wildfires are also larger and more intense. i asked chief tidwell whether scientists at the forest service thought that climate change was causing this increase in the size and intensity of wildfires and extending their season, and without hesitation he said "yes" -- "yes." the forest service is spending more and more fighting wildfires. now about half of its entire budget. longer fire seasons and larger, more intense fires are going to eat up more and more of that budget. in addition to these wildfires, especially ones that occur at the wildland urban interface, are increasingly threatening homes and property. most importantly, mr. president, more intense fires are costing lives. the 19 brave firefighters who perished in arizona last june should be a reminder of the gravity of this issue. and, of course, mr. president, we cannot talk about climate change without talking about sea level rise. as i said, i serve on the committee on energy and naturall resources. in 2012, i attended a hearing on sea level rise and heard testimony

. >> it's happening pittsburgh achlt wildfire is burning near the nrg power plant. you're looking at live pictures of the smoky fire. >> that fire is burning about 20 acres on willow pass road and west 10th street. part of that road is closed. >> we're live near the fire with the latest for us. allen? >> just in the last 15 minutes, we've seen the first firefighting helicopters swoop in to drop water on the fire, which, at this time is just a grass fire. as long as this wildfire keeps burning aby from the power plant, firefighters are going to try to let it burn itself out. this will every once a while spark up. let's take a look at the ground

and what we will use is use space within that for a portion of funding of wildfires. that's what one of the types of things that adds to those numbers. so the budget is built so when the appropriators look, they'll be able to see how we get to those numbers. there are things like that which is a wildfire cap adjustment which is within authorized levels. we are not increasing the authorized appropriations. but that's part of what happens in those numbers. >> ok. have time for a couple of questions on other subjects. >> if there is no active fighting-- [inaudible] >> the position is that ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty must not be violated. and that military action taken by the russian government is inappropriate and unlawful. it is in vie lavings international law. it's in violation of a number of international obligations that the russian federation has. it's in violation of the 1994 buddha pest agreement that -- budapest agreement that russia signed on to. the answer to that we would not find that to be acceptable. i think that it is worth looking at

>>> breaking news where a wildfire is burning near a power plant we're live from the air and now on the ground. >> loved ones in shock over the killing of a sheriff deputy who grew up in the bay area >> a memorial in san francisco that has been 82 years in the making. >> it's happening pittsburgh achlt wildfire is burning near the nrg power plant. you're looking at live pictures of the smoky fire. >> that fire is burning about 20 acres on willow pass road and west 10th street. part of that road is closed. >> we're live near the fire with the latest for us. allen? >> just in the last 15 minutes, we've seen the first firefighting helicopters swoop in to drop water on the fire, which, at this time is just a grass fire. as long as this wildfire keeps burning aby from the power plant, firefighters are going to try to let it burn itself out. this will every once a while spark up. let's take a look at the ground shots. this owner says it's a plant that is used as a back up when it's in use, however, it feeds electricy to the diablo valley. >> there is nothing that would be vulnerable toechl mr

. >>> breaking news where a wildfire is burning near a power plant we're live from the air and now onshock over the killing of a sheriff deputy who grew up in the bay area >> a memorial in san francisco that has been 82 years in the making. >> it's happening pittsburgh achlt wildfire is burning near the nrg power plant. you're looking at live pictures of the smoky fire. >> that fire is burning about 20 acres on willow pass road and west 10th street. part of that road is closed. >> we're live near the fire with the latest for us. allen? >> just in the last 15 minutes, we've seen the first firefighting helicopters swoop in to drop water on the fire, which, at this time is just a grass fire. as long as this wildfire keeps burning aby from the power plant, firefighters are going to try to let it burn itself out. this will every once a while spark up. let's take a look at the ground shots. this owner says it's a plant that is used as a back up when it's in use, however, it feeds electricy to the >> there is nothing that would be vulnerable toechl mroegs there is no underground tanks we kno

any profits to victims of western wildfires.ow he says he looks to the oil and gas industry for answers. >> tell me how you take the incident that happened with the oil spill. how do you apply that to the work you are doing now against the keystone pipeline? >> let's go back for one second. i actually believe the solution for our energy problems is going to be corporate america, is going to be private enterprise, that when we get the policy framework right, the people in that sphere will come up with creative, imaginative, innovative solutions that will blow our minds. if you really look at what is happening in the fossil fuels arena, people are being really creative and innovative. some people hate fracking, but fracking is a new technology some people in the united states came up with is a way of engineering around an old problem. that's exactly what i expect american business to do. >> you are saying not all corporations are evil. in fact, it's ok to make money as long as it's toward a goal. >> i don't think corporations are

