ready to strike? the big debate at the white house over what to do about syria. a doctor on the front lines. they are telling us what he says is really going on. state of emergency. in california, tonight an out-of-control wildfire the size of denver now raging insidef yosemite. a freak hailstorm and now the threat of flash floods. a wild weekend ahead for millions. judgment day for the army major accused of a massacre at ft. hood. the deadliest massacre on a military base in u.s. history. and what would you do if

suddenly you had the time to do all of the things you really want? "nightly news" begins now. >> from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. >> good evening, brian is off tonight. i'm lester holt. there's word tonight the pentagon is drawing up military options to respond to this week's atrocities in syria, as the white house is under increasing pressure to act. the horrible images of lifeless civilians as what the rebels say were killed by chemical weapons. as the u.s. officials are trying to confirm the nature of the attack nbc news has spoken to one of the doctors on the ground treating the victims. he says the world is ignoring them. let's get to chuck todd. is america about to get involved in syria? >> reporter: looks like in some form we may do just that. the president seems to be on the

verge of ordering some sort of military response in syria. the question is, what does that military operation look ke? right now the president's closest advisers are divided on the options that are in front of them. it is these heart-wrenching images of out sere ysyria, victims of brutal chemical weapon attack that accelerated the debate in washington. >> we are gathering information on this event. what we have seen indicates this is a big event. of grave concern. >> reporter: just how grave becoming more clear tonight. in an exclusive interview, ann curry spoke to a doctor inside of syria treating some of those victims. >> died violently while sleeping and died hungry. >> doctor, after this experience, what is your message

to the outside world. >> chemical weapons is a shame on the face of humanity. i can't imagine that the international community cannot do anything except meeting and promising. is in the truth? is this real? >> reporter: the president is considering a very narrow range of military options. boots on the ground or a no-fly zone, both are out of the question. what is on the table -- limited air strikes, most likely cruise missiles launched from navy destroyers targeting military command posts and while the u.s. is still gathering evidence, emotions are high. >> quite powerful and clearly something that hassen been -- >> the president said repeatedly the use of chemical weapons by bashar al-assad would cross the red line and the pictures prompted senior officials to

consider specific military responses even as the president preaches caution. >> sometimes what we have seen is that folks will call for immediate action, jumping in to stuff that does not turn out well. >> reporter: but demand to do something is growing. >> when does the united states, with very little cost, stand up for these people? >> reporter: one pentagon official told nbc's jim miklaszewski, if the president wants to send a message, we are good at sending messages. if he wants regime change we are not able to do that easily. key presidential aides are split of how to respond. as the debate has developed over months, mcdonagh. kerry softened until the latest pictures emerged and issed a zero kating an aggressive

response. but nothing happens until there are two things that are determined. number one the u.s. gets actual proof that assad used chemical weapons. they are trying to do that. second, they need to have a legal justification. lester, for instance, in libya, there was a u.n. resolution to enforce. here in syria, right now, there is nothing like that on the table. >> all right. chuck todd leading us off tonight. thanks. now to the war at home and the battle of wildfires. tonight the massive mobilization of equipment and manpower we have been witnessing across the west the last few weeks is on the move to california and what has become the country's most dangerous wildfire. officials say the blaze fought at the edge of yosemite has taken top priority having just exploded in size since our report last night. miguel almaguer is there and is surveying the damage for us. >> reporter: good evening. the moonscape spreads for miles.

so far 106,000 acres have been charred and the fire is growing larger and larger every minute. to put that in perspective the burn zone is three times the city of san francisco. today the blaze is moving in multiple directions. the inferno has already crept in to yosemite national park. for now have it remains 20 miles from yosemite valley one of the country's greatest treasures. a wall of flames, the rim fire is on the run in nearly inaccessible terrain. it shows no sign of slowing down. overnight, quadrupling in size, the inferno is now closing in on 165-square mig 165-square miles. >> the biggest challenge is the weather itself. the 40,000 foot columns are unreal. >> whipped by gusty canyon winds the california governor declared a state of emergency, opening the door for additional help.

