on this saturday night, firefight. the intense battle as thousands of homes are threatened by a massively growing wildfire. we're on the front lines. >> city on edge. living in fear in phoenix as authorities hunt for the shooters firing at cars on a freeway. to the streets. tens of thousands march in a show of support for refugees and migrants in europe as a human wave continues to swell. speaking out. our interview with the former tennis star who mistakenly found himself on the wrong side of the law. and story time. in our digital age, could this be the library of the future? "nightly news" begins now. from nbc news

world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news". reporting tonight, erica hill. good evening. a 100-square-mile inferno east of sacramento is growing the an alarming rate tonight. the flames engulfing this home are part of that glaze. the butte fire is one of a dozen large wild fires burning right now in california. it is swifting moving over steep terrain, adding to the challenge for firefighters. more than 6,000 homes are threatened tonight. multiple towns evacuated as some 3,300 fire personnel do everything they can to prevent another home from going up in flames. nbc's gadi schwartz is near the front lines for us tonight. gadi, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, erica. we have been hearing fire crews over the radio, calling for backup any time flames get too close to the flames.

it is not trying to stop the fire but trying to divert it away. in a fire like this, crews have to move fast. they have been called in to protect this house on a hill surrounded by flames. all around the outskirts of the so-called butte fire, player ups threaten homes. firefighters use every resource possible. if they're not spraying water, they're using bulldozers. if they aren't using bulldozers, they're using their hands. this is structure protection. it's basically building lines all the way around these houses, monitoring them. when they need to, they put water on them. for the most part, it is cutting the ground with their bare hands. >> reporter: when the fire catches the tops of trees, there's no stopping the flames from the ground. the firenados are what residents around the towns fear. >> horrible, scared. scared. >> it just changes too quickly. >> there's no control

over it. it's going whichever way it wants. >> we built the house ourselves 20 years ago. and i just hope it's there when we get back. >> reporter: farther south near fresno, california's largest at 128,000 acres burning now for nearly a month and a half. both fires leaving behind more scorched earth every day in a fire season that is far from over. now, fortunately that home that you saw being defended in our story is still standing. others here at the butte fire, as you can see behind me, have been completely destroyed. so far we are told 15 structures are confirmed that have burned down. we are expecting that number to grow. erica. >> gadi schwartz for us tonight. gadi, thank you. we turn now to the series of highway shootings in arizona where police say say person of interest is not a suspect tonight after several hours of questioning. almost a dozen vehicles were shot at the last two weeks.

investigators say they believe multiple shooters are targeting innocent drivers. miguel almaguer is in phoenix again tonight. >> reporter: erica, i-10 will be swamped tonight. they are heading to two major professional sporting events this weekend. with nobody in custody, many are wondering just how safe this interstate really is. today near interstate 10 in phoenix -- >> possible shots fired. >> reporter: police scramble to more injure calls. >> i did see on the glass. >> reporter: all false alarms. friday, investigators appeared to have their big break. the driver of this suv, a teenager labeled a person of interest, taken into custody. but today police say he's not a suspect. >> all we can say is keep the tips coming in. make sure you're doing your best to keep vigilant. >> reporter: with no arrests in this case, there isn't just fear on the freeway. there's frustration. >> taking the side streets doubles the time it takes to get a

job. >> reporter: thomas runs a garage repair business. i-10 is his life line. now he's asking his employees to stay off the interstate. >> the fact is they all have families. we just don't want them to take chances. >> reporter: tonight federal agents and local police are meeting in this situation room, analyzing hundreds of traffic cameras, but no solid leads. >> it could go on for months. you know, historically cases like this have been closed by the public's help. >> reporter: in two weeks, there's been a dozen confirmed shootings on i-10. bullets lodged in seats, shattering windows in passenger cars, truck, and semis. trucker robert newman is worried he will be next in the cross-hairs. worried he could lose his life doing his job. >> i don't know what i'm going to do if i have people pulling out guns and shooting at me too. >> reporter: they will

only positively confirm the cases and link them if they find bullet casings. there are multiple gunmen. one using a pellet gun, one a handgun. they don't believe either will stop until an arrest is made. >> scary stuff, miguel. thank you. overseas, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of london to support migrants trying to get a foot hold in europe. the migrants have been streaming into europe for weeks now. britain will accept 20,000 syrian refugees over the next five years. while several nations have offered to take in refugees this week, one country at the center of the story has made it clear it wants nothing to do with the migrants at its borders. hostility was once again on display today in hungary. we get more tonight from our chief foreign correspondent richard engel. >> reporter: the world's most desperate continue to flow into hungary, hoping for safe passage to

countries further north. instead, they are forced on to buses, headed for registration centers. families are often separated. parents terrified that registration will lead to detention and lost children. still, they keep coming by the thousands. refugees from war zones, migrants, poor countries. this woman tried to slip into the border fence with serbia. as of next week, they could be arrested or shot with rubber bullets for this. the hungarian government is already taking a hard line. now it is upping the is a nte. the prime minister announced a new set of emergency powers, including permission to use live ammunition against anyone threatening security by entering this country illegally. the new rules are expected to come into force when this 100-mile-long fence is is completed.