heavy rains caused a mudslin an area devastated by a wildfire a month ago. je . >>> is swimming pool turned into a mudhole in southern california. heavy rains caused a mudslide in areas devastated by wildfire a month ago. >> when you look over here you can see mud covering this part of the street, all of this coming from right behind those homes that but up against the hillside. the hillside is posing a lot of problems tonighttonight. another day of rain sent added mud and are really into this backyard in azusa. since yesterday three major mudflows took out the steel fence in his patio and sent a mass down below. >> we are up to anywhere from three mac-ten mac feet of mud in the backyard. >> from the air you can see the extent of the damage they came rolling down this hillside damaged by the recent kobe fire. >> the houses in pretty good shape. there's some moisture on the back yard is. >> that bit of good news is because he says he prepared for the storm. neighbors helped one another by putting up sandbags before the rain fell. dennis aniston has stayed in

. >> state fire officials warning us to brace for what could be an historic wildfire season because of the drought. california facing wildfires outside1gáubounds, say officials the fire season all but year round now we're off to a roaring start. and more than twice as many as same period a year ago. fire officials stress everyone must conserve water, including firefighters. >> we're cutting back water in lawns, washing fire engines and using water in trainings so we're trying to cut back on water. a gallon wasted now is a gallon we're not going to have to fight fires this summer. >> the drought monitor reports 70% of california saw in extreme categories. 60,000 patients in the department of public health have had their private data compromised. someone broke into the department billing vendor and stole computers. that means in cases social security numbers officials are notifying those effected. >> a former san francisco supervisor went to court hoping to get out of county jail he got out of federal prison. and abc7 news reporter wayne freedman is live tonight. wayne? >> when ed jew sh

marita davidson, is on the front lines of a devastating wildfire. and crystal dilworth is a molecular neuroscientist, how police work could stop crime before it happens. lindsay moran, shows us how mushrooms may replace polystyrene packaging. i'm phil torres, that's our team of scientists, now let's do some science. ♪ ♪ >> it has been another fantastic week of science on the road. we've got crystal, lindsay and marita here. marita, you were basically a very high tech firefighter for a week. tell me about this. >> i was on a story to tell us how we fight the rim fire in yosemite. here it is. this is a very unusual piece of technology. it almost looks like an alien insect. they've got it in a hangar and they're going to fly it up to yosemite and going to be eyes in the sky to generate action from the ground. let's check it out. the size and scope of the wildfire burning in yosemite national park is astounding. larger than the city of chicago at a cost of more than $100 million. the fire that is destroying hundreds of square miles of sensitive ecosyste

that was the focus of the report. 21st-century disaster such as heat waves in europe, wildfires in the united states, droughts in australia, and deadly flooding across the globe. above all, the study stressed that climate change has already cut into the global food supply. nobody is immune. >> nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change. thate 49-page summary in world political leaders comes at a time when it has gotten so bad that the dangerous level of risk had to be reviewed. in 2007, the biggest risk level in one key summary graphic was high and colored blazing red. the latest report adds a new level, very high, in a color of deep purple. part of the study talks about what can be done, reducing carbon pollution and adapting to and preparing for climates with smarter developments here >> -- development. >> douglas herbert joins me now. this report has been described as the most comprehensive assessment to date on the impact of climate change, also the most alarming we have heard by far. >> seven years ago, they've mentioned the word risk seven tim

in january, wildfires. and even now the state remains in extreme drought. >> we've got three. >> reporter: three? >> yeah, guess we'll see what happens. >> reporter: he is a fifth generation farmer and rancher and says even with this recent downpour his wheat harvest is ruined. >> look at that plant there. it is dead. i think the rains are just too late. >> reporter: from farms to cities, this winter of extremes has crippled california. tonight, forecasters say this storm has almost passed by the threat is far from over. tonight, high tides threaten low-lying areas while here in the foothills these basins are holding. the mountains, however, will need to take another onslaught of rain to stay steady. lester? >> all right, miguel, the same massive weather is pushing east and some 40 million people are in its path. meteorologist kim cunningham has more on what to expect, kim? >> reporter: well, lester we can expect a lot of snow and ice. so expect major travel problems as you travel from the midwest to the oh

