now after days of extreme temperatures, worse conditions are expected miguel almaguer is there for us >> reporter: the early morning rescues over mountains of fire and through heavy plumes of black smoke became so perilous at one point the mission was called off but with their night vision, military teams found nearly 150 people trapped, loading them into choppers like they had done over the weekend. >> it was pretty scary. >> reporter: for four days surrounded by walls of flames there were no safe roads in. this was the only way out of the sierra national forest, through the air. today in fresno, dozens stepped off a chinook helicopter reaching safety for the first time >> we love you >> reporter: families finally reuniting. >> i love you guys so much >> a feeling of complete and total elation. >> reporter: lisa waited alligt. >> i am super happy. i know i'm crying but they're happy tears. >> reporter: feeding on drought conditions the creek fire has become a blow torch, incinerating everything in its path >> go, go, go. >> reporter: this was the harrowing escape before the flames cl

lester >> all right miguel almaguer in california, thank you. >>> in kentucky a stunning reversal from the state's attorney general who now says he will release recordings from private grand jury proceedings in the breonna taylor case. this comes as one of the jurors wants to speak out. here is gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: tonight in a highly unusual court filing, an unnamed grand juror in the breonna taylor case is asking a judge to be allowed to speak publicly so the truth may prevail. >> my client wants to make sure the truth gets out my client wants to make sure that anything that happened in there becomes something of public knowledge to the extent it is legally allowed to >> reporter: typically grand jury proceedings are kept secret by law. >> at this point i don't think it is appropriate for us to release any information. >> reporter: last week the kentucky attorney general daniel cameron cited an ongoing civil rights violation for why the information should not become public but now he says he'll comply with the judge's order to release it by tomorrow his office says we have no

miguel almaguer has all the details. >> reporter: from universities in california to college campuses in new york, tonight as coronavirus cases exploded in institutions of higher learning officials are cancelling classes, locking down student housing and even suspending part of the school year. >> students will not be allowed to leave the campus. >> reporter: in new york, a covid s.w.a.t. team is deploying rapid testing after more than a hundred students caught the virus following a series of parties, on campus learning now off limits for at least two weeks. >> it's a wake-up call for people of all ages we all read the newspaper, watch television, hear about these parties that take place and it spreads like wildfire >> reporter: with college parties fueling the spread of the virus, unc chapel hill, pcu and alabama confirm hundreds of cases as temple university also suspends classes for two weeks. but the virus comes at a higher cost than just education health officials hoping to curb community spread, say infected students, mostly with mild symptoms, should not return home. >> things

miguel almaguer starts our coverage >> reporter: facing the most explosive conditions they've ever seen firefighters are losing homes and lives, across the west at historic rates, propelled by 45 mile an hour winds. butte county's bear fire has claimed at least ten lives with 16 still missing visiting the scene of this unfolding catastrophe, california's governor sitting down exclusively with nbc news. >> you've seen a lot of wildfires in your life, what do you make of the ones you've seen this year >> this is america fast forward california, the west coast of the united states, that includes washington and obviously oregon, are ople predicted would occur in 2040, 2050. but we're experiencing it today. >> reporter: california's nightmare now a searing reality for tens of thousands with homes still in the path of flames among the nearly 30 major infernos that are out of control today in california, the creek fire near fresno incinerated neighborhoods in minutes. >> there is no downtime because mother nature doesn't give us that. >> reporter: on the front lines we saw firsthand why this b

new hot spots are already popping up across the country miguel miguel almaguer starts our coverage. >>> poolside parties to bars and beaches, these are the holiday hot spots often behind a spike in coronavirus cases. after memorial day, 4th of july and a motorcycle rally drawing hundreds of thousands, tonight u.s. health officials sounding the alarm ahead of this holiday weekend. >> we're going into labor day. please wear your mask. >> reporter: top doctors warning americans need to take personal responsibility before making plans for labor day. >> masks, distance, avoid crowds, outside better than inside and if we do that i think we can get through this weekend without seeing a surge. >> reporter: with the nation making progress in the fight against covid cases and hospitalizations are both down nearly 40% since they peaked in july there are also warning signs, at least seven states have positivity rates above 10%. iowa, an emerging hot spot. >> growth of new cases has accelerated, especially as social activity among young adults and on college campuses >> reporter: as students at no

