sky orange. >> it's a memorable picture. is there anything people can do out west right now to improve the situation they're living through? >> you know, everybody can do something. but even, you know, one person, a group of people, or even a region like the west can't do it alone. this is a global problem. we need systemic, collective solutions. but here's the good news.

this actually is an opportunity for us to create a better life for ourselves. we need to throw every solution and the whole kitchen sink at this. we know what the problem is, we know what the solution is and now we have the technology for it. renewab renewable energy is cheaper than fossil fuels, we have to lessen our addiction to fossil fuels to combat this problem. the good news is, because it's becoming cheaper and economically feasible and it's actually better for the economy, by the way it's creating tons of jobs. right now the number one and number three jobs, occupations, growth are solar and wind technician in america so it's creating great american jobs and because the economy is moving in that direction i think we should seize on this as an opportunity. >> that's definitely something to keep in mind, jeff, thank you very much. ahead broadway icon and activist audra mcdonald will join us with her new push for racial equality in the theater

we have much more news ahead. we have much more news ahead. we remember the thousands killed in the terrorist attacks 19 years ago today. we're going to hear from two brothers who decided to become firefighters just like their father after he was killed in that attack. >> i always had admiration, always looked up to my dad and what he did. and then i think as i matured and as the time went on, year after year it became more and more of something i wanted to do. >> the ragaglia brothers will tell us what it means to continue their father's legacy of helping others. we'll be right back. into a smaller life?

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people in lower manhattan paused. others gathered at the pentagon and at the flight 93 memorial in pennsylvania. in all, more than 2,700 people were killed at the world trade center alone, including hundreds of first responders. more than a dozen recent fdny graduates are actually children of fallen 9/11 heroes. among them two brothers, leonard and anthony.

we spoke with them about their decision to follow their father's legacy. legacy. [ sirens ] it was a bright tuesday morning 19 years ago when terrorists turned commercial airliners into weapons of mass destruction. thousands of lives lost, gone in an instant. >> what came down? >> the crash -- the other trade center's down. it's down. it's down. >> oh, no -- [ sirens ] >> reporter: as people ran away from the danger in lower manhattan, first responders ran toward it including about half of new york city's fire units. >> come down the steps, everything fine follow we got to the basement. everything fell in. >> let's go! >> reporter: in the final tally, 343 firefighters never returned that morning, including 15 men from engine 54 known as the pride of midtown. this is the roll call from 9/11? >> yep, the exact roll callment. >> reporter: what happened to everyone else on the list?

>> everybody passed away that day. >> reporter: on that one and that one? >> yep. >> reporter: why leave that up? why walk by that every day? >> they -- like they say, you never forget. you always -- you have that memory of how data those guys were. >> reporter: every member of the fdny lost a friend or a colleague that morning, but leonard and anthony ragaglia, just kids at the time, lost something more. what do you remember of that morning? >> my grandmother picked me up from school that day. we went home. and you know, they eventually had said, you know, your dad is missing, we're looking for him. everyone just sitting around watching the tv. you know, waiting by the phone, hoping for the best. >> reporter: leonard ragaglia sr., their father, was just 36 years old. how do you think he would have felt seeing you guys wear these uniforms? >> i think he would have felt very proud of it. >> extremely proud, yes. >> he had passed away doing what he loved to do, help people.

and that's the reason why i chose this job. you know, i have the honor and privilege of working in the same fire house that he worked in, the same company. really means a lot to me. i always had admiration, always looked up to my dad and what he did. and then i think as i matured and as the time went on, year after year it became more and more of something i wanted to do. >> reporter: leonard jr. remembers visiting his dad at the firehouse. the very same one where he now works. has it changed much since when you were a kid? >> no. looks the same. i even have the honor of working with a few guys that worked with my dad. they still work in this firehouse today. >> reporter: really? what do they say about him? >> funny stories. they said, you know, he was the bigest guy in the house. when he would work out in the gym, the next guy's workout would be taking all his weights off. >> reporter: i can see you inherit some of that. >> a little bit. >> so you know, even if we're cooking a meal in the kitchen, they'd be like, your father would have put two sticks of butter, not just one.