soldiers, construction workers, even prison inmates have been working around the clock. once this fence is finished, is and there are still gaps like this one, the plan is for hungary to deploy troops and police all along it. and anyone caught trying to sneak through will not be treated as a refugee but a criminal. hungary says it is simply overwhelmed by the endless flow of refugees and migrants, as many as 7,000 a day. it is refusing some offers of help from international agencies. >> they are coming along. we are hoping to be able to do more. but it is a challenge. >> reporter: the real fear is if hungary does manage to seal the border, the pressure on the other side in serbia will turn explosive. richard engel, nbc news, hungary. back in this country, a big day in college football and a big opportunity for some of the republican presidential candidates. nbc's katy tur was

following them in iowa today. >> reporter: storming iowa. marco rubio, rand paul and scott walker tailgating at the super bowl of iowa college football. iowa versus iowa state. the three tried to gain yards in the hawk eye state and take down front-runner donald trump. >> we're going to win in iowa. >> reporter: despite calls pledged, trump's widening his margin, gaining ground in the polls and here with the crowd. >> trump, trump, trump! >> reporter: claiming not to be a politician but straddling the fence with the rest of them at a rally earlier in the day. >> if you don't mind, i'm not going to pick one. >> reporter: the on-field rivalry. >> if anybody will land a clean blow on

wednesday, it will be carlie fear rhee that. >> she was ready herself to blitz. >> i think donald trump is an entertainer. and i think i am a leader. >> reporter: all while ben carson revelled in his new found attention. >> i'll be center stage this time so it will be more difficult for them to ignore me. >> reporter: with rick perrey dropping out, the field is down to 16. still a crowd. as summer comes to a close, the candidates are to buckle down. all eyes on the end zone. erica, for the first time republican party leaders acknowledged, yes, donald trump, could be the republican nominee. they say once again if anybody is going to take them down a notch right now it will be

carlie fiorina. >> much more on the campaign tomorrow on "meet the press" when bernie sanders will be among chuck todd's guests. we have a follow-up on a story we told you about earlier this summer. it's about the battle over the right toll die in california. late yesterday, the state legislature gave final approval to a bill that would permit doctors to help terminally ill patients and their lives. among its biggest supporters was a a lawyer suffering from lung cancer. the bill now goes to governor jerry brown. if he signs it, california would be the fifth state to allow physician-assisted suicide. former tennis star tackled and arrested mistakenly by a police officer earlier this week had more to say about that experience today. james blake spoke with nbc's kristen dahlgren. >> reporter: for former tennis star james blake watching the video is still difficult. >> i didn't realize it until i hit the ground this wasn't a friendly

encounter. the first words out of my mouth were i'm 100% cooperating. he said put your face down, turn over examine put your hands behind your back. >> reporter: he was outside a hand mat tan hotel wednesday when i was taken down hard. >> i don't know what a normal linebacker tackle would be. but i would bet there are nfl guys who are pretty proud of him. >> reporter: he was handcuffed 10 minutes before they realized they had the wrong guy. >> it is infuriating to know i was in such a vulnerable position and taken advantage of by the nypd badge and in my opinion tarnishes the badge. >> reporter: he was already pending two excessive force suits. >> it was completely unnecessary. whether i was a criminal or mott. whether i was the person they were looking for. i don't think the person they were

looking for didn't deserve to be treated the way i was treated. >> reporter: both new york mayor and the police commissioner william bratton have personally apologized. is that enough? >> no. i appreciate it. it's a nice gesture >> reporter: the city has already invested $29 million to retrain service members when dealing with the community. they are willing to meet with blake if that's what it takes to make a difference. >> this happened to me. it could happen to anyone. we can't let that keep happening. kristen dahlgren, nbc news, new york. when "nightly news" continues on this saturday, tracking down undocumented immigrants. why authorities are increasingly turning to riski raids. later, competition to riski raids. later, competition on the look, to riski raids. later, competition on the the wolf was huffing and puffing. like you do sometimes, grandpa? well, when you have copd, it can be hard to breathe. it can be hard to get air out, which can make it hard

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as we hear from nbc's mark potter. >> reporter: at dawn, a team of agents from u.s. immigration and customs enforcement, known as i.c.e., is on the streets in riverside, california, tracking an alleged gang member in the u.s. illegally. he's facing a weapons charge and was recently released on bond. i.c.e. asked a local jail to release him to country for deportation, but they refused. so i.c.e. had to arrest him in a manhunt. >> take custody of the person when they're in jail. behind the jail doors where he has no weapons. >> reporter: they would routinely ask jails to detain them two extra days so i.c.e. could pick them up. hundreds of jails began refusing thousands of i.c.e. arrests, anticipating

lawsuits. >> the biggest concern is the liability that it brings with these programs. >> reporter: to help address this problem, i.c.e. is offering a compromise plan, asking police departments and jails is around the country to simply notify them before an inmate wanted for deportation is to be released. i.c.e. says its focus is on deporting repeat offenders and felons. two california women were killed over the summer. still, many authorities don't like the new i.c.e. notification plan. some fearing it will erode support for police in immigrant communities. >> this lack of trust, lack of cooperation has been building for years. >> reporter: recently immigrants protests, a simmering balance between finding the balance between immigrant rights and fighting crime. mark potter, nbc news,