miguel almaguer reports. >> reporter: tonight one of hollywood's biggest stars now among those testingr covid. >> this has been one of the most challenging and difficult things we have ever had to endure >> reporter: dwayne johnson using his social media platform to reach an audience beyond hollywood the rock sharing how his young family caught covid despite taking precautions. >> we picked up covid-19 from very close family friends and these are people who we love and trust. they're devastated that it -- that it led to them infecting our family >> reporter: warner brothers also confirming someone on the set of "batman" tested positive, shutting down production after it resumed just three days ago the cautionary tale from hollywood's highest paid star who with his family has now recovered comes as authorities worry labor da weekend will fuel another spike in covid cases. it's not just large parties but small gatherings triggering alarm. in maryland contact tracing reveals 44% of people testing positive attended a family event in alabama eight of 11 relatives who went to a lake house to

and requires tens of thousands of healthy volunteers miguel almaguer has more. >> reporter: the final round of testing known as phase three clinical trials are under way tonight showing early signs of promise in what could become the world's first coronavirus vaccine. at testing sites across the country participants will be given two shots one month apart. 23-year-old jacob sorano is the first american to be dosed with either the vaccine candidate or a placebo.>> i'm hoping it can be a hundred percent cure>> reporter: researchers at oxford partnering with astrazeneca say the vaccine, a genetically altered virus, teaches the immune system to generate covid-19 antibodies with some 30,000 adult volunteers set to take place in the trials the fda says the vaccine needs to protect 50% of people to be considered effective. it could be distributed in phases with health care workers and the vulnerable like those with underlying health conditions getting it first. this is one of those leading the race and one of the ones that looks promising to get us that vaccine as soon as possible >> reporte

miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. >>> up next for us tonight ruth bader ginsburg as a role model for a new generation >>> as the nation honors ruth bader ginsburg her legacy as a pioneer of gender equality lives on in those she inspired here's kristen welker. >> reporter: outside the supreme court from these young girls a unanimous opinion honoring justice ruth bader ginsburg. >> changed her life and ours. >> reporter: 10-year-old olivia began learning about the feminist icon when she was in third grade. what do you like about justice ruth bader ginsburg >> i really like the fact that she stood up for everybody's rights, men and women. she used her mind to fight for what she believed in. >> i don't think she could have a better role model >> reporter: this 9-year-old wrote about her in a book report. >> ruth is important because she tried to make women's rights equal. ruth is strong and tough when things get bad. >> reporter: her mother posting it online now viewed 33,000 times ginsburg's appeal spanning generations for mothers and daughters learning about her to young, aspiring

miguel almaguer is in oregon tonight. >> the church is gone. >> reporter: it took minutes for wildfires in oregon to incinerate six towns. >> phyllis, your house is gone. >> reporter: today in this hellscape, the grim search for bodies is under way. >> it feels like armageddon. >> the death toll rising, dozens unaccounted for, state officials call the smoldering apocalyptic scenes a mas incident. >> nothing made it. >> post office is gone >> reporter: officials here see parallels to the 2018 fire in paradise, california. >> you hear about what happened at paradise is what was on everybody's minds. >> reporter: during that inferno that destroyed the town, 85 were killed. >> the biggest casualty we've had is the loss of life we never would have predicted that. >> reporter: as the wildfires explode out of control in oregon, a record 1 million acres torched in just one week double the state's average loss for an entire year. across the west, in a season where firefighters have been overrun by flames, at least 35 are dead. thousands of homes are gone and tens of thousands remain evacuated to