the wildfire proposal would be one of the examples when you see those numbers in the budget.hat for pozo -- that proposal we believe the issue of wildfire financing in the united states is not being done in a way that is most cost efficient and effective in terms of impact. on an annual basis, when the wildfire start, the department of interior and the usda end up hollowing out the type of investments we need to make in efforts in the space. they take money from other places and cannot do planning and take money from other places we should be investing. most of the time what happens is those moneys get replenished at a point in time. what we think is a better approach is to think about how we use the disaster relief fund. we want to use that fund which has levels above. the fund is above thecaps and we will use space within that for a portion of funding of wildfires. that is one of the types of things that as to those numbers. the budget is also when the appropriators look, they will be able to see how we get to those numbers. there are things like that that is within, author

that's the particular worrisome for mud slides there as much as it is here because we had a wildfire along the pacific coastal highway in the past couple of weeks and it's created loose earth that can't take much of the rain. and as a result of the bad wildfire season we had in 2013, it's very marred fhard for the be retained on the land and it's running off and going straight down to the coast. it's not being held much in reservoirs or rivers, it's taking it straightaway. while it's a blessed relief we are having the rain, the truth of the matter the long-term crisis with the drought it's actually going to get worse and it's so ironic when we see so much water on the ground on a weekend like this, greg. >> i grew up very close to where you are standing and at the foothills of the mountains and we used to worry all the time about the mud slides there especially when there were fires that would wreck the foliage and, of course, expose the land. what kind of activity, if any, are you seeing in your location? >> reporter: well, we're seeing the authorities out pretty much in force here.

scene of a wildfire in mont county. the "encinal (en-sin-ahl) has burned f >>> new this morning about 200 firefighters are on the scene of a wildfire in monterey county. the encinal fire has burned 400 acres so far in rugged terrain eight miles southeast of salinas. it started as a prescribed burn wednesday night. even though it got out of control, prescribed burns are crucial. >> in general, they are really important because they are a very effective way of reducing fuel loads by burning them when conditions are more appropriate for firefighters to operate safely. >> fire is about 50% contained now. no homes are threatened and there are no reports of injuries. >>> starbucks is now expanding its menu to booze. >> in fact they have already done it in some places. the coffee chain is testing alcohol sales in just a handful of locations but it could expand. alcohol will be part of their evening menu only though. starbucks plans to expand sales to thousands of stores around the country in the next few years. it first offere

as john mentioned, mudslides are a particular concern in areas recently hit by wildfires. here's why. when trees and plant life burn, a gas is formed and trapped just below want surface, eroding the roots. then when the ground cools, the gas becomes a solid, creating a slippery, wax-like layer just underground. so when the rain comes, the soil, the rocks and trees all break loose, creating a mudslide with speeds that can top 35 miles per hour. some treacherous weather in montana as well, where some sparts of the state just sent records for a february snowfall. missoula is having a really rough go of it. they woke up this morning to white-out conversation cns after suffering a devastating avalanche yesterday. >> reporter: the torrents of snow bent a telephone pole and upended homes at the foot of mount jumbo. this is what one home looked like before the avalanche. here's what was left. riley konoske was nearby. >> the whole entire house shook, heard a loud news, looked out the window and it was just white everywhere. >> reporter: a husband and wife were inside one of the ho

it proposes a smarter way to address the cost of wildfires and includes over $1 billion in new funding for technologies to help communities prepare for a change in climate today and set up incentives to build smarter and more resilient infrastructure. we know the most effective and historically bipartisan ways to helping hardy and work families as the earned income tax credit. it helps about half of all parent in america at some point in their lives. morebudget gives millions workers to take advantage of the tax credit. it pays for it by closing loopholes like the one that lets wealthy individuals classified themselves as a small business to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. also continuell to put our fiscal house in order over the long term. code anding our tax our immigration system and building on the progress we have made to reduce health care costs under the affordable care act. it puts are dead on a downward path as a share of our connie. critics have said --economy. could except that is a critical target. our budget is about values. as a country, we have to make a decision