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with humira, remission is possible. i was out for a bike ride. i didn't think i'd have a heart attack. but i did. i'm mike, and i'm very much alive. now my doctor recommends a bayer aspirin regimen to help prevent another heart attack. be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. the scene at the u.s. open this afternoon roberto vinci. fellow italian panetta had other plans, defeating her in straight sets. at 33, becoming the oldest first-time

grand slam singles champion. she called the whole experience incredible and clearly won over the crowd. some of the quickest action on the court may actually come between the points when the young and young at heart make sure the courts are clear and that the players have everything they need. this week jenna wolf spent time with some of them. >> reporter: it's 11:00 a.m. roll call for this army of blue. with assignments in tow, it's off to the court. it's well over 90 degrees. but this crew doesn't care. >> i love it. it's so inviting, welcoming. most of the players are very, very nice to you because they know you work really hard. >> reporter: these are some of the 250 ball persons required at the u.s. open. and, yes, determined ball persons. colleen brady and bernie campbell, both retired new york city police officers said they were nervous

wrecks in the beginning. >> the first time i was a bag of -- oh, my god. thinking you're going to mess up, you're going to fall. >> reporter: a u.s. open ball person needs more than just running around. they're ultimately responsible for keeping the players happy. whether it's a towel, protecting them from the elements, or just handing over a ball. >> the first time you look up and you see all the people and you're so in shock. >> reporter: what does it take to make the cut? >> i know this is the net. this is out. that is in. >> the umpires need to know that. >> reporter: now i know too much information. cathy helps to run the program. >> you have to know the score when to throw the ball, not to throw the ball. >> reporter: basically you have to lock down running, throwing, and catching. i didn't quite do it like this guy did. it obvious takes some skill. no big surprise i didn't get the gig. i did, however, earn my uniform. thank you so much.

and, yes, there's always next year. jenna wolf, nbc news, new york. as summer draws to a close, there is one last pool party to tell you about. this one's for the dogs. enjoying their day in the pool in kansas city, missouri. it's a tradition there. in the morning it was the small and senior dogs. in the afternoon, the large dogs can take a dip. good news for any pups who may have missed their chance today, they'll have another one tomorrow. >> when we come back, checking out on two wheels. the library that comes to you. ...they ran into jeff nash, like literally ran into him, so awkward. (rambling) he spilled a little soda on his shirt, this story had 30 minutes left... ...until kim realized that stouffer's mac and cheese... ... is made with real cheddar. aged to perfection for 6 long months when you start with the best cheddar, you get the best mac and cheese so, what about jessica? ...what about her? stouffer's. made for you to love™. nestlé. good food, good life.

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finally tonight, in an age when much of what we need is on the screen, it's nice to know that libraries are live and well. and to keep them connected to the community, some librarians are pedaling their books and services in an unexpected way. the story tonight from nbc's joe fryer. >> reporter: not all library books are meant to sit patiently on a shelf. some are destined to ride freely on a bike. for three years now, seattle librarians have been pedaling books across town. >> i think the kids think we're super human anyway because we work at a library. >> reporter: they set up a miniature media center, a pop-up library that makes your average book mobile feel like the taj mahal. >> my kids really love books so they just run

here. >> reporter: normally when you run to the library, is it inside? >> yeah. >> reporter: and this one? >> more outside, i guess. >> reporter: librarian jared mills helped make it a reality. >> there is something about a librarian on a bike. >> reporter: he is so passionate one of his favorite literature quotes is on his calf. he is bringing passion to kid throughout his community. >> reporter: how much do you love reading? >> a lot. i love it on a scale of 1 to 10, a 10. >> reporter: they go from cleveland, denver, san francisco, where they call it the spoke&word. in the age of pageless he books it is a simple idea. they call it a library renewal. joe fryer, nbc news, seattle.

that is "nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i'm erica hill reporting from new york. i'll see you tomorrow morning on "today". thanks for joining us. good night. welcome to eagles game plan. it's finally here, the 2015 season, birds are traveling down to atlanta looking for a win in the season opener. chip kelly will join us to show

us who stood out as they trim the roster down to the final 53. we're looking ahead to atlanta. how the eagles may look to attack the falcons defense. how can this team start the season off with a w? we'll break it all down for you. don't go anywhere, eagles game plan starts right now. welcome to eagles game plan, i'm john clark, and the season is finally here. ike reese is in the house. we are heading down to atlanta, the birds looking for a win in the season opener, there are 8 or 9 new starters on this team, i want to