miguel almaguer is on the frontlines for us. >> reporter: destructive and now deadly. the wildfires in northern california claiming at least three lives in what is a state of emergency. today, three fires merging into one, exploding across california's famed wine country. hundreds of structures already lost. more than 12,000 across the region are under threat at this very hour. >> i know we're not out of the woods yet, and the woods could burn. >> reporter: with the line of unstoppable fire, seen in this time lapse video, sweeping closer to calistoga, the entire city is now evacuated. so are parts of santa rosa, decimated by what some call hell on earth. across the region, nearly 80,000 people are under threat from fire. those who escaped the tunnel of flames now evacuated a third time in three years. >> i guess it's the new normal. we pay a big price to be here in california, don't we? >> reporter: even with nearly 19,000 firefighters on the front lines, crews are battling five of the six largest wildfires in california history. many of them unstoppable. in the midst

it's also threatened a well known landmark miguel almaguer has more. >> reporter: just as firefighters were making progress, the bob cat fire near los angeles exploding again, flames feeding on dry hills and hot temperatures with crews stretched dangerously thin new evacuations just triggered >> i don't think i've gotten maybe three or four hours of sleep each night. >> reporter: saving mount wilson observatory, the blaze coming within 500 feet of torching this historic landmark. it's still threatening the billion dollar telecommunication towers providing broadcasting and cell service to los angeles. hundreds of air drops helping firefighters who are undermanned and overmatched. >> thisone has extreme challenges of terrain, very active fire behavior. >> reporter: even with 17,000 firefighters on the front lines in california, they're losing ground >> we've seen a few fires come and go, but this has been probably the scariest. >> reporter: just over the last month 5,400 structures have been destroid by the greater toll, the 25 lives lost. authorities say amid the chaos, confusion costs

due to covid-19 making the race to find an effective vaccine even more urgent eyres nbc's miguel almaguer. >> reporter: could it be an october surprise the head of vaccine maker pfizer says results could be in by the end of next month. but that doesn't mean the vaccine will be ready for the general public >> we will not cut corners our phase 3 study will be the only one that will allow us to stay we have an effective and safe vaccine >> reporter: dr. anthony fauci says he has confidence in the integrity of fda scientists and timing of results from phase 3 trials will depend on real world conditions >> if you have the trial being taking place in an area that happens to have a lot of infections, you may get an answer sooner than you would have projected because the answer is event driven >> reporter: in other words, trials in hot spots may yield quicker results. but with some americans resisting even decades-old vaccin vaccines, it's not clear how kickly the public would embrace a brand new drug an nbc news survey monkey poll found just 44% of americans who said they would get the vaccine,

i want to thank miguel almaguer as well. we want to take you to chicago and the midwest, where attorney general william barr is about to hold a news conference minutes from now to update operation legend, that's meant to stop a surge in violent crime. we're going to see if he takes questions on the unusual move by the justice department to defend the president against a defamation lawsuit. after the break, too, we're talking joe biden trying to rebuild that blue wall in key battleground states that could decide this election. steve kornacki is live at the big board, breaking down new poll numbers in one very important state. just out today. n one very importt anstate. just out today >> tech: when you've got auto glass damage... ...safelite can come to you. >> tech: and you'll get a text when we're on our way. >> tech: just leave your keys on the dash and we'll replace your windshield with safe, no-contact service. >> tech: schedule at safelite.com. >> singers: ♪ safelite repair, safelite replace. ♪ start your day with secret

nbc news national correspondent miguel almaguer has the story for us tonight. >> the church is gone.nutes for wildfires in oregon to incinerate six towns. >> phyllis, your house is gone. >> reporter: today in this hell scape, the grim search for bodies is under way. >> it feels like armageddon. >> reporter: with the death toll rising and dozens unaccounted for, state officials call the smoldering apocalyptic scenes a mass fatality incident. >> nothing made it. nothing. the post office is gone. >> reporter: officials here see parallels to the 2018 fire in paradise, california. >> to hear about what happened in paradise is what was on everybody's minds. >> reporter: during that inferno that destroyed the town, 85 were killed. >> the biggest casualty we've had here again is the loss of life. we never would have predicted that. >> reporter: as the wildfires explode out of control in oregon, a record 1 million acres torched in just one week, double the state's average loss for an entire year. across the west in a season where firefighters have been overrun by flames, at least 35 are dead.