>> he's, you know, gets to see firsthand what it was like through the guys to work with my dad. but just, you know, even though i'm in a different borough, different house and stuff like that, just knowing that i do what he did, it really brings me a long way and helps me every day to do what i love to do. >> reporter: after the academy, anthony joined engine 217 in brooklyn. we keep hearing calls coming in as we're sitting here now. i think those are calls, right? >> yes. >> yes. >> reporter: do you ever think that the next call could be a call like the one your father went to? >> you always have the chance of that happening. but just as he did, i'd be ready to go. i'd feel honored doing it, knowing that that was what he was doing that day. so i would feel honored. >> reporter: it was a tragedy for your family, and it has so much meaning for your households. how do you hope america remembers 9/11? >> i just hope that any of the

memorials or stuff that they do every year never goes away. you know, it's something that can't be pushed to the side. everybody needs to be what happened that day. a tragedy. the guys that gave their lives need to be remembered. >> reporter: why is it important to remember? >> i think -- you know, they always say we will never forget. it should be something that is instilled years and years later no matter how much time passes because i think the event itself shows you the danger of what they really go through every day and what can happen on any day. >> amazing thing talking to those guys. and to see what is in that firehouse there in midtown -- the call sheet on the white board from the day of 19 years ago. >> gave me chills -- >> their dad's name is there. folks have written notes, we love you, we miss you. he was -- noz is next to his name meaning he was on the nozzle. he would have been at the end of the hose. >> and there's signage like that

in every firehouse in new york city because as you point out, 343 firefighters lost their lives that day. >> but you know, when we keep looking at the video of 9/11, as we always do on these days, it's still so hard to believe that -- that the day was so beautiful, and the sky was so clear. >> gayle, i -- >> it's incomprehensible that that could happen in the united states. >> every time those pictures play, i still get a visceral reaction in my gut. i am like upset immediately. >> yes, yes. it does churn all of that up. i was touched by the brothers that at least they could laugh. they could hear good memories about their dad. >> i know. yeah. >> the picture you showed of the dad and they're both kissing him on either cheek, that's the thing that just pulls at your heart. they will always have that. >> so great they're carrying on their father's tradition -- >> there are about ten other young firefighters also carrying on a family tradition. i not as we approach the 2 -- i think as we approach the 20th anniversary you'll see more of that. all of the 5, 6, 7, 8-year-olds kids on 9/11 are becoming adults and making their own mark on the world. >> i think the brothers make a

good point where they say they hope no one ever forgets. we will never forget. that's why it's important to have the ceremony we have every year although it's different this year because of covid. i don't think that that would ever, ever, ever stop. it's so important to do. >> we won't. we won't. >> that's right. >> bravo to the brothers. both great. >> i like them a lot. >> both great. when did you do that? >> yesterday afternoon. >> yesterday? wow. >> that's a fast one. >> yeah. >> all right. on today's podcast, we talk with founder and executive director of the -- of sty health, how first responders and community members who were in lower manhattan after the attacks are still getting sick with 9/11-related illnesses. it's important to remember that, as well. we will be right back. the lingering effects -- not only the memories but what you've inhaled if you were down there -- >> still carry on. >> still carrying it on. >> 19 years later. >> we'll be right back. [upbeat music] ♪ today was the day that i put everything in perspective. ♪

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♪ nobody sounds like her. broadway legend audra mcdonald has been honored with one, two, three, four, five, six tony awards, two grammys, and an emmy, too. ahead, she'll join us to talk about her new effort to end good morning everyone, it's 8:25. i'm michelle griego. in butte county, seven more lives have been lost to the so- called north complex fire. bringing the death toll to ten. it's now the deadliest fire that year in california. more than a dozen people are still missing. the massive august complex burning in mendocino county is now officially the largest fire in california history. it has scorched more than 471,000 acres. roughly the size of alameda county. today, marks the 25th straight spare the air day. a record for the bay area. in san francisco, local gyms

will be able to start operating indoors with limited capacity on monday. but the smoky air is making things difficult for restaurants. i'm gianna franco in the traffic center. we've got some brake lights along 880. this morning. southbound right at industrial way. we've got a crash there blocking that number two lane from the left so traffic is slow as you head across the nimitz freeway this morning. especially if you are headed towards that san mateo bridge commute. the bridge itself though is pretty quiet. foggy conditions this morning. so just a heads-up. you might see some limited visibility on some of the freeways as well as some of the bay area bridges including the golden gate bridge at things are pretty murky there. mary? all right, gianna, well, we're dealing with the fog and the smoke so that smog. so we're looking at poor visibility and unhealthy to hazardous air quality. so please be safe and stay indoors. you can see those red and purple dots indicating just how unhealthy the air quality is. we have a dense fog advisory

for the coast an

welcome back to welcome back to welcome back to "cbs this morning." time to bring you the stories that we call "talk of the table." who's up -- anthony, you're up first. >> i'm up first. and i want to mark the passing of one of the great british actresses of our time. dame diana rigg. she was so memorable as lady tyrell in "game of thrones." but many of us recall when she first made her mark back in the mid '60s playing the karate kicking secret agent emma peel in the british tv series "the avengers." i posted about this yesterday, and somebody called her an elegant bad ass which is exactly what she was. >> that's good. >> in 2018, for "cbs sunday morning," i asked rigg about the iconic role she played for just two seasons.