two of these theories on tv lexi coming out of the season with the wildfires continue to burn in the local authorities have stated that over a hundred and forty hotspots have been confirmed on here numerous people are in custody for starting wildfires. main reason is there spreading no homes but also causing this very severe case of small sea breeze and plenty of local authorities are saying that this could be the worst. these disaster that area since nineteen ninety eight and that one i didn't dollars in damages to the economy of indonesia such as indonesia last year we are ellie were talkin bout malaysia and singapore that smoke drifted over in that direction costs and damage the economy out there as well so this is something that still an ongoing situation very little relief in sight is dry season. across much of this area let's look farther towards the south into new zealand this is the remnants of my clone lucy as the remnants but it's still pretty strong storm system breeds in windy conditions across the north island anatolia which was the western parts of the south island chri

to see pone shally more showers, larger showers we've bee gun to see increase in the size of the wildfires that we respond tochlt >> thanks to drought, fuels in california are ripe for fire well before normal time. what is beneath is still ready to burn. >> it worries us a great deal. this is something we'd see if late july early august. this is going to be common we're going see more fires like this. >> according to cal fire the state had 730 wildfires last year there were 293 by this time. after rinl 250. judy parker lives in pittsburgh. just blocks from this fire station on east leland. >> the drought with no rain. dry mes of the hills. and grasses, yes. really concerned me. >> according to contra costa fire rangers from this station would have opinion the first to arrive >> we're back to a state of extreme drought in california officials reported sierra snow pack is only a 25% average. you're looking at a live picture from heavenly mountain resort courtesy lake tahoe pd. you can see there is some blue skies and some snow. spencer christian has been monitoring the dry conditions. >> her

to see pone shally more showers, larger showers we've bee gun to see increase in the size of the wildfires that we respond tochlt >> thanks to drought, fuels in california are ripe for fire well before normal time. what is beneath is still ready to burn. >> it worries us a great deal. this is something we'd see if late july early august. this is going to be common we're going see more fires like this. >> according to cal fire the state had 730 wildfires last year there were 293 by this time. after rinl 250. judy parker lives in pittsburgh. just blocks from this fire station on east leland. >> the drought with no rain. dry mes of the hills. and grasses, yes. really concerned me. >> according to contra costa fire rangers from this station would have opinion the first to arrive >> we're back to a state of extreme drought in california officials reported sierra snow pack is only a 25% average. you're looking at a live picture from heavenly mountain resort courtesy lake tahoe pd. you can see there is some blue skies and some snow. spencer christian has been monitoring the dry conditions. >> her

normally by this time of year, fires have battled 225 wildfires across the state. they've already faced more than 650, including this one that we showed you last night right here on nbc bay area in eastern contra costa county. the dry brush isn't the only concern. tonight questions about whether the water supply they use to fight fires is adequate. we have team coverage for you tonight. jeff ranieri has a closer look at the drought testimonies but we again with stephanie chuang. >> reporter: good evening. cal fire's helicopters rely on the closest available water source. they take these 500 gallon buckets that are up to 7 feet tall, but firefighters have to completely submerge the buckets in the water in order to fill them up. now, with water levels decreasing at some of these water sources, the concern is that they won't have that water they usually rely on. the summit fire burned for six days scorching entire communities in the santa cruz mountains. richard sampson says a blaze like that this year would be much more difficult to fight. as firefighters now have to

we've had catastrophic floods and mega wildfires.atening our very way of life. >> carbon pollution, a direct assault on our rural resources, on our farming, our fishing and on our forestry. >> by the way, who feels a little bit old to find out al franken is a grandfather? anyway, billionaire donor like this one, tom stire, as he confirmed he has pledged $100 million in seed money for climate causes and to fight the approval of the keystone pipeline. could the climate talk hurt those candidates in tough races or help them secure some key campaign funding? did the all-night attention grabber accomplish another goal? trying to get more attention to the issue itself? i'm joined by one of the participants, senator tim kaine, democrat from virginia. good morning to you, sir. >> chuck, good morning to you with you. >> glasses half full for those climate change activists, seeing 30 democrats doing what you did last night. glass is half empty. they see 20 democrats, including those in the toughest fights in 2014 duck the issue for fear that i

to cal fire, from january 1st to march 15th of this year the state has already had more than 730 wildfiresear there were 293 by this time. the average is 250. >> the black smoke. >> judy lives in pittsburgh across highway 4 from yesterday's brush fire and a couple blocks from this fire station on east leyland, which closed last year due to budget cuts. >> the drought with no rain and the dryness of the hills and the grasses and everything around, yes. and the fire they had over there yesterday really concerned me. >> according to contra costa fire, rigs from this station would have been among the first to arrive on thursday. instead crews had to come from much farther away. in pittsburgh, laura anthony, abc7 news. >>> now the brewing battle over sunscreen. some doctors are pointing out that some sunscreens last longer and are better for your skin. the problem is those are much easier to find outside of the country. the fda hasn't approved a new sunscreen in more than a decade. here's rhino went. >> a beach day in rio versus a beach day in california. it turns out those brazilian beach bump