nbc's miguel almaguer joins us now. miguel, what's the latest? >> reporter: chris, some promising news on the vaccine front. oxford university has partnered with astrazeneca, now in phase three of their clinical trials. that's the final phase of testing as they try to roll out this new vaccine, testing it on some 30,000 americans. as early as thanksgiving we could know how effective it is. the fda says the vaccine only needs to work in 50% of people for it to be considered effective. we could know more in the coming months. chris, back to you. >> miguel almaguer, thank you so much. let me bring in dr. lipi roy, msnbc medical contributor and internal medicine physician. miguel laid it out briefly. there are encouraging developments on the vaccine front for sure. the trump administration has already invested billions of dollars in what they call operation warp speed. i want to read to you what cnbc is reporting. quote, federal health investigators are predicting four coronavirus vaccine trials backed by the u.s. could fail. the national academies o

so for the very latest on this, we're going to bring in nbc national correspondent miguel almaguer. he is live in fresno where families are being air lifted to safety just this morning. miguel, what can you tell us? >> reporter: hoda, very fluid morning, just a short time ago we were pushed back from the flight line behind me because the california national guard is currently conducting air rescue operations. we're told this hour 35 people have been pulled out of the fire zone. unfortunately we're told one person did die from a heart attack before they could be rescued. officials are doing all they can to pull out all of those people who are still trapped and the rescues at this hour are on going. overovernight, flames from the deadly creek fire raging in california and forcing rescue teams into action to save dozens of people trapped in the sierra national forest where over 100,000 acres have now been tomped over the last four days. national guard chopper pilots using night vision to pluck trapped campers from the inferno. this morning, we spoke to one of the rescued campers. >> how

good morning, i'm hallie jackson in washington with nbc's miguel almaguer in ashland, oregon, for us. miguel, walk us through what the latest is you're seeing on the ground. >> reporter: this is the crisis unfolding all across the west coast here. tens of thousands of people evacuated and thousands of homes and structures have been lost. later on today, the president will go to california to get an assessment of how bad the situation is. in terms of the weather, the fire is going to expect -- is expected to improve in some regions, but there are some red flag warnings in different spots that could fan those flames. in terms of the air quality here, it is the worst in the world, whether you're in los angeles, the city of portland or fresno, california, up and down the west coast, the air quality is just horrific. officials are asking everyone who is outside to stay indoors as much as they can, or to limit their exposure. it is a situation here that we have never quite seen before on the west coast and many return to homes like these in the next couple of days. when they're allowed to r

for another night of volatile protests after two deaths from demonstrators on opposite sides miguel almaguer, nbc news >>> and there is some positive economic news tonight, 1.4 million jobs added in august with the unemployment rate dropping tos of american families are still struggling. >> it's a pb&j on a hot dog bun. >> reporter: the pandemic turned kelly newman's life upside down she was forced to leave her job fearing exposure to covid-19 now living on her unemployment and her wife's teacher's salary they cancelled internet and rely on public assistance for fresh fruits and vegetables. >> after having made such a huge investment in educational debt i never imagined i would also be in this financial position. o look forer: she'sne work last month due to the pandemic while unemployment dropped more than expected to 8.4% it's still nearly triple pre-pandemic levels and of the 1.4 million jobs added, 250,000 are temporary for the u.s. census and black unemployment is almost double white unemployment it's been more than a month since the extra $600 a week unemployment benefit ended and most

you see miguel almaguer has exclusive interview with the governor, "nightly news" begins about 25 minutes. ge getting back to jeff ranieri, this is a deep dive, we can spend a lot of time talking about this. >> it really is. i took a look back at temperatures and how it is increased over the past several decades. you can see the direct correlation and some increasing size and strengths of these wildfires. i am going to share more on that data in about eight minutes. >> okay, thank you very much. we'll look forward to seeing that. >>> outside san francisco, look at that. you can barely see the trans- trans-america. businesses in the city are doing whatever they can. hotels are ready to open backup to start bringing tourism on monday. who wants to see that? outdoor restaurants and out bars continue to look for some sense of normalcy but you have to sit outside. we look at how some businesses are handling this newest hurdle. >> reporter: 2020 is not getting any easier. who wants to visit san francisco when the skies look like this? >> we see it is a positive economic next step for our employ