why do you think mrs. peel was embraced the way she was? >> because she was ahead of her time. because she was highly intelligent, capable, witty, sexy. >> why did you decide to leave? >> oh -- another dead body. what do you say? >> that's diana rigg. she went on to play mrs. james bond, the only bond girl ever to get the man in "her majesty's secret service and to a highly acclaimed stage career. she won a tony and an emmy. when i was talking to her, she had come back to broadway to play henry higgins' mother in "my fair lady" for which she got another tony nomination. for some of us, she will always be emma peel -- >> that's how i remember. i lived in turkey as a kid. no tv. when we first came back, that's what i remember, "the avengers." she was so pretty. i can't believe it was only two seasons. she was a bad ass. elegant, too. >> i loved that comment. what you do say? >> that's it. >> very good. >> what do you say? still dead. tony?

>> so many of us are not going anywhere, we're stuck at home. i want to remind you that going places can be overrated. there's a new study that ranks the most complained about tourist attractions in the whole wide world. the british price comparison website "you switch" found that people complained about the eiffel tower most of all. two was the roman coliseum followed by big ben. three american sites, by the way, made the list including the statue of liberty, the hollywood sign, and the grand canyon, south rim for some reason. the study is based on how much time people spent on trip adviser writing a negative review. one person said the eiffel tower was too much waiting, overpriced, really rude staff. amazing to me when you can measure negative energy. these people spent 402 hours total -- >> wow -- >> writing their thoughts about how bad these experiences were. >> maybe bad, but it's still worth seeing, all three of them. still worth going to see. mine is about love. i love all things love. this morning, there's proof that love is ageless.

77-year-old arlene carney, 82-year-old bill bauman tied the knot in naples, florida, last month. the two met in their retirement community one month after their first date they got engaged. both had been married before. they did not think they would find somebody else. but bauman says, you just have to keep moving. once you stop moving, you're dead. as simple as that. you may not lie down, but you're dead. they had a small church wedding and reception at the retirement home. they said that this covid quarantine got them closer. what makes them so good together that they both like to laugh, and they both have a lot of faith and love for each other. bauman says it sounds hokey, but that's what it means to me. when i read it i said keep hope alive. i still so believe in love. it's wonderful. >> i love that. you may not lie down, but you're dead. >> you're dead. >> he's right about that, too. somebody who's very much alive is six-time tony award winning actress audra mcdonald. she is no stranger to advocacy. she performed "singing you home"

in 2018 to benefit migrant families separated at the border. here's how she sounds -- ♪ i am taking a long deep breath and singing you home ♪ ♪ wherever you are right now i'm bringing you closer ♪ ♪ it's all i can do child i am singing you home ♪ >> kind of sounds like me after a warmup. audra does. makes it so effortless. she's pushing for racial justice as a founding member of black theater united. the organization seeks to protect members of the black theater community and black lives across this country. the group calls for awareness, accountability, advocacy, and action. audra mcdonald joins us now. hey, audra, very, very good to

see you. i love your voice. nobody sounds like you. >> how are you? >> i'm good, but not as good as you. this is the thing -- all of us were deeply affected by the death of george floyd. and you said that the theater community was eerily silent. what did you mean by that? does the theater community normally speak up? >> yes, the theater community comes together to raise awareness for lots of issues. you know, lgbtq issues, you know, the -- the issues with immigration, things like that. but when the george floyd murder happened, it just felt a little too silent from the theater community. and a lot of us were very aware of that. so -- >> that bothered you? >> yes, it did. it absolutely bothered me. yes. my friend, another great in the broadway community, and i started texting saying we need to do something. we need to make some noise. we need to sort of try and effect change. in whatever way we can. we got together with a bunch of our friends, norm luis, brian stokes mitchell, anna deveer smith, vanessa williams. people like that, and we thought

let's bring our community together and start to raise awareness and work on the microissue of systemic racism within the theater community and the macro issue of systemic racism within our country. >> you call it macro and micro, explain the difference if you could briefly. >> well because i -- i think of it in terms of, you know, if you have your entire house on fire which is systemic racism and racism and brutality within the country, you can -- that's the macro. and then the micro is within our own theatrical community, making sure that we have more diversity, we have more representation, we have representation on and off stage and decisionmaking and positions of leadership and whatnot. so that's the micro. the theatrical community. the macro is what's going on in our country. we've been working -- we've been partnering with an organization called fair count which was founded by stacey abrams, to bring awareness to the fact that registering for the census is important and that black and brown people are undercounted usually by about