two months ago it was wildfire. today, mud into their pools and backyards.nia's been in drought for months. the sudden rain caught some by surprise. two people were found stranded in a tree trying to escape the rising water of the los angeles river. take a closer look. it's not just people but their two dogs. you can see the rescuers, the los angeles firefighters, as they carefully move the frightened animals out of the tree one by one to the nearby rescue boat. and there's more rain coming. which is bad news for kim and dennis craley. they chose not to listen to mandatory evacuation order. their one road in and out too covered in mud to drive. >> you can't get out. >> no. not right now. until they clear this, we're stuck here. >> what has mother nature been like the last couple of months for you? >> we had fire, drought, and now torrential rain. >> wind. >> pretty much everything. >> yeah. we've hit all four elements at this point. i think we're done at this point with any more crazy storms. >> it's unbelievable how much mud. kyung lah joins us now live. so

the empires of the world unite we are alive ♪ ♪ and the stars make love to the universe you're my wildfirend i'm like whoo whoo and i'm like whoo ♪ ♪ i will follow you down wherever you go i am baby i'm bound to you and do you know ♪ ♪ closer pull me in tight i wanna be yours wanna be your hero and my heart beats ♪ ♪ like the empires of the world unite we are alive and the stars make love to the universe ♪ ♪ you're my wildfire every single night we are alive and the stars make love to the universe ♪ ♪ and you touch me and i'm like and i'm like and i'm like ♪ ♪ whoo whoo we are alive whoo whoo and i'm like whoo whoo we are alive ♪ ♪ i'm just gonna raise my head welcome to the final edge and i'm gonna fall ♪ ♪ i'm just gonna raise my head and hold you close like the empires of the world unite ♪ ♪ we are alive and the stars make love to the universe you're my wildfire every single night ♪ ♪ we are alive and the stars make love to the universe and you touch me and i'm like ♪ ♪ and i'm like and i'm like whoo whoo ♪ ♪ and i'm like whoo whoo and i'm like whoo whoo and i'm like whoo ♪ [ cheering a

according to cal fire the state had 730 wildfires. judy lives across' 4 just blocks from this fire station. which closed last year >> the drought, no rain. you know? the dryness of the hills. and grasses, yes, concerned me >> rigs from the station would have been among the first to arrive on thursday. instead crews had to come from farther away. >> now to the latest of the disappearance of malaysia airlines flight 370. six planes resumed searching a 22,000 square mile area half as bill big as yesterday's zone. we're learning more about the pilots and contoll. >> a purported transcript detail what's flight 370 told air traffic controllers from take off has been obtained from london's telegraph newspaper. on commercial flights one pilot usually flies, the other handling radio calls the conversation matched with what investigators and u.s. officials have told cnn. ed recordings indicated a normal plight the telegraph says the calls were slightly casual but gave no sign the plane was about to disappear. a message saying the plane was at 3

. >> take time to notice of the wildfires that are on the grassland and keep your head out on the lookout for hawks and other bird life. be sure to take your camera and be prepared to take a view of the city will not forget. it has a beautiful red rock formations. you could watch the sunrise over the bay. this is another one of our great lookouts. we are at mount davidson. 928 feet. this is the place for you to bring someone special. to not forget that dogs and enjoy all of the pathways and greenery that surrounds you. it provides a peaceful oasis of open space and great hiking trails. the spectacular view offers a perfect place to watch the sunrise or sunset with someone you love. >> it is a good place to get away from the hectic life of the city. come up here and listen to nature, i get some fresh air. that view is fantastic. >> where sturdy shoes. hikers get the feeling of being in a rain forest. mount davidson is also a great place to escape the noise and the bustle of the city. take the 36 bus and it will drop you at the entrance. it is quite a hike to the top but the view is worth e