it's not helping these are people, not just property nbc's miguel almaguer is in napa valley tonight at you've seen tonight, miguel. >> reporter: shep, it's difficult to wrap your head around the destruction here. we're seeing scenes like this play out all across napa valley. we're here in calistoga and nearby napa. in terms of properties, we're talking well over 200 properties that have been destroyed that's just the official count that number is certain to grow in the days ahead. firefighters are still battling multiple blazes. they're concerned about two major wildfires threatening napa valley and sonoma valley obviously the heart of wine country here in northern california officials are doing all they can to beat back the flames, but that pesky weather, hot temperatures and powerful, whipping winds are expected to kick back up the next couple of days they'll have their work cut out for them tonight tens of thousands of people have been forced from their homes, upwards of 20,000 homes remain in jeopardy of burning down, shep. >> miguel almaguer, thank you. >>> arrest and attempted

becomes a new permanent reality, engulfing the region in waying we have never experienced before miguel almaguer, nbc news, the sierra national forest. >>> as you just heard from the governor this fire emergency is drawing new attention to the role of climate change in proprotoi moting conditions that fuel these kinds of blazes. steve patterson has more on that. >> reporter: the images are stark, the impact staggering. wild foois across the west spreading and scientists warning climate change is making it worse. >> there is, indeed, a clear link between record heat and climate change. >> reporter: and that heat creating warm, dry conditions for wildfires to explode, right now there are nearly 30 major fires burning across the golden state, six of the largest in california's history breaking out this year adding to the record breaking heat and bone dry conditions miles of dry brush and densely packed forest, a devastating cocktail, stoking a historic outbreak of mega fires. >> there's dense vegetation, the climate is warmer and more conducive to extremefire behavior and you have a lot of people l

while toxic air is still smothering the region miguel almaguer is on the fire lines. >> reporter: even pictures from above fail to capture the true scope of the devastation below. in one oregon county more than 2,300 homes are obliterated. the damage only accounting for some of the five firestorms that blew across this state. this is what lexi has left. >> it looks so small we're just like, how did our big life fit in this little area? it's just so surreal. >> i loved it here i love this place so pieces and dozens remain unaccounted for, tonight officials say downed power lines sparked at least 13 fires. in washington state many vividly remember the firestorm that forced them from their home, then took everything they own. >> he said i can't let you go because it was your house on fire, and we lost it there was nothing that we brought out of that house. >> reporter: in california nearly 3.5 million acres are scorched, dozens of wildfires continue to burn, including the state's largest, now more than four timese size of k city crews say this historic season continues to be fueled by rec

let's get more on that from miguel almaguer. >> reporter: just as firefighters were making progress, the bobcat fire near los angeles exploding again overnight, flames feeding on dr hills and hot temperatures with crews stretched dangerously thin new evacuations just triggered. >> i don't think i've gotten maybe three or four hours of sleep each night. >> reporter: at the center of the fire fight, saving mount wilson observatory the blaze coming within 500 feet of torching this historic landmark it is still threatening the billion dollar telecommunication towers providing broadcasting and cell service to los angeles. hundreds of air drops helping firefighters who are undermanned and overmatched. >> this one has the extreme challenge of terrain, very active fire behavior. >> time to move the hose line up >> reporter: even with 17,000 firefighters on the front lines in california, they are losing ground. >> we've seen a few fire come and go, but this has been probably the scariest. >> reporter: just over the last month, 5,400 structures have been destroyed. but the greater toll, the 25

miguel almaguer tonight on the front lines. >> reporter: the firestorm exploded across the west as many were sleeping, ferocious winds fueling massive infernos, from california to washington burning out of control in oregon, where at least two have died, thousands forced to scramble for their lives. >> oh, no, no, no. >> reporter: chaos and fear as families race to outrun a wall of fire. >> you just grab what you can and get out. >> reporter: outside medford looks like a war zone, most residents have nothing left to return to. our jacob ward is there. >> this is what i've got. >> reporter: what you're wearing right now? >> this is what i've got. >> reporter: across the region fires and extreme heat creating a dire situation, decimating communities and pushing first responders to the brink. in california, near big sur, 14 firefighters overrun by fast moving flames, forcing them to deploy emergency shelters like these their last line of defense. one responder in critical condition near like oroville, flames burst through dry brush, barrels towards communities as 20,000 evacuate, some luck