10%. and it's even more so this year because of covid. but registering in the census brings -- allocates over a trillion dollars to communities. and if those communities aren't standing up and aren't counted, they won't receive the money. the money goes to resources for medical and roads and schools, and it's about districting, as well. so that's why we wanted to raise as much awareness as we can. we've started with a psa now to really raise awareness -- >> i saw that psa. listen, all the names you name are people we know. billy porter, of course, vanessa williams -- >> yes, he's one of the people in our psa, too, talking about only one of me and how important it is to register for the census. >> but you also included -- we're looking at the psa now. you also included technicians and stage managers, all the people that work behind the scenes. why was it important to include that group, as well? >> because that's also where we're very much underrepresented within the theatrical community. there are very few people of

color in casting offices, in publicity offices, in stage management, in the hair and make-up unions, and in the carpentry unions. and that's just as important. we need to see representation on all sides and all fronts. then we also need to open up the pipeline to make sure that young people who want to have a career in the theater have access and resources to get there. and that means more mentorship, you know, more paid internships, things -- things of that nature. so we've been doing a lot of work behind the scenes, as well. meeting with lots of different theater companies throughout the country really to just sort of raise awareness and sort of bring accountability. >> raud a -- audra, when you have those conversations, it's anthony mason -- when you have though conversations, what kind of response are you getting with the folks in power in the theater community? >> a lot of people are very open, a lot of people realize that there is work that needs to be done. and sometimes it means educating people. we've also been holding town halls, too.

we had sherilyn eiffel address the moment we're in and educate a lot of people who through the nature of the -- if you want to call it white privilege, whatever, haven't had to really look at this issue at all. now it's -- this is a moment in history where it's staring us in the face, and it's a moment that we really need to take advantage of and make sure that we make substantive change. >> so glad you're doing it. you're also doing other things. we have an exclusive look of you playing aretha franklin's mom in the biopic, barbara is her name. what did you learn about aretha by playing her mother? i'm wondering, did you bring your voice today? i would love to hear your favorite song, hope it's "natural woman." >> gayle, it's early. no one can sing like aretha ever. now at 8:00 in the morning -- >> you can sing like audra, and that's pretty damn good. >> i have to say my favorite aretha song is -- ♪ i'm gonna knock on your door rap on your window pane ♪ ♪

>> sing it, gayle. >> oh, no, no, keep going, give us one more line, one more line, please. ♪ i'm gonna tell you baby the changes i've been going through missing you ♪ sing along -- ♪ until you come back to me that's what i'm gonna do ♪ >> i'm not stepping on audra mcdonald -- >> no, it was wonderful getting a chance to play her mother and getting a chance to know a little bit more about aretha. her mother was a singer. a wonderful singer. >> i heard that. >> and very close to her children. but unfortunately died when aretha was just a little girl. and so aretha didn't get much time with her mother. yet she had a huge impact on her life. >> well, audra mcdonald, i'm so glad to see you. you sound good any time of the day. thank you so much for playing along. and you look great. cheering you on always. >> thank you so much. >> cheering you on chauls. >> good to see you. thank you for having me. >> always good to see you. we'll be right back.

our series a more perfect union aims to show that what unites us as americans is far greater than what divides us. this morning we introduce you to photographer brian bowen smith. his business dried up when the coronavirus hit. he decided to hit the road in his vintage truck to document a country under quarantine. along the way, he photographed some famous folks like common, reese witherspoon and the blended family of demi moore and bruce willis. as meg oliver reports, he captured the spirit of americans. documenting what's going on

during this covid crisis. >> freeze. good. >> as you were driving across the country, what does america look like during a quarantine? >> beautiful. but, on the other hand, i was seeing it empty with no one walking around, per se. i was seeing it in a sad time as well. with all these restaurants and the hardware store all boarded up. it broke my heart. >> you see these uplifting signs as well. >> yes. >> you took a lot of pictures of smiling faces. there is a family in that pickup truck, the dad is holding his son up front and the mom has the little baby in the back. >> almost everyone that i shot was so happy to see me. it did bring joy. this photo truly was a gift for everyone. the mom positioned him and then

