with more, he's abc's clayton sandell. >> reporter: the pictures are terrifying. a stretch limousine burst into flames. nine women were passengers inside celebrating the friend's upcoming marriage. as the limo crossed the bridge over san francisco bay on saturday night, fire erupted. >> the driver was able to get out. some people stopped to try to pull people from the fire. an unfortunate situation. >> reporter: four of the women suffering burns and breathing smoke escaped. but five of their friends, including the bride, were killed. investigators are trying to figure out why the limo, a 1999 lincoln caught fire. the company, san francisco-based limo stop did not return our calls. the national limousine association weighed in saying -- the 110,000 professionally chauffeured cars are safe and incidents like this are truly an anomaly. investigators are putting together the pieces to figure out how a night that should have been a celebration turned so deadly. clayton sandell, and, los angeles. >> our thanks to clayton. >>> an avid gun rights lawyer from alabama takes

here's abc's clayton sandell. >> reporter: the pictures are terrifying. captured when a stretch limousine bursts into flames. nine women were passengers inside, celebrating their friend's upcoming marriage. but as the limo crosses the san francisco bay friday night, fire erupts in the back. >> good samaritans did try to assist and pull people from the fire. that's an unfortunate situation. >> reporter: four of the women suffering burns and breathing smoke escape. but five of their friends, including the bride-to-be, were killed. investigators are now trying to figure out exactly why the limo, a 1999 lincoln, caught fire. the company, san francisco bay's limo stop, did not return our calls. today, the national limousine association weighed in. saying the 110,000 professionally chauffeured cars on u.s. roads are safe. saying incidents like this are an anomaly. investigators will examine that limo and talk to witnesses, hoping to piece together the mystery of how a night that should have been a celebration, turned so deadly. david? >> a horrible ending. clay

here's clayton sandell. >> moisture air and milder winds are helping to calm the wildfire that burn more than 43 square miles in southern california in a couple of days. >> to have a fire that burn more than 28,000 acres in a short amount of time in may is something we dent see very often in california. so today the relief in the weather is a relief for firefighters. >> flames still threaten homes. remarkably no homes have been lost and only 15 have been damaged. >> these firemen did a tremendous job. so, very, very thankful for them. >> here's what happened. a high-pressure system moved, rotating clockwise, sending air over the mountains. the air dropped, come pressed, heated up and became less humid. that gust of wind fanned the wildfires. now a low coming onshore is bringing winds from the other direction, with showers and cooler temperatures, sunday and monday. that say firefighters will go a long way in helping get the blaze finally under control. clayton sandell, abc news. >> ama: firefighters in southern california death with a big fire at an industrial yard in fontan. stacks of p

here's clayton sandell. >> moisture air and milder winds are helping to calm the wildfire that burn more than 43 square miles in southern california in a couple of days. >> to have a fire that burn more than 28,000 acres in a short amount of time in may is something we dent see very often in california. so today the relief in the weather is a relief for firefighters. >> flames still threaten homes. remarkably no homes have been lost and only 15 have been damaged. >> these firemen did a tremendous job. so, very, very thankful for them. >> here's what happened. a high-pressure system moved, rotating clockwise, sending air over the mountains. the air dropped, come pressed, heated up and became less humid. that gust of wind fanned the wildfires. now a low coming onshore is bringing winds from the other direction, with showers and cooler temperatures, sunday and monday. that say firefighters will go a long way in helping get the blaze finally under control. clayton sandell, abc news. >> ama: firefighters in southern california death with a big fire at an industrial yard in fontan. stacks of p

abc's clayton sandel has the story. >> reporter: the pictures are terrifying.tured when a stretch limousine burst into flames. nine women were passengers inside celebrating their friend's upcoming marriage. as the limo crosses a bridge over san francisco bay saturday night, fire erupts near the back. >> the driver was able to get out. good samaritans did stop and assist to pull people from the fire. but unfortunately, just unfortunate situation. >> reporter: four of the women suffering burns and breathing smoke escape. but five of their friends, including the bride, were killed. investigators are now trying to figure out exactly why the limo, a 1999 lincoln caught fire. the company, san francisco bay's limo stop did not return our calls. the national limousine association weighed in, saying the 110,000 professionally chauffeured cars on u.s. roads are safe. saying incidents like this are truly an anomaly. investigators will now carefully examine that limo and talk to witnesses hoping to piece together the mystery how a night that should have been a celebration

abc's clayton sandell is in boulder, colorado. >> reporter: from the golfers, who should be teeing off on this colorado course -- to the diners who should be enjoying outdoor cafes -- even the robins are wondering, what happened to spring? >> spring will be back. it will be abbreviated this year, but it will be back. >> reporter: for now, spring is buried under a snowstorm, raking ten states with a winter blast. >> unbelievable. i was just amazed. >> reporter: in minnesota, troopers and tow trucks are keeping busy on dangerously frozen highways, littered with spinouts. so much snow this storage building collapsed and this minimart also took a hit. >> you didn't think this would happen in may, especially when two days ago, i was out biking in my shorts. it's ridiculous. >> reporter: one big problem, the snow falling is heavy and wet, pulling down large branches like this, and as you saw, even some buildings that just can't handle the weight. >>> thanks, clayton. >>> now from weather, we turn to the boston bombings and the latest tonight. abc news has learned that the boston marathon may