miguel almaguer is in oregon >> reporter: even the fire retardant dropped on these streets couldn't stop the flames today as cadaver dogs scoured mangled wreckage, first responders in oregon deployed their mobile morgue for the first time in state history. this is the grim work to find dozens who are still missing. >> my brother had come up there to take care of my mom. >> reporter: travis cook lost his mother and brother in the same fire. >> i still cannot believe i wake up in the mornings and it is just like is this really happening >> reporter: with five towns obliterated by flames, we drove into the center of the heart break in phoenix, oregon. >> it really is remarkable how unrecognizable all of these buildiath of destruction stretches from washington state to california in butte county where the death toll has risen again jillian rouse and her family lost their home to fire in paradise two years ago. and now again last week in berry creek. >> we did it last time, so we'll do it again. you know, everyone else is doing it again with us. so it's hard to feel sorry for yourself. >> rep

miguel almaguer is on the front line. >> reporter: burning hotter, faster and now more explosive than ever before, this year's historic and catastrophic fire season turning deadly again. >> it looked like a bomb went off. >> reporter: in oregon, half a dozen towns decimated after a harrowing escape, a devastating return. >> my god, this is our driveway. >> reporter: entire communities are now gone. many could not escape the flames, including 13-year-old wyatt and his grandmother peggy. >> his life was just beginning. i mean, a child. >> reporter: lives lost and devastation as far as the eye can see. >> everything is a total loss. >> reporter: in washington state where one town lost city hall, its post office and the fire department, officials confirm a one-year-old is among the dead. >> i am in shock. i still can't believe the whole fact that everything around me is gone. >> reporter: with hundreds of wild fires burning in a dozen western states, firefighters say whipping winds and record heat are helping fuel these epic conditions. we joined firefighters in the sierra national forest

rescues of campers trapped in an area surrounded by flames we begin with national correspondent miguel almaguer. >> reporter: it's moving at break neck speeds firefighters rarely see, exploding across the sierra national forest, california's creek fire generating so much power, it's now creating its own weather system 5,000 structures under threat. >> these are some of the worst conditions firefighters have seen all season these homes are a complete loss, but on the other side of the street they're trying to save structures that are still standing towering walls of flames swept across mountainsides blocking the only road out. >> which way, which way, where are you going? >> reporter: the lucky making a harrowing escape through tunnels of fire but more than 200 were trapped with no way out, surrounded by an inferno on all sides, the desperate were told be ready to jump in the water to save their own lives but california's national guard arrived with a ferry of helicopters. plucking evacuees to safety, leaving them in fresno. >> we're all glad to be alive. >> reporter: the inferno torching 80,000

here's miguel almaguer. >> reporter: the sudden reversal from the pac-12 to play ball amid a pandemiceks after the conference landed sidelined this season, citing the health of collegiate athletes. but with daily covid testing now in place, officials say the situation has changed. >> we're going to be relentless in terms of protecting the interest of our student athletes. >> reporter: with conferences like the sec kicking off this weekend, the pac-12 is prepared to monitor community spread, while also following state and local mandate like the ban in boulder, colorado that prohibits 18 to 22-year-olds from gathering together. >> the pac-12 is worried about falling behind. and it would have been too far for them to catch up if they were the only one of the power five leagues to not play. when the pac-12 kicks off its season opener in november, one thing that won't change, at least for now, the stands will be empty. no fans allowed inside stadiums. lester? >> all right, miguel. thanks. >>> up next, a family and their thousands of tiktok fans deliver a surprise to their pizza man. try wa

