nbc's jinah kim has the latest. >> reporter: as clouds of smoke choked colorado springs firefighters waged war against flames that threatened to swallow entire counties in the northern part of the city. in mere hours it managed to jump two sizes. >> it journeyed two ridges. >> reporter: the smoke is so thick and the heat so intense, fire crews can't even estimate how many homes have been destroyed. >> it's been house to house, door to door, street to street, hill to hill kind of activity all night long. it's continued all day today. >> reporter: more than 30,000 people have been forced to evacuate, including part of the u.s. air force academy campus. residents wait in agony not sure if they have homes to return to. on wednesday winds whipped up to 50 miles an hour changed direction. >> wind is obviously again kicking up and causing us problems out there. >> reporter: the weather is also hampering evidences near boulder colorado. in all, a half dozen major fires are burning throughout the state. this year is being called the worst fire season in colorado history and it's only just beg

jinah kim has the latest. >> reporter: as towers of smoke choke the air, fire crews wage war against flames that threaten to swallow communities in the north part of the city. in hours it managed to double in size. >> it dumped two ridges and moved three miles in less than an hour. >> reporter: the smoke is so thick the fire crews can't estimate how many homes have been destroyed. >> it has been house to house, door to door, street to street, hill to hill activity all night long and continued all day today. >> reporter: more than 30,000 people have been forced to evacuate and including parts of the u.s. air force academy campus. >> it's my childhood home. >> reporter: on wednesday winds whipped up to 65 miles an hour, changing directions, spreading embers and grounding firefighting aircraft. >> the wind is kicking up and causing problems. >> reporter: the weather is hampering efforts in boulder, colorado. in all a half dozen major fires are burning throughout the state. this year is being called the worst fire season in colorado history and it's only just begun. >> the fbi is brought

jinah kim has the latest. >> reporter: as towers of smoke choke the air, fire crews wage war against flames that threaten to swallow entire communities in the north part of the city. in mere hours, it managed to double in size. >> it jumped two ridges and moved three miles in less than an hour. >> reporter: the smoke is so thick and the heat so intense, fire crews can't even estimate how many homs have been destroyed. >> it has been house to house, door to door, street to street, hill to hill kind of activity all night long. it has continued all day today. >> there is the fire. >> reporter: more than 30,000 people have been forced to evacuate, including parts of the us air force academy campus. evacuees wait in ago any not sure if they will have a home to return. >> my childhood home. >> reporter: on wednesday, winds whipped up to 65 miles an hour changing directions, spreading embers and grounding fire fighting aircraft. >> it is obviously again kicking up and causing us problems out there. >> reporter: the weather is hampering efforts near boulder, colorado, in all, a half dozen ma

jinah kim, nbc news, colorado springs. >>> and now here's a look at some other stories making news early today in america. in new york city, police have released dramatic video of a gunman opening fire in what's being described as a random act. investigators say the man walked up to two people and just started shooting. the victims were wounded but are now in the hospital recovering. the gunman is still on the lose. >>> in texas, tragedy at a construction site. a worker was killed after becoming trapped in the collapse of a crane north of houston. the crane was hoisting the wall of a new store when the accident happened. the cause is under investigation. >>> and, finally, in ohio it's okay to envy these kids. who wouldn't. they were able to beat the sweltering heat and have a great time doing it after the mayor of columbus ordered a small group of fire hydrants opened under supervision. it's something that's normally forbidden but allowed under the city's "operation cooldown." the hydrants will likely be turned on again today as the thermometer inches closer to that triple-digit mark. an

in colorado springs, jinah kim, nbc news. >>> well, to washington now where it is decision day for the nation's health care reform law. the supreme court is expected to hand down its historic decision today with one of three options. to uphold the law in its entirety, keep parts of it, or strike it down all together. tracie potts joins us outside the supreme court with all those details. tracie, good morning to you. reporter: good morning. look for answers to these key questions. is the individual mandate constitutional, what about the great expansion of medicaid, account federal government do that, or is it too soon to decide this case. >> if the supreme court decides to strike down the individual mandate, that would be a doningly actity advice decision by the court. >> reporter: the government decides parts of the popular you law would go away, getting rid of coverage limit and making sure the sickest people aren't denied. also at issue, can washington force states to cover more poor people under medicaid. >> we're confident that the law is constitutional. >> reporter: if the court u