ginger zee is standing by but first clayton sandell in the fire zone for us tonight. >> reporter: after a terrifying couple of days battling a monster blaze, today firefighters are cautiously breathing easier. >> to have a fire burn more than 28,000 acres in a short amount of time in may is something we don't see very often in california. today the relief in the weather is relief for firefighters. >> reporter: remarkably no homes have been lost despite fire coming right up to some back doors. the fire captain says it's not just chance. >> you see a metal door. exterior. >> reporter: he says some homes are built to survive. >> there are no openings that would allow hot embers to come through. we have a tile roof, excellent protection. >> roofs made out of wood shingles make firefighters cringe like the only one lost in california. overall homes in california are becoming more fireproof. since 2010 new houses must have sprinklers. >> firefighters count on something called defensible space, an area around a home that is clear of brush. it helped save this home last year in washington state

here's abc's clayton sandell. >> reporter: in this neighborhood in the northern california town of lake port, the hillside underneath is collapsing, taking with it trees streets and homes. >> the whole subdivision may have to move out. >> reporter: mike and janice were warned to empty the home they've lived in for 16 years and get out. >> we love it up here. we've always loved it up here. it's just devastating. all of this has happened within two months. we're just trying to stay optimistic. >> reporter: the entire subdivision of 29 homes is in danger in this house dangling on the edge, the floor swallowed up. >> look at the slope of the driveway, that home was sitting up above there. >> reporter: engineers are now desperately trying to find out why the hillside has become so unstable. so far there is no smoking gun. it's not the first time this land slide earlier this year on washington's state's whidbey island knocked homes after foundation. all anyone knows for sure is the ground is still moving, shifting entire lives along with it. >> what a horrible wait for them. >>> to a consumer

clayton sandell in the middle of that weather whiplash. >> here in colorado, instead of spring green, a whole lot of winter white, enough to shut down some schools and cancel a few dozen flights. in the mountains, one spot got slammed with more than 28 inches of snow. >> may 1st. >> and it's snowing. >> reporter: may 1st and it's snowing, not only in colorado. >> waking up to about eight inches of snow. >> reporter: but in wyoming, and in minnesota too. where there's a night of snow ahead. the plows already out on the road. you might be asking yourself, snow in may? for minneapolis, it's not unheard of. they've had measurable snow as late as may 24th. but tonight, as they get more than three inches, that, diane, will break a record for the largest snowfall in one day in may. i think they're going to do it in some places up to a half foot. >> all right, ginger, good to have you with us. >>> we turn from one extreme on the weather to another natural event. we want to show you a wildfire in southern california tonight. about 80 miles from los angeles. some residents evacuated in the town

abc's clayton sandell is in california. good morning, clayton. >> good morning to you, bianna. overnight, good news. all evacuation orders for this fire were lifted. but many working this fire are being sent to brand-new wildfires. it's a sign that california's wildfire season is off to a fast and dangerous start. this morning, firefighters have turned the tables on a blaze that once seemed unstoppable. the 28,000-acre springs fire, finally beaten by cooler weather and hard-working firefighters. >> the change in the weather auh lowed us to get our resources in a position that we needed them. >> reporter: who told evacuees they could return home. >> just getting back to normal will be a good thing. you know? sleeping in your own bed and not having to worry. >> we shipped out. and came back last night. yeah. you don't want to take any chances when the wind gets blowing. you never know if it hops the road. >> reporter: a new fire exploded saturday 80 miles east of los angeles. attacked from the air by a dc-10 tanker. the latest in an unrelenting and early fire season. how worried

abc's clayton sandell is on the front lines incamarillo, california. ton, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, dan. overnight the fire grew to 28,000 acres and although firefighters are getting some help from the weather, they know the battle against this monster blaze isn't over yet. on the front lines this morning an all-out battle to get the upper hand on a fire that in one day tripled in size. a shift in the weather is bringing cooler but more erratic winds. >> it's swirling around and comes from every direction. >> reporter: 4,000 homes still threatened. >> fire and it was right in front of the house. we put it out with shovels, used basically whatever we could. >> reporter: john gregory watched as flames raced toward a naval base. >> there's protection crews all over focusing on this training facility trying to protect it from the flames. >> reporter: amazingly no homes have been destroyed. thanks to nearly 2,000 firefighters, aircraft and even residents. 18-year-old brittany smalarki was helping to evacuate horses when we spotted her using on

as abc news reporter clayton sandell reports, homes of that been standing for 30 years are now falling apart. >> in this neighborhood in the northern california town of lake port, the hillside underneath is collapsing, taking with it trees, streets and homes. >> the whole subdivision may have to move out. >> mike and jenna were warned to empty the home they lived in for 16 years and get out. >> we love it up here. we've always loved it up here. it just is devastating because all of this has happened within two months. we're just -- we are trying to stay optimistic. >> the entire subdivision of 29 homes is in danger. this house dangling on the edge. the floor swallowed up. >> you look at the slope of the driveway. that home was sitting up above there. >> engineers are desperately trying to decide why the hillside has become so unstable but so far there is no smoking gun. it's not the first time this landslide earlier this year on washington state's would-be island knocked homes off their foundations and there is more telltale cracks in lake port, all anyone knows for sure is the ground

clayton sandel, abc news, denver. >> day three of jury deliberations getting under way in phoenix today trial of jody area. prosecutors say arias flew into a jealous rage five years ago and stabbed travis alexander nearly 30 times and shot him in the head and slit his throat. arias insisted it was self defense. if convicted she could get the death penalty. >>> the doctor that performed michael jackson's autopsy returns to the stand in the wrongful death trial against aeg. dr. christopher robbins, testified, jackson tattooed his lips pink and a hairline tattoo, apparently to blend with his wigs. jackson suffered from a condition that causes the skin to lose its pigment. >>> in a stunning political victory, south carolina governor, mark sanford is heading back to congress. voters have chosen him in a special election to fill the seat he held before he became governor. sanford left the governor's mansion after visiting his mistress in argene tina. he told his staff he was hiking the appalachian trail. now he wants to put this all behind him. >> i had deficiencies that are well chronicled a