crews have been making airdrops. we will stay on top of this. today the country marks a national day of mourning for former president jimmy carter who died last week. tributes for the 39th president poured in from all over, including here in the bay area. after carter left office he became a champion for the homebuilding nonprofit habitat for humanity lending his own hands to help with thousands of projects over the course of several decades. today volunteers with the nonprofit set to work in front of san jose city hall to construct a mini memorial. they put up a door and framed wall that people could sign. that's it for us right now. norah o'donnell is next with much more coverage on >> norah: tonight, >> norah: tonight, wildfires burn out of control for a third straight day. hundreds of thousands under evacuation warnings. >> i was in denial. i didn't think that anything this devastating would happened. >> my wedding dress, our wedding album, we left everything. >> it's so quick.

you start thinking about all of the memories in different parts of the house. >> norah: the tough new questions. >> what explains this lack of preparation and rapid response? >> norah: the "cbs evening news" starts now. ♪ ♪ good evening. the fires raging out of control in los angeles right now are the most widespread, devastating fires in california's history according to president biden. i'm norah o'donnell, along with tony dokoupil, who is on the ground in los angeles with our team of reporters. and we want to start with a devastating breaking news. an estimated 9,000 homes businesses, and other buildings have burned across more than 30,000 acres, with the hardest-hit areas looking like they were struck by bombs. at least five people have died in the fires, but officials say that number will change. throughout the day, planes have been scooping up and dropping water on the flames, but the two largest fires are still burning

out of control, with 0% containment. president biden said that more help is on the way. the federal government will cover 100% of the cost for six months. we've got team coverage across the fire zone and "cbs mornings" cohost tony dokoupil is going to lead us off now from pacific palisades. good evening, tony. what have you seen on the ground today? >> tony: good evening, norah. well, i can tell you as the burn zone has continued to expand today, we have seen more residents making their way back into it, back home, where we are seeing damage like what you see behind me firsthand for the very first time, and they are beginning to wonder whether their mayor, karen bass, could have done more to prevent all of this, so the mayor tonight is facing tough questions of the timing of a recent trip to africa, a trip she cut short to return to a city already in flames, and questions too about cutbacks made recently to the city's all-important fire department. cbs's jonathan vigliotti, our colleague, was among those posing questions to the mayor today and he joins us now.

jonathan, what have we learned? >> reporter: tony, there were so many homes on fire all at once, fire crews simply could not keep up. there was not enough water evacuations were chaotic, and tonight officials facing criticism about their response. when you see these images over pacific palisades, it's clear: the extent of loss is horrifying. what's also coming into focus are some hard truths. a month before the disaster l.a.'s fire chief kristin crowley warned of the impact of millions of dollars in budget cuts. the city's fire commission sent mayor karen bass a report december 17th claiming the fire department's ability to respond to large-scale emergencies such as wildfires is significantly diminished, increasing risks to both public and firefighter safety. >> i don't know if they are trying to get reinforcements or something, but they didn't stop. >> reporter: it's what we saw repeatedly. >> this home is going to go up in flames. they are not firefighters around here.

>> reporter: we put the question to mayor bass. mayor, l.a. county is in a panic state. for several hours, we watched as hundreds of homes in a neighborhood burned to the ground. we did not see a single fire engine. there was fear, and there was a lot of confusion. shortly after the fire started a press release was put out warning of this fire behavior. my question to you is what explains this lack of preparation and rapid response? >> let me just say, first and foremost, my number one focus and i think the focus of all of us here, with one voice, is that we have to protect lives, we have to save lives, and we have to save homes. we will absolutely do an evaluation to look at what worked, what didn't work. >> reporter: with the national weather service warning of life-threatening and destructive winds, the state of california prepositioned 105 firefighters to southern california. the morning after, 1400 additional firefighters were deployed.