there have been more than 800 wildfires statewide. there are usually fewer than 300 this time of the year. >>> general motors is adding almost 1 million vehicles to its ignition switch recall. it's been linked to a dozen deaths. it includes the chevrolet cobalt, the chevrolet hhr, the pontiac g5, the pontiac solstice and the pontiac sky. it can turn the ignition off and deactivate the airbags. >>> they're stopping selling the chevrolet cruz. they're in dealer lots with the 1.4 turbo engine. >>> the model s cars, they are going to reduce the risk of fires. it contains lithium batteries, they're going to have a triple under bottle shield. it will be free for anyone who wants it. they signed off on the modifications after closing an investigation of the car fires. >>> your time now is 7:15 and depending on where you live you may hear rain pounding on your windows today. >> it's a soggy day. the heaviest rain will be this morning. into the afternoon we'll be mostly cloudy and we'll have those possibilities of the on and off showers contin

they cleaned up and these are areas that were burned by wildfires and are now vulnerable. over 1,000 homes were evacuated. they are dig trenches to keep the situation from getting worse. >> it would have brought the second story down and we would have lost everything. >> people say when they returned home they would have found several feet in their yard. >>> they are searching after the two had been in court at madera. she said she watched him drive away but he never arrived at the retirement community where he lives. police and friends have been searching for him ever since. >> because it was a rainy evening, the glare from headlights, maybe he missed his turn off and confusion set up. >> they have turned up no sign of the car davis was driving. it does have a right denned front. >> -- dented front. >>> a snowstorm made it tough for rescue crews to get to the crash site. it is east and the pilots name has not been used. >>> they are looking to finalize a plea deal. 26-year-old bradley took the girl from mark side elementary in september of 2012 dragged her off campus and

wildfires are in a long-term decline, except in government forests. there is no trend in sea levels related to increases in greenhouse gases concentrations. the record of the arctic ice cover is ambiguous. there is no drought trend since 1895, and the same is true for flooding over the past 85-127 years. when asking dr. holdron about this, he responlds, "the first few people you quoted are not representative of the mainstream scientific opinion on this point. that was a baseless accusation. he had no data to dispute their information. hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, floods are measured every year. we have objective data. dr. pealty went back and examined the hurricanes by category, five being the strongest down to one being the lightest, and he categorized them up 50-plus years. and we're not having more hurricanes or bigger hurricanes, and we're not having more floods. and we're not having more tornadoes. surprising, we had a very severe tornado a few years ago in alabama, but the data would indicate clearly that nationwide we are just not having mo

past several years, in the past decade, we've begun to see a significant increase in the size of wildfiresspond to. >> reporter: thanks to the drought, the fuels in california are ripe for fire, well before their normal time. despite the rains that turn the top grass to green what lies beebe neath is tinder dry and ready to burn. >> it worries us a great deal. again, this is something we would normally see in maybe late july or early august and we're seeing this in march. so if we don't get further water, more rain, then this is going to come and we're going to see more and more fires like this. >> reporter: according to cal fire from january 1st to march 15 ft of this year, the state has already had more than 730 wildfires. last year there were 293 by this team. the average is 250. >> awfully black smoke. >> reporter: judy barker lives in pittsburgh across highway 4 a couple of blocks from this fire station which closed last year due to budget cuts. >> with the drought, no rain, and the dryness of the hills and the grasses and everything around, yes. in t and the fire they had yesterday r

they are making wildfires much more likely. fire's director said fire activity has remained 200% above average statewide. about 100 seasonal firefighters will begin work monday in northern california, as well as several hundred elsewhere in the state. talking about wildfires, it is now raining. >> yeah. only 30 to 40% of seasonal rain totals. we certainly not going to make up for that. rain not only today but through the week ahead. wait until you see thesen day outlook. clears a look at the live doppler 7hd. green represents the rain. we have wind and fog accompanying this. right now it's in the north bay but we have showers in the coastal hills. this will spread south throughout the day. it is a slow mover. right now we have had rain in santa rosa for the past hour or so. and highway 101 and over toward glen ellen, yachtville looking at the wet weather. and down through san rafael you will be getting wet. here's a look at some mist and drizzle from montara and the santa cruz mountains getting into the act shortly. with the br

the reason you're getting this much water is because the runoff has no vegetation after the wildfires to contain that water and we'll see more water coming down literally in moments time as the runoff from the top of the hill comes along and it doesn't look like a huge flash flood but as i wade into it, i can tell you the force of the water that is coming through, as soon as it goes over the top of my golasches, my feet, it's pushing me back. if i go any further, i'm going to lose my balance. it just shows you how much water is really coming down. today they are expecting between 4 to 5 inches. we haven't had any measurements yet of how much has fallen. this storm that you're seeing right now is perhaps the strongest that we'll have all day. we've been waiting all day for it to arrive. could be more than 5 inches. we'll see when the official measurements come in but certainly this is more rain in the last couple of days than california received in eight or nine months. that's how intense it really is. and it's not just here in the san gabriel valley. it goes all the way out to the coa