>> we are reaching out. canada offered up five of their crews today. >> reporter: more than 2,000 firefighters are here but they are losing ground. even the air attacks can't slow this blaze. >> if you watch those trees spontaneously burst, not one, ten, 15 of them, it is pretty frightening. >> reporter: we found strike team charlie, the tactical unit of 16 trying to defend their hometown. when conditions turn in firefighters' favor like the wind right now they are able to set backfires to make the blaze close in on itself to suffocate itself out. the work shift will last 36 hours and then a break where they will sleep in the dirt. >> get pretty tired but you do what you have to do. >> reporter: safety first, this is dangerous, even deadly work. >> why didn't you put firefighters down there and i say why didn't you put your children down there. would you? >> reporter: evacuations

continue in towns near yosemite national park. 4500 homes are threatened. one campground is now being closed. in the iconic yosemite valley, 20 miles away, tourists enjoy views. >> awesome. >> gorgeous. we were coming to yosemite, no matter what happens. >> reporter: still there are warning signs everywhere. mother nature's beauty is threatened by her fury. tonight, fire officials tell us several communities are in immediate dang roarer. they are worried they will lose home. the blaze is 2% con tatained an cost $5 million to fight so far. the fire danger continues in to the weekend across a huge part of the country where suddenly it is like the wild, wild west. a dust storm, freak hailstorm and flash flood warnings tonight, all hitting at once. for more on that we go to meteorologist jim cantore at weather channel headquarters.

hi, jim. >> hey, lester. the important thing about california is we haven't gotten in to what is known as the santa ana season for southern california. so you don't see many red dots. all of these dots represent all of the large fires, the dozens of large fires out there. as we get in to this weekend, a deep surge of tropical moisture will come north, across the west. it won't get in the fire zones. it may help a couple of these, but we don't think it will help many. two to three inches of rain. you may not think that is much but there are some places in california and arizona that get two to three inches in a year. this is a tremendous flood threat for the west. let me show you the weather that accompanies moisture in the west. littleton, colorado, this storm got up to eight to ten miles high. instead of producing rain, when it collapsed it produced hail and tons of hail, enough it had to be removed by snowplows in littleton, colorado. off to yuma,arizona, no rain or hail here. we are talking about dust that

fell and was pushed from these storms because basically as these storms collapse the air below is too dry. so as we go hurricaneless in the atlantic basin a serious tropical flood threat for the west this weekend and beyond. >> jim cantore, thanks. army major nidal hasan the former psychiatrist on trial for the shooting rampage has been found guilty. it didn't take long. less than wseven hours of deliberations over two days. >> reporter: the trial was emotional for the victims' families and took three weeks. in fewer than seven hours, the jury found nidal hasan guilty of all charges. [ sirens ] >> reporter: the verdict comes nearly four years after the shooting rampage at a ft. hood medical processor center. major nidal hasan who admitted he was the gunman was found

guilty of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 38 counts of premeditated attempted murder. as the verdict was read , hasan, acting as his own lawyer show nod emotion. prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. 16 family members representing the murder victim will be allowed to address the curt and hasan. >> i think it is also important these victims finally have the opportunity to express to this jury the magnitude of the suffering that he inflicted on them and the way he destroyed their lives. >> reporter: hasan paralyzed in the shoot out put on no defense. but at sentencing he is expected to speak. said he switched sides to protect islam and members of the taliban. >> there is a religious, political component it to and in his case a moral component to it. >> reporter: prosecutors presented 89 witnesses many of whom gave graphic accounts of

the bloody massacre. one heard of hearing private first class vel les screaming my baby, my baby, my baby before she was killed. prosecutors say he fired 150 rounds inside the army medical building. if hasan is sentenced to die and his case survives lengthy appeals, legal experts say he could be the first soldier executed by the military in more than 50 years. lester? >> all right. a u.s. soldier who massacred 16 afghan civilians last year was sentenced to life in prison without parole. staff sergeant robert bales pleaded gmt to avoid the death penalty. even though he got the harshest sentence possible, it was dissatisfying to the afghan villagers who were wounded or lost loved ones. some traveled 7,000 miles to washington state to make sure justice was served and tonight they say it was not. tonight, there is high drama in san diego where embattled