>> we have a potential for structures being threatened in the next 20 minutes. >> reporter: as roads became gridlocked with evacuees firefighters urged other residents to shelter in place. that includes this hillside neighborhood where many homes burned to the ground. and this is what is left of an entire condo, where those residents were told to shelter in place. it's unclear if there were any fatalities in the palisades. tony, cadaver dogs we're told are going to be brought out in the coming days. >> tony: jonathan vigliotti for us, putting questions to the mayor, questions a lot of los angelenos have, as well. we appreciate it, jonathan thank you. we are going to switch focus now, though, to eaton fire which is 30 miles northeast of where i'm standing, in the pasadena area, and where five people have died at this hour. cbs news' kris van cleave spoke with family members of two those victims. >> reporter: towering flames threatened to overtake the

highest point in los angeles, as well as the telescopes and key transmission towers atop mount wilson. the wind-fueled eaton fire rained destruction down on the neighborhood below, damaging or destroying more than 4,000 structures and killing at least five, including 66-year-old victor shaw. >> when they found him, he had a garden hose in his hand. >> reporter: he tried to fight back the fire. >> i believe he did. he wasn't in the best of health but i know that he probably fought with all his will. >> reporter: 82-year-old rodney nickerson died in his bed. his daughter, kimiko, says he wanted to stay. >> he said altadena has been through some stuff and i will be all right. >> reporter: these are before-and-after images of altadena. it was an emotional journey for many, who came home to find only rubble. >> i was holding onto every thread of hope i had that god would save my house. >> reporter: this is what it looked like when nira chow left her home. when you saw this, what went through your mind? >> i've lost everything.

yeah. pictures. memories. >> reporter: sifting through the ashes today, a small treasure. this ceramic church survived the fire. >> ten years ago, when my husband passed, we bought this house so we could start again. and now it's almost like deja vu. >> reporter: firefighters have been going block by block wetting down potential hot spots because that dangerous wind is back in the forecast tonight. l.a. sheriff expects those numbers of damaged or destroyed homes to grow before this is over. tony? >> tony: kris van cleave for us. kris, thank you very much. we're going to turn now to the weather. the weather, of course, affects everything, so it should be no surprise that includes firefighting, which is why some brave meteorologists not only forecast when and where storms are going to hit, but also work closely on the front lines of wildfires to help protect the

firefighters themselves. cbs meteorologist rob marciano introduces us now to these scientists in action. >> reporter: as firefighters battle the palisades blaze, an army of people have their backs at this command center that was built in less than 24 hours. from lodging to laundry to logistics, it's all here to support a massive firefighting machine. we've got federal agencies county agencies, local agencies and they are camped out here to fight this massive fire. and in the middle of it all is a meteorologist. >> i'm prepared for nothing else other than to keep these people safe. >> reporter: rich thompson is an incident meteorologist with the national weather service specially trained to provide crucial support near the front lines of wildfires. >> this light purple line here that is our perimeter. >> reporter: thompson deciphers weather changes in the fire zone, making elaborate forecasts that determine where firefighters go to fight the flames, while also keeping them safe. how much pressure do you feel

every day? >> people are making some pretty significant decisions, both in terms of evacuations, in terms of resources, based on what i'm forecasting. >> reporter: an imet forecast can mean life or death, and the weather around this fire has been extreme. >> right now the people need our help and we need to get this fire under control. >> reporter: captain kelliher berkoh is with the fire department. >> we come up with strategies and tactics on how to fight this fire, wind is every way, which way is it blowing, swirl around and how high is it going to get? >> tony: and rob marciano is with us now. rob, you know, weather is enough to win or lose wars, so it makes sense it is enough to win or lose a fight against a fire. >> reporter: it looks like a war map. 20,000 acres and the red around it is the perimeter. any black is containment. there is zero black right now that is what we're up against and my new friend rich tells me the winds are going to get higher tonight. that is what we have in store. critical fire danger and red flag warnings remain up in super dry conditions with winds

that will increase -- we are already started to feel them a little bit, but they come up another ten, 20, 30 miles per hour overnight. the next 24 hours is pretty critical, could have new fire starts and maybe some spreads as well. on top of that, after the winds die down, the smoke the next 24 to 48 to 72 hours through the weekend will be very intense, and when people start coming back to their homes over the weekend they want to do with that, as well and no rain in the forecast until further notice tony. >> tony: rob, it is remarkable to see that map with no black lines of containment, on thursday, two days after it started. i appreciate that report. norah, back to you in washington. >> norah: thanks to you, tony and all of our teams in the fire zone. we spoke today with los angeles fire chief kristin crowley, who is in charge of the department's more than 3200 uniformed personnel. we began by asking her how they are doing. >> they are resilient. they are putting everything into this, i can guarantee you that. i am extremely proud of their dedication and commitment to