you see the doctors and the nurses and took off the mask for a second and you see the lines and they said, i'm so glad you're doing this and they started crying. >> thank you, new york. coast to coast, we did it. ♪ >> what did you learn from this journey about our country during a crisis? >> i think our country is coming together. the one dairy farm we went to, it's literally like, we won't make it. the neighbors from down the street were coming and helping the farmers and the family make their farm work. >> during a crisis we see people like that unite. how does that feel knowing you captured tho d those moments? >> it comforted me and made me feel like, we're going to be okay. i think our country is super strong. our country doesn't want to go down. but our country also, i think, loves each other. at the end of the day, they're going to bind together and do

what we need to do. >> he wants to bring his photography into everyone's home. he's created a coffee table book much his photos, which is on preorder now. proceeds from that book will go to feeding america. >> brian bowen smith is quite a character. number one, i like the personality, i like the work he's doing and i like when he said, our country loves each other. i'd like to think that's true because we see so many indications these days that that may not be true. but when i see people like him and the work that he does, it really does give me hope. >> it's uplifting. i do have to say, i was kind of shocked that truck made it across -- >> i was going to say the same thing. and he is quite a character. i think that's actually essential to what he does for a living because he has to draw people out, make them comfortable and grab that snapshot. i love photography because it goes against everything your mom taught you, don't stare.

>> don't you take pictures as family members, god, not another picture and then when you look at them years ago, you're so happy you have them. camille douglas, you go, and lincoln frost. well done. >> well done.

before we go, an uplifting story to end the week. a grocery store's produce aisle is proving to be a very special place for one indiana couple. >> i want to be with you every day. i want you to be the mother to my kids. my heart beats for you. will you marry me? >> yes. >> that is eric willhite proposing to his girlfriend rachelle miles in the spot where they reconnected a year ago. they had dated briefly in middle school. years later they ran into each other in the produce section. after dating for a year, he

popped the question in what they call their special spot. gayle, if you're still looking for love, see the produce aisle. >> i was thinking, you can find love anywhere. i need to go there. by the b look, this isn't my first rodeo... and let me tell you something, i wouldn't be here if i thought reverse mortgages took advantage of any american senior, or worse, that it was some way to take your home. it's just a loan designed for older homeowners, and, it's helped over a million americans. a reverse mortgage loan isn't some kind of trick to take your home. it's a loan, like any other. big difference is how you pay it back. find out how reverse mortgages really work with aag's free, no-obligation reverse mortgage guide. eliminate monthly mortgage payments, pay bills, medical costs, and more. call now and get your free info kit.

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trust aag for the best reverse mortgage solutions. so you can... retire better. good morning, everyone, it's 8:55. i'm michelle griego. health experts are urging everyone in the bay area to stay indoors as much as possible today due to smoke from wildfires. they also say masks for covid don't do enough to filter out matter from the fires. pg&e has restored service to almost all customers. inspections have revealed at least 52 incidents of damage so

far. redwoods at big basin state park have a chance to survive the heat and flames. that destroyed the park's headquarters and reached into the canopies of some taller trees. but other parts of the forest only burned in the understory. and limited visibility might be an issue as you are out and about on the freeways today. due to all this smoky conditions and the fog all that smog out there this morning. limited visibility at the golden gate bridge right now. live look here and you can see traffic a little bit there just behind the layer of murkiness as you head across the span there. same goes for the bay bridge. we still have an advisory in effect for the bay bridge. mary? all right, gianna, well, we are looking at that unhealthy to hazardous air quality this morning. check it out. current air quality conditions, those red, purple, enopla ran colors indicates that extreme and heavy smoke for the bay area. so please be safe and stay indoors if you can. we're going with a record 25 days for the spare the air

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wayne: that would be awesome. - it's "let's make a deal!" wayne: $20,000. tiffany: i can sing. - ♪ she's with wayne brady wayne: cbs daytime, baby. jonathan: so ready! wayne: it's a zonk, right? - let's do the curtain, wayne. wayne: they got the big deal! - (screaming) jonathan: it's time for "let's make a deal." now here's tv's big dealer, wayne brady. wayne: welcome to "let's make a deal" zonk redemption. that's right, zonk redemption. the one time every season that everyone who has been zonked, that they've had their dreams shattered, they chose the wrong envelope, they listened to someone dressed as yogi bear but they shouldn't have listened to. they get a chance to come back to redeem themselves, to choose the right box, and maybe take home