this fund-raiser will help those affected by a flood in the area and a wildfire burned a large section of the town. >> people still remember even a month ago. for me, for the rest of the indonesian group they help. whatever they need. >> reporter: the goal is to raise $2,000. money is already coming in, as you can see. this will go a very, very long way in indonesia. the money will be sent directly to a relative in the affected region who will be necessities for the people and divy up the money as he sees fit. . >>> daifrd brenvid brener had b fighting cancer for the past few years. he died this afternoon at his home in new york city. >>> a popular san francisco burger place that's been favorite for generations is about to close for good. joe's cable car opened 49 years ago in 1965. tomorrow it will serve its last meal. the restaurant's name sake has been there all along grinding top drawer chuck steak into eight ounce patties. he says long time customers who have grown up visiting his restaurants are coming back for one last meal. >> you're breaking my heart. i'm going to miss them so

big thanks after the cookie making class at wildfire restaurant in mcclain. it benefitted food for friends which feeds people in need in fairfax county. a lot of wonderful people including melissa turned out to help the cause. i apologized to parents after wards. i mean, we had dozens of kids on sugar highs. some were eating frost out of the dispenser. it was awesome. there were spring cookies. everybody is in the spirit, flowers and butterflies. >> today crunch, crunch, crunch out the door you go. burn up the sugar. sunshine and today. >>> breaking news this sunday morning -- terrorism concerns and that missing malaysian airlines jet with 239 dead. the latest from the white house on what the u.s. knows. good sunday morning. such a difficult way to begin the program this morning, more on the investigation into the mysterious disappearance of that plane and the questions about foul play give thanwo

this fund-raiser will help those affected by a flood in the area and a wildfire burned a large section of the town. >> people still remember even a month ago. for me, for the rest of the indonesian group they help. whatever they need. >> reporter: the goal is to raise $2,000. money is already coming in, as you can see. this will go a very, very long way in indonesia. the money will be sent directly to a relative in the affected region who will be necessities for the people and divy up the money as he sees fit. . >>> daifrd brenvid brener had b fighting cancer for the past few years. he died this afternoon at his home in new york city. >>> a popular san francisco burger place that's been favorite for generations is about to close for good. joe's cable car opened 49 years ago in 1965. tomorrow it will serve its last meal. the restaurant's name sake has been there all along grinding top drawer chuck steak into eight ounce patties. he says long time customers who have grown up visiting his restaurants are coming back for one last meal. >> you're breaking my heart. i'm going to miss them so

. >> the mud has been flowing off the hillside bared by a 1900-acre wildfire in january. >>> despite the considerable rain around the bay area and that snowpack we saw in the sierra, we are still in the grips of that drought. this weekend governor jerry brown is taking action. he signed two bills that provide nearly $700 million in drought relief funding and that is mostly voter approved bond money to pay for projects to help communities manage water resources and provide cash for farm workers impacted by the drought. $1 million of that will go to a public awareness campaign to inform residents how we can all save more water. back in january, governor brown declared a drought state of emergency and directed state officials to prepare for water shortages. you can track our weather online on our website. follow our rain using the doppler radar and get the forecast using our neighborhood. we want to see weather in your neighborhood. tweet or facebook your pictures to nbc bay area. >>> to the developing story in ukraine. the crisis now on the brink of becoming a full-blown war with ukrai

to cal fire, from january 1st to march 15th of this year the state has already had more than 730 wildfiresar there were 293 by this time. the average is 250. >> the black smoke. >> judy lives in pittsburgh across highway 4 from yesterday's brush fire and a couple blocks from this fire station on east leyland, which closed last year due to budget cuts. >> the drought with no rain and the dryness of the hills and the grasses and everything around, yes. and the fire they had over there yesterday really concerned me. >> according to contra costa fire, rigs from this station would have been among the first to arrive on thursday. instead crews had to come from much farther away. in pittsburgh, laura anthony, abc7 news. >> scary stiff. but maybe some good news? >> yes, a little bit. we are looking at some rain coming our way for the upcoming work week, and also another chance of rain ten days out. this is far out and it's not a huge storm or any huge storms on the horizon, but we will take any rains that we can. for today it's a different story. you head out with low clouds and fog. 7:10 the sun