this mission. they are doing everything in their power to save lives and protect property. >> norah: i must ask you because a lot of people are talking about the warning that you sent last month, that the budget cuts have "severely limited the department's capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies, including wildfires." you sent that warning about these budget cuts. was this preventable? >> i'll tell you from the budget cut side of things, when there is a $17 million cut in our budget, operating costs immediately from that point, i had to make some tough decisions. i looked at some other duties and responsibilities that we do as a fire department, and i had to focus right back on the training of our firefighters and also our ability to resond to the everyday fires and ems response. >> norah: would that $17 million that had been cut from your budget have made a

difference in this fight? >> i would say with the lean-forward posture that we took, knowing that, a $17 million cut, we had to take from somewhere, and that was from the nonessential duties and responsibilities that as a fire department we have taken on over the past many, many years. >> norah: but with all due respect, in december, you had warned that the budget cuts would severely limit your ability to respond to large-scale emergencies. is that true or not? >> yes, so i would say yes, we were limited to a certain factor, yes. >> norah: and let me ask you about how that limited your response. because in the early hours of the wildfires, especially in the pacific palisades, we had a team on the ground, a crew there with a reporter, and witnessed a number of homes burn to the ground, and there was not a fire truck in sight. how did that happen? >> we predeployed the most amount of emergency resources that we could with what we had. with the predeployment, when the

fire takes off, we are going to push as many resources that we can at that particular incident. and that's what we did. we did exactly what we could with what we had. >> norah: so you are saying you didn't have enough resources. >> i would say in a wind event like this, that we are living today, and day 3, something that is as significant as this particular fire, i would say we threw exactly what we could with what we had. so, if i had a thousand engines to throw at this fire, i honestly don't think a thousand engines at that very moment could have tapped this fire down. >> norah: chief crowley thank you so much for your time and we are thinking of you and all of the firefighters. >> i want to make sure the community knows our firefighters are absolutely doing everything that we can, and i am certainly proud of how hard and dedicated they are working to save lives and property. >> norah: well said.

thank you, chief. and you can see more of that interview on cbsnews.com. there is no shortage of heartbreak and loss tonight, and so for many, life after these wildfires will never be the same. the new reality. that's next. ♪ ♪ prevent asthma attacks.elp airsupra should not be used as a maintenance treatment for asthma. get medical help right away if your breathing doesn't improve or worsens or for serious allergic reactions, like rash, mouth or tongue swelling, trouble breathing or swallowing, or chest pain. using airsupra more than prescribed could be life-threatening. serious side effects include increased risk of thrush or infections, or heart problems like faster heart rate and higher blood pressure. ask your doctor if airsupra is right for you. i give up my bespoke shaving subscription. and i'll stop ordering everything that's trending on instagram. and i will no longer dress the dog in cute little sweaters. you know, you don't have to make sacrifices now that you're saving money with the progressive home and auto bundle.

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coastline here for miles and miles burned down to their foundations, and this being the home of hollywood of course, it's every day californians, but they are not only everyday californians that are the victims. along a fire-scarred stretch of malibu, we met up with milo ventimiglia, a 47-year-old father-to-be. >> oh, no... >> tony: and today, one of the first residents here to get a look at the damage. >> oh, man. toast. >> tony: home after home destroyed. and milo's house wasn't one of the lucky ones. i know you were aware the house was gone. what's it like to then stand here? >> heavy. you know, you start thinking about, man, it's so quick. you start thinking about all of the memories in different parts of the house and whatnot, and then you see your neighbors' houses, and everything kind of around, and your heart just breaks. >> tony: now, if you feel like you've seen milo before, you

probably have. hes an actor, best known for his roles as jess on "gilmore girls" and jack pearson on "this is us." >> i'm an ordinary man. >> tony: but in other ways and especially today, he is also just another worried homeowner. >> that's the kitchen. these are stools. >> tony: one who after he and his wife evacuated on tuesday watched on security cameras as the flames took over. >> i think there is a kind of shock moment where you going oh, this is real and this is happening, and at a certain point we just turned it off. like, what good is it to continue watching? you know, and we kind of accepted the loss. >> tony: he and his wife, who is due to give birth any day now, grabbed everything they could think of, but, of course not everything. had you already brought a crib? >> yeah, whole thing was set up. >> tony: all of that was in there ready to go. the physical loss here is total. much as it was for his character, jack, whose own home burned down in "this is us."