nbc's jinah kim is in colorado springs. you've talked to residence.hey want to hear from the president? >> reporter: well, so i was here yesterday when we had quite an interesting press briefing toure. we have them twice day. at one of the ones yesterday, several residents showed up and they were really fired up. as you can imagine. when a community this size, even though it's the second largest city in colorado, there are only 400,000 residents here in colorado springs. 346 homes went up in flames. that's so many people, andç that's such a huge proportion of the community here. they were just really upset. very emotional, and a meeting last night where they

nbc's jinah kim is in colorado springs. you've talked to residence. what do you hear that they want to hear from the president? >> reporter: well, so i was here yesterday when we had quite an interesting press briefing toure. we have them twice day. at one of the ones yesterday, several residents showed up and they were really fired up. as you can imagine. when a community this size, even though it's the second largest city in colorado, there are only 400,000 residents here in colorado springs. 346 homes went up in flames. that's so many people, andç that's such a huge proportion of the community here. they were just really upset. very emotional, and a meeting last night where they were told the bad news. whose home, still standing. who whose are not. you can bet the president is getting an earful. colorado seems to be ground zero for the summer wildfires. every year the state seems to be struck hard. nine massive wildfires throughout the state. 200,000 acres and counting burned so far this year alone. they'll have people for more resources and what

nbc's jinah kim joins us in colorado springs with the latest information out there. >> reporter: hi there, pat. that is true. the outlook on the fire is looking so much better by the day. i just want to show you a little bit. you can see it over my shoulder. just this morning weere starting to get a little bit more alarmed by that smoke that's coming up. on the other side of that mountain there is even more smoke that we've noticed just in the past half hour or so. so that's a little bit concerning. at the briefing this morning, firefighters were saying no, no, we've got it under control. we've had two consecutive days of fairly good weather. that smoke is burning away from the home. not getting too alarmed yet. it goes to show you the nature of this fire, which is nobody can ever tell with certainty what's going to happen in the next moment. also, one person was found dead. this is the most destructive fire in colorado history with 346 homes lost. they said one person was found dead in one of the burned down homes. we just learned, an update, that there may be dozens missing. the number

nbc's jinah kim is live in colorado springs with the latest. any improvement out there, jinah? >> reporter: well, jim, 32,000 people, a big chunk of them were allowed to go home. the evacuations are slowly being lifted. that is definitely good news. the fire, we're having a second day of calmer, cooler weather. that's also good news. firefighters have been able to get a 15% containment line around this fire now. they really feel like the threat has gone down e tremendously. on the other side we have confirmed that one person has died in this fire. they were found in the remains of a burned-out home. we may have 10 to a couple dozen people possibly missing at this point. officials are still trying to work that out. who was here as a tourist, whose family member is urn accounted for? as you also said, president obama did make about a three-hour stop here in colorado springs. he got briefing from the firefighters who had been fighting this fire nonstop. he thanked them, called them heroes, then toured the worst-hit areas. as he saw a home standing next to a home that had been burn

we'll go now to jinah kim who joins us to tell us more about the president's schedule and what's takingthere in colorado. bring us up to speed, the president's events schedule as he tours the disaster area. >> reporter: as you mentioned, had he has already touched downed here in colorado springs. his first and possibly only stop here in colorado. we were under the impression he might tour other fire area here's in state, but after arrives here he's supposed to speak any minute now. he was specialed to begin speaking at 12:30 local time, right about now. address the people here, thanking firefighters. offering up federal support. he declares th d this area a fe disaster zone. 30,000 acres have burned so far this year in the state. dozens more across western states in general. as you said, evenç though the fire yot look keeps getting better, the numbers just keep getting more grim. one person was found dead in a house that was burned to the ground. officials discovered this late last night. and we are just learning in the past few minutes that dozens more could be missing at the briefing

jinah kim has more. >> reporter: after waiting in ago any for much of the week, hundreds of evacuatedamilies in colorado springs learned they no longer have homes. residents that have been 346 destro incredibly aggressive on this fire. we have the first break in the weather that we've had since we've been here. >> reporter: fire crews now numbering near 1500. >> seven officers with crews ready to go. >> reporter: switched from defense to offense for the first time in four days. >> as far as what's happening up in the forest or the areas we can't get to, it is going to be difficult. it is going to take time. there is going to be smoke and fire for quite some time. >> reporter: for evacuees like stephanie kaufman, this has been an emotional and physical roller coaster. >> we evacuated a couple of days ago due to the smoke. we came back and had to mandatory evac again, came to monument and now monument is on preevacuation. >> reporter: the waldo canyon fire is one of nine major wildfires burning throughout colorado. there are dozens of other fires burning in other western states. >>> her