miguel almaguer is there. >> reporter: before sunrise entire neighborhoods are engulfed in flames devouringn untold number of homes. >> warning, fire evacuation in progress. >> reporter: amid the chaos and confusion, the desperate and harrowing escape from the mouth of the inferno. >> these houses were standing maybe 20 minutes ago. >> reporter: as fire cutoff roads, this napa hospital was forced to evacuate patients by air and ambulance. >> the possible dangerous situation for us at the hospital is if the wind were to shift. >> reporter: out of control firestorms fueled by whipping winds, hot temperatures and draught conditions, torching wineries all while closing in on this santa rosa retirement community. hundreds of seniors, many dependent on walkers and wheelchairs, were loaded on to busses and taken to safety. >> it was just, you know, a big red ball of fire right next to us. >> reporter: with 50,000 under evacuation warnings, thousands across the region have already been forced to flee as erratic fire behavior threatens to wipe entire cities off the map. with multiple wild fires burn

saturday, governor gavin newsom toured the devastation and spoke exclusively to nbc's miguel almaguer. he says, the cause of this disaster is clear. >> it's a climate emergency. this is what everyone predicted. this is what all the experts have been saying for decades. and it's finally here. it's just here a half century earlier than many had even predicted. >> reporter: this week, portland, san francisco, and seattle clocking the worst air quality in the world. >> the air we're breathing right now is equivalent to smoking 20 packs of cigarettes. >> reporter: while extremely toxic, firefighters say the smoke could actually help cool things down. >> there's never enough resources at the time you need them, when you need them, where you need them for something like this. >> reporter: as homeowners across the west now cope with the thought of losing everything. >> a horror. horrible. you don't know whether your home is going to be there when you get back. >> reporter: and there's good news this morning. temperatures are markedly cooler. winds have died down. firefighters scrambling to ta

miguel almaguer in shaver lake, california. miguel, any sign that crews there are getting a handle on these fires? >> the good news is we've been following crews who have been attacking these hot spots that can flare up. we are losing more homes. you can see this house, this structure has been completely destroyed and this scene that's playing out really all across this region. here in california there's now 35 major wildfires that have consumed more than 2.5 million acres. that's 20 times more acres this year than compared to the same time last year. over in washington state, there's a fire that's burning 100,000 acres every couple of hours. it's a really fast-moving wildfire. officials are doing what they can to get their hand on fires like this, but it's those drought conditions and really hot temperatures that have been fueling so many of these fires, stephanie. >> that looks like a scene from a movie. jacob, take us to oregon. what is it like there? >> the scene is very similar here as the dawn rises here in southern oregon

he spoke to nbc's miguel almaguer. saying the cause is clear. >> a climate emergency. this is what everyone predicted. this is what all the experts have been saying fordecades. >> reporter: this week, portland, san francisco and seattle clocking the worst air quality in the world. >> the air we're breathing right now is equal to 20 packs of cigarettes. >> reporter: extremely toxic, but the firefighters say it could help cool things down. >> never enough resources at the time you need them or where you need them for something like this. >> reporter: as homeowners now cope with the thought of losing everything. >> the horror. horror. you don't know whether your home will be there when you get back. >> reporter: this morning, there is good news. temperatures are markedly cooler. winds have died down. firefighters are scrambling to seize this window of opportunity because the situation is still out of control. kendis. >> we'll take any good news we can get with the situation. just a remarkable situation and scene right there where you are in oroville. erin, thank you. >>>

nbc national correspondent, miguel almaguer is in the fire zone. he's there in napa valley.uel, good morning. >> reporter: hey, craig, good morning. this is where at least one winery had been destroyed. it's been in the area for more than four decades. it's been reduced to rubble. just like so many homes across this area. we know at least three people have been killed in these wild fires and the danger is far from over. moving at breakneck speed, exploding again overnight. the fire storms in northern california are devouring more homes and now claiming lives. >> warning. fire evacuation in progress. >> reporter: with entire neighborhoods forced to quickly flee the flames, this was the harrowing escape from the mouth of one inferno. >> oh, my god. oh my god. >> reporter: today nearly 70,000 people in sonoma county are under an evacuation warning. investigators worry the number of fatalities could multiply. >> waking up by 3:00 in the morning, it was just a big red ball of fire right next to us. >> reporter: as walls of fire sweep across four counties, hundreds of seniors many