. >> and how dangerous wildfires can be sparked by golf clubs. ,,,, bulldog: look at that! $300 off serta perfect sleeper and sealy posturepedic. plus, free delivery. the red tag means you save more green during mattress discounters red tag sale. ♪ mattress discounters emerged as a castro valley n was charged with killing his wife. feng m >>> new tonight, grisly details emerged as a castro valley man was charged with killing his wife. he was arraigned on a murder charge there afternoon. he is in a jumpsuit standing up there. the alameda county district attorney's office says his wife's body was found in a bedroom closet. she had been shot twice. the sheriff's department says it had been to the couple's home several times for domestic violence calls. >>> san francisco moving forward with its expanded ban on electronic cigarettes. the city's board of supervisors unanimously voted today to ban the use of ecigarettes at all bars, restaurants and businesses. additionally, sellers will have to get a special permit. and the products cannot be sold at pharmacies or other places whe

a raging wildfire. -- off by a raging wildfire. we wanted to find out quickly in we wanted to find out quickly in real-time that kids need to be picked up at school and families know their loved ones were safe and we had to evacuate and find out who was traveling that day. we had to crack open hr databases, in some cases personal databases were we had noncustodial parents that now had access to kids. the point of that was that during that context in time it was because we planned to do that, we knew when there was a beginning, a middle and and and. -- and the end. i knew when we shut down access to the databases as soon as when we opened access and that is the critical point as well. we are always in a crisis and people throw things at a wall but you have to practice for the end of the crisis when everyone is bored and exhausted and going home to make sure that data which is critical or you would not have been touching it in an emergency in the first place has been closed again. it is the boring details

. >>> california fire crews are battling a raging wildfire that torched nearly 150 acres of bone-dry land about 50 miles northeast of los angeles. nearly 200 firefighters were called in to battle friday's blaze. that is still not under control. two super scooper planes drew water from nearby lake -- a nearby lake to keep the fire from reaching nearby ranches. luckily, no one has had to be evacuated. >>> and take a look at this new source surveillance video that shows the moment that the deadly explosion leveled two apartment buildings her in new york city. you see grocery flying off store chefs inside the store, a block away. the bodies of eight people meanwhile, who were killed in the blast have been pulled from the debris and investigators discovered natural gas underground which supports the theory at least the powerful explosion was caused by a gas leak. >>> and in tennessee, teenagers on a recent fishing trip reeled in a little more than they expected. well, a lot more. call this the catch of the day, two bags filled with $10,000 in stolen cash. the money was colored red from a

with flooding and even mud slides after a recent wildfire stripped the steep mountain of trees and other vegetation. the storm is expected to continue through the day. >>> also down south a dramatic rescue, two men and two dogs, this is video of the swift water rescue workers from the l.a. fire department who are doing what they do best. the los angeles river very tame sometimes in some spots hardly any water at all. a good reminders about our own local rivers and streams if it's high stay away. >>> overseas now, a russian invasion or is it a peacekeeping mission. a dangerous turn in the ukraine after thousands of armed russian troops arrived in the crimea region. russian soldiers are surrounding two main airports in southern ukraine. they flew in by helicopter and came in on a russian warship. russia says it is there for security purposes only and to prevent unrest in the country. but some top leaders believe that it is an invasion of ukraine which used to be part of the soviet union. president obama says he is deeply concerned. >> any violation of ukraine's sovereignty and territorial

promised to divest from his kinder martin holdings and pledged to donate money to the victims of wildfireshe looks to the oil industry for answers. >> how do you take the incident that happened in mayflower and what happened to peoples' lives there, how do you apply that to the work you're doing now against the keystone pipeline? >> let's step back for a moment which is this. i actually believe the solution for our energy problems is going to be corporate america and actually will be private enterprise america. when we get the policy framework right, the people in that sphere will come up with creative, imaginative, innovative solutions that will blow our mind. i mean, if you really look at what's happening in the fossil fuels arena, people are being really creative and innovative. some people hate fracking but fracking is a new technology somebody from the united states came up with as a way of engineering around an old problem. that's exactly what i expect american business to do. >> what you're saying is no, not all corporations are evil, not all corporations are bad, and in fact it's o