>> it's not lost on me, life imitating art. >> tony: but unlike jack, milo is still here. and he has everything, he says that really matters. >> we've got good friends, and we've got good people we are working with, and we'll make do. we'll make do. wife and baby and dog, most important. >> tony: and milo might also have a new cause this evening. after the fictional fire in "this is us," people may recall milo became an advocate for fire safety. well, now he says his interests have turned to wildfire safety and he is already thinking about ways he might be able to help his community and others, norah. >> norah: what a story. tony dokoupil, thank you so much. the other big story today, five presidents joined together for the nation's final salute to former president jimmy carter. that's next. next. jimmy carter right here in washington. that's next.

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a private funeral followed a ceremony in washington with past, present, and future commanders in chief on hand. cbs's mark strassmann reports tonight from plains. >> let us pray. >> reporter: in a fitting farewell, jimmy carter's state funeral had the majesty of washington's national cathedral and the piety you would expect for a man of profound faith. but, like carter, this solemn goodbye had flashes of humor. >> there's an old line to the effect that two presidents in a room is one too many. >> reporter: what about five presidents? they filed in among generations of washington a-listers. in the second row, the clintons side-by-side with the bushes. barack obama shared a laugh with donald trump, minutes earlier, had an awkward run in. trump shook hands with mike pence, his estranged vice president. president biden's eulogy... >> jimmy carter's enduring

attribute, character. character. character. >> reporter: saluted his friend of more than 50 years. >> it's the strength to understand that everyone should be treated with dignity respect. that everyone, and i mean everyone, deserves an even shot. >> reporter: as he left the altar, mr. biden touched the casket of his old friend jason carter's pawpaw, his grandfather. >> he was the same person no matter who he was with or where he was. >> reporter: this picture is of special air mission 39, bringing home the casket back from washington to georgia. a final homecoming here in plains. a chance for family, friends and neighbors to say goodbye. a second funeral at maranatha baptist church, carter's spiritual home. >> last sunday, our god called the sunday school teacher home.

>> reporter: with his burial on the family property here jimmy carter's homecoming will be complete. mark strassmann, cbs news plains, georgia. >> norah: and we will be right back. . news, plains, georgia. >> norah: and we will be right back. might keep us stuck on the couch. no way. ♪♪ if you have postmenopausal osteoporosis, and are at high risk for fracture, you can do more than just slow bone loss. you can build new bone in 12 months with evenity®. evenity® is proven to significantly reduce spine fracture risk. she said the evenity® she's taking builds new bone. builds new bone! evenity® can increase risk of heart attack, stroke, or death from a heart problem. tell your doctor if you have had a heart attack or stroke. do not take evenity® if you have low blood calcium or are allergic to it, as serious events have occurred with evenity®. signs include rash, hives, swelling of the face or throat, which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing, muscle spasms or cramps, numbness, or tingling. tell your doctor about severe jaw bone problems,

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it is another critical night ahead for fight firers in southern california as a new fire erupts in homes in a densely populated neighborhood. as the scope of the devastation comes into focus, evacuees are waiting to hear if their homes are still standing. >> i don't known what's going

on. >> plus, firefighter ifs the north bay are among those helping out in the fire zones. and for them, trying to save homes is personal. >> this type of burn reminds me of what happened in fountain grove. >> this is cbs news bay area. with juliette goodrich. >> no break for southern california. tonight, firefighters are battling yet another wild fire. that's on top of the devastating fires that have destroyed an estimated 10,000 homes and other buildings. so let's take a live look at the kenneth fire which has grown to 960 acres. it is spread across the border of los angeles and ventura counties, near la's woodland hills and calabasas neighborhoods. officers have blocked off nearby roads to the public. it is currently the third largest active wild