nbc's jinah kim has more. >> reporter: after waiting in agony for much of the week, hundreds of evacuated families in colorado springs learned they no longer have homes. >> we have preliminarily 346 residences that have been destroyed. >> today we're going to be inl cred incredit ebbably defensive on the fire. >> reporter: fire crews nearing 1,500 switched from defense to offense for the first time in four days. >> as far as what's happening up in the forests and the areas we can't get to, it's going be difficult. it's going to be smoke for quite some time. >> reporter: for evacuees like stephanie it's been emotional and a physical roller coast sneer we're evacuated due to the smoke, came back, had a mandatory evac again and came to monument and now it's on preevacuation. >> reporter: it's just one of nine major wild fires burning throughout colorado. there are several other fires burning in other western states. >>> and now here's a look at some other stories making news early today in america. in new york city police have released draw might video of a gunman opening fire in what's bein

jinah kim, thanks for your reporting. >>> back to the other major story of the day -- krystal, the floor is yours. >>> after yesterday's supreme court decision, the question now turns to the states. how will they handle such a broad-reaching law? the supreme court has given some latitude. joining us now, texas attorney general greg abbott, who sued to overturn the entire health care law the day was enacted. sir, thank you so much for joining us. >> thank you, krystal. >> i know where you stand on this. you're obviously an opponent of the president's health care law but was wondering if you could give insight. texas has one in four residents uninsured, higst rate in the nation. the supreme court is basically giving your state a choice. go forward with the full medicaid expansion, applying to about 2. texans or stand on principle and say we don't want any part thafr and will continue with what we have now. how is that decision going to be made in texas? >> well, krystal, if you look at this entire picture there are three slices to it. the legal, the policy and the political. as the attorne

in colorado springs, jinah kim, nbc news. >>> to washington where it is decision day for the nation's health care reform law. the supreme court is expected to hand down its landmark decision today with one of three options, to ep hold the law in its entirety, keep only parts of it or strike it down all together. tracie potts joins us from outside the supreme court with those details. tracy, good morning. >> reporter: lynn, good morning. here is what you want to listen for. the court is looking for four key questions. the biggest among them, is this individual mandate constitutional? can the federal government require everyone to buy health insurance and can this law survive without it? the more popular parts, protections for people that do have insurance. they will be looking at the medicaid expansion. it the federal government require the states to bring in more poor people into the system and finally, is it really too soon to decide this case. do they have to wait until that penalty kicks in in 2014. those are the key questions we expect to hear if they strike down any part of this

jinah kim live in colorado springs with the latest. jinah? >> jim, i want to show you the hot spot that's just developed within the past few minutes here. you know the fire keeps going out and then it gets bad again. this is one fire that just does not want to go out. earlier today, president obama was here, and he thanked the more than 1,000 firefighters who have been just working around the clork. >>> shortly after announcing that 346 homes had burned to the ground, officials at the waldo canyon fire in colorado springs had more grim news. one person was found dead in a home, and up to ten people could be missing. >> we're looking at a relatively small number of people that we're still dealing with a lot of incomplete information. >> reporter: this is now the most destructive fire in colorado history. president obama declared the area a federal disaster zone, opening up more money for the fire fight and recovery. >> we had been putting everything we have into trying to deal with what's one of the worst fires we've seen here in colorado. >>

jinah kim has the latest. >> reporter: as towers of smoke choke the air, fire crews wage war against flames that threaten to swallow entire communities in the north

. >> jinah kim, thank you. >>> it's been hot in the west and awfully hot around here as well, to independent point of being dangerous. a heat advisory has already been issued for tomorrow. precautions are already in plate at the at&t national golf tournament. the vendors have decided to drop the price of water from $3 to $2, and there are misting stations there where people can cool off. doug kammerer is in alexandria. it's hot there, too. he has the latest. >> the good thing about today is the humidity is not that high. that's still the current number. 94 to 95. the humidity is not a factor today. that really is a world of difference. you can get some relief. over the next couple days, you will not be able to get that relief. we're at 94 degrees, but that humidity only at 24%, so the heat index is the same as the actual temperature. that is some really nice news as we make or way through the rest of the evening. yes, it is on the warm side. 91 in culpepper. 94 in charlottesville. we are going to see more heat tomorrow and more humidity. that's why we have that heat index in effect for most