mayor bob filner is facing allegation of sexual harassment from at least 18 women could announce his resignation at any moment. joe is monitoring the developments for us. good evening. >> at this moment, the city council is emerging from a closed-door session. they have been discussing the mayor's future. we are expecting an announcement from them shortly, but have not yet received official word on what happened. they are expected to vote on a deal that was reached earlier this week in mediation. details of that agreement have not been made public. all signs indicate that bob filner's resignation is part of the deal. if that's the case, it's unclear what the mayor might be getting in return. at a public hearing this afternoon, some voiced opposition to any plan that would force the city to pay filner's future lee legal fees but others argue it may be the only way to ensure his immediate resignation. at this point a special election

is expected to take place within 90 days to name the new san diego mayor if filner resigns. >> thank you. . still ahead, the sting. authorities infiltrate an alleged plot to kill police officers. tonight a look at what the fbi calls a growing domestic terror threat to law enforcement. and the backlash over batman. big announcement that set off a firestorm. be an even better company - and to keep our commitments. and we've made a big commitment to america. bp supports nearly 250,000 jobs here. through all of our energy operations, we invest more in the u.s. than any other place in the world. in fact, we've invested over $55 billion here in the last five years - making bp america's largest energy investor. our commitment has never been stronger. they're for show & tell. wasn't that yesterday? yup, but the class wants me to do it again.

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the power to make arrests. authorities charged david allen brutsche and devon campbell newman with attempted murder. >> they were extremist in their believes and plotting to kidnap and kill at least one southern nevada police officer. >> reporter: investigators say the two planned to follow police on patrol when an officer made a traffic stop the two would take the policeman to a las vegas house where the officer would be tied um and ultimately killed. newman told reporter kiss teen kim of ksnv that she is not violent. >> i never intended to harm or kidnap anyone. >> reporter: though she said the police often act without authority. >> i feel they are going far beyond what the constitution allows. >> reporter: police say the two were members of an extremist movement called somber citizens. it has 100,000 followers nationwide who believe what most of the government does is illegitimate. a routine stop of a minivan

three years ago the turned violent when a follower jumped out an started shooting. when it was over two officers were killed. >> the sovereign believes are so loopy that a small percentage cannot control themselves and resort to violence against the police or local authorities. >> reporter: the fbi says most sovereign citizens are not violent, many charged with tax evasion like -- sentenced to prison. >> you can be a u.s. citizen or an american but not both. it is impossible. >> reporter: the two appeared in court challenging its authority. both remain in jail until a court hearing in two weeks. pete williams, nbc news, washington. getting the right nutrition during your busy day can be a challenge. take control of your nutrition with each delicious bar provides

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>> reporter: for janie, this summer is different. >> blown away my neighbor goes did you win the lottery or something and i'm like kind of. i sort of did. i won the time lottery. >> stunned more than anything else. >> reporter: stewart is janie's boss at barry d' rozario murphy. the agency gathered workers and gave them time. >> you have 500 hours of your life back. and figure out what you are passionate about and go and do it. >> reporter: kim schmidt grooth grew up wanting a horse. she spent her 500 paid hours volunteering at a horse shelter. >> so why now? it's because i had the opportunity and because i was -- the opportunity was pushed on me. >> reporter: pushed on all of the 18 employees who spent the summer traveling, making music

and putting paint to canvas. steve commutes from minnesota to seattle. instead stayed home for the summer. recording moments with his children. >> my project is basically replacing i wish i had with a i did. >> it's a dream. >> reporter: while she molded her daughters in to her first sculpture. >> the trust people to do something with this time. >> reporter: a few days back their 500 hours ended. the race of commerce back on. but scattered throughout the office are subtle reminders. >> a little blister. >> reporter: of a summer landscaping a yard, tending horses. >> that is underwater . >> reporter: and making memories with kids. >> my hope is now they will back, people will realize the things you wanted to do you could always be doing and find a place for in your life. >> reporter: day after day we let the sun go down on our dreams because we can't take

time. maybe it's time to start giving. nbc news, minneapolis. >> our thanks to boyd and our friends at kare tv. i will see you later on "dateline." for now good night and have a great weekend.