nbc's miguel almaguer is in fresno, california, which is being ravaged by that fire. , what is going on? the fact we hear about a fire this big that's not being contained, that's got us worried. >> yeah, stephanie. these are some of the most epic fire conditions we've ever seen on the front lines. what's driving this fire is this massive forest that has been drought stricken for decades and these flames are ripping across this area. they've charred more than 135,000 acres. they're also being fueled by hot temperatures and low humidity. so the fire is exploding across the region. firefighters are having a very difficult time keeping this blaze in check. as a matter of fact, i want to talk about the fires across the state. there's nearly two dozen wildfires that have charred 2 million acres so far. that's a record here in california, and we're heading into the most dangerous weeks and months ahead. september and october are typically the most dangerous times for wildfire season. what we're seeing here could be a prelude to a real disaster yet to unfold, stephanie, the fr

i've got to start with miguel almaguer in ashland, oregon. are things getting any better out there?> the fires for the most part seem to be moving away from homes so that's the good news here. the bad news here is the air quality is just horrific all across the west coast. on the fires front, we should mention it was believed thousands of homes have been destroyed and tens of thousand evacuated. in terms of the air quality here, whether you're in los angeles, whether you're in portland or where we are in medford, oregon and in between, the air is horrific. some of the worst air quality in the entire world. our team started out in southern california. the guys here drove all the way into oregon and every city you are in, you have this lingering haze, this thick fog, sometimes toxic smoke in the air. that's what's suffocating and choking so many millions of people today. >> toxic smoke in the air. morgan, let's turn to you. louisiana, we're just a few weeks out. i mean, hurricane laura hit, what was it, three weeks ago? now they could be slammed again. new orleans is under mandatory e

nbc's miguel almaguer is on the front lines in california. >> reporter: in california, this fire in buttey is growing by a thousand acres every 30 minutes. closing in on the town of paradise, where 85 were killed just two years ago when a wildfire broke out. >> i thought i was going to die. there was fire 360 degrees around me. >> reporter: here in the sierras north of fresno, the massive creek fire is still out of control. crews have been chasing hotspots all day long. and when they can't get ahead of them, this is what happens. the home behind me is gone. and that's a fire truck ablaze. in riverside county, crews are making progress. but the blaze jumped a freeway, forcing new evacuations. satellite images revealing an ominous plume of smoke spreading hundreds of miles, blocking out the sun in the san francisco bay area. streetlights coming on at high noon. >> it feels like the end of the world. >> joining me now is colonel david hall. had he is the commander of the california army national guard's 48th combat aviation brigade, headquartered in fresno, california. colonel, i know how bu

had to evacuate their homes in the states of california, nevada aoregon, and washington nbc's miguel almaguer has more from ashland. >> reporter: stephanie, good morning. in this county alone, the number of homes destroyed is four times what was expected early on we can tell you the weather here is expected to get better, but this wildfire is going to burn for months, we're told officially, the county has said that the damage and destruction to homes across this region is at 2400. that number could grow that's in this one county alone. there are other wildfires burning in other regions, so that number will certainly climb. also today, a major concern continues to be the horrible air quality, the worst in the world in this region the city of portland suffering the most from all of it. scientists say it's unclear exactly when it will lift. one thing is certain, it's having an impact on tens of millions of people across this reasonable over the next couple of days, firefighters from washington to california are hoping to make progress on several fires that are burning, but it's still several mon

miguel almaguer is in shaver creek and jacob ward in phoenix, oregon. jacob, to you first, this thing really exploded overnight. what's happening. >> reporter: steph, this really has been an unprecedented event in the wards of state fire officials. it's a combination of factors, a prolonged dry weather period and incredible winds, such such that as of yesterday the fire was jumping ten miles in a single afternoon and did not slow down at all overnight. this town where i'm standing, 4,600 people have been evacuated and this place has been hit by what is a classic wildfire condition, except that this is of course, steph, an urban environment. so you have these spot fires popping up all over the town. as a result, fire crews are stretched thin. we have not seen a single fire crew put water onto anything yet. the officials here say they are trying at this point in simply get ahold of certain structure fires, but really attacking containment in the way that you would hope to do isn't going to happen before thursday. this is very much the feeling of an out of