Going to the green here in santa rosa. Also in San Francisco, and moderate through novato, concord, napa and redwood city and oakland. Over the next 12 hours, i think most of us will be in the moderate range with the coast in the good category. Ill show you whats ahead for tomorrow and also what im watching that might bring some smoke eventually back to the bay area. Well have that in about 18 minutes. Its like a big roller coaster ride. All right. Well see you shortly, jeff. Well four weeks of being stuck indoors, is it safe to go outside, at least for the next couple of days. Marianne favro for us this evening. Marianne . Reporter well, yes, the air quality has definitely improved compared to last week. In fact, i saw a tiny patch of blue sky this afternoon in san jose. But pulmonologists say this air is still unhealthy so dont ditch your n95 masks just yet. Last week we had to contend with orange skies, thick smoke and unhealthy air. Today a visible improvement. Less smoke and in several parts of the bay area, like here in san rafael, even a little bit of blue sky as the air quality index was in moderate level. The change inspired sue sellers to take a bike ride in campbell today. Compared to last week, its so much better. Yeah, last week was just gruesome. Reporter yes, the air quality has improved, but Kaiser Permanente pulmonologist dr. Thomas daily says it still poses a risk to your health. So a few days ago, exercising outdoors would have been made the equivalent of smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, today exercising outdoors would be similar oh smoking a half a pack of cigarettes a day. So its still a problem. Reporter and even if it is tempting, he says you shouldnt work out outside today or tomorrow. Which will be our 30th consecutive spare the air day in the bay area. It just compounds the issue that day after day after day were exposed to this terrible air quality. These are particulates that get into our lungs and cause inflammation in our lungs. It tends to exacerbate preexisting lung conditions. Reporter which is why dr. Dailey says keep checking the air quality index. Once it shows green under 50, then you can go outside and enjoy exercising. Reporting live in san jose, marianne favro, nbc bay area news. Marianne, thank you. We posted a link to air now right on our website. Just enter your city to check out the air quality where you live. Its very easy to use. Thats nbcbayarea. Com. One day after President Trump visited california to get an update on our wildfires, senator Kamala Harris also came to get an update and a firsthand look. The democratic Vice President ial nominee landed in fresno before making a number of stops in the fresno area. And seeing the damage done by the creek fire. Jessica aguirre has been following senator harris day. She joins us now with more. Jessica . Janelle, this is senator harris first trip to california since accepting that nomination, and, unfortunately, it was a somber trip for her. Now, she met with Governor Newsom today. They are very longtime, you know, friends and political allies. And they met with volunteers and firefighters as well. But the big thing she came to see was the damage caused by the fires. Now, the senator and the governor got a briefing from cal fire about the damage done by the creek fire. As well as the lengths that firefighters are going to right now to get the fire under control. Harris also visited a local high school where she met with red cross volunteers that are helping the fire evacuees during this time. In addition, she went to a fresno fire station where she and the governor delivered lunch to firefighters. She took time to speak to reporters. Unlike President Trump yesterday, harris squarely blamed Climate Change for being the main reason for our devastation. This is not a partisan issue. This is not ideology should not kick in. Its just a fact. This is just a fact. And we have to do better as a country. We have to understand that california, like so many other parts of our country, have has experienced extreme weather conditions. The hots are getting hotter, the dries are getting dryer. Climate change is real. If you dont believe in science, come to california and observe with your own eyes. You cannot be in denial about this reality. Now, President Trump again doubled down on Forest Management being the number one reason for the fires. He also says that the california official who pressed him about Climate Change came after him afterward and told him that his view the president s view was the correct one. Now, we have not heard from the professor, so we dont really know what happened there. The president , by the way, went off to a Campaign Stop in philadelphia today. Okay, jessica, thanks so much. Well, it has been a devastating and recordbreaking wildfire season so far. We still have two months left to go. Check out this graph right here. It shows a number of acres burned every year since 1990. The numbers up and down over the years, as you can see, but check out 2018. We set a new record with 1. 9 million acres burned. This year we are 70 higher than that at 3. 2 million acres. The largest one, the august fire in mendocino county, the largest wildfire in california history at nearly 1 million acres. It would cover all of marin county down to San Francisco, palo alto and most of the east bay. The fire, like many in california, including this one, were started by dry lightning, raj. Okay, janelle. Encouraging news for businesses in marin county. Theyve got the green light to reopen. The county moved to the red tier on the States Coronavirus tracking system. Thats less restrictive than the purple tier. Here are the changes. Retail and indoor malls can now operate at 50 capacity. Personal care salons are allowed to operate indoors. Museums, movie theaters, restaurants and places of worship can operate indoors at 25 capacity. And gyms can reopen at 10 capacity. Well, as we approach halloween, will there even be a halloween . Not just halloween, but many other holidays and notable dates. Dr. Galley, the secretary of health and Human Services also talked about Rosh Hashanah that begins this weekend. He then addressed trick or treating which will be discouraged. Each of these upcoming celebrations are going to look different over the course of the rest of this year, certainly, and into early next year. Dr. Ghaly says he will put out the guidelines for the state for halloween shortly. The San Leandro Police officer who shot and killed a man during a confrontation inside a walmart made his First Court Appearance today. Officer Jason Fletcher facings voluntary manslaughter charges for the death of Steven Taylor back in april. Fletchers Attorney Says he is really for the long legal battle ahead and is confident he can show the officer was defending himself. Nbc bay areas melissa colorado has more on how the countrys movement for Racial Justice could impact this case. Reporter michael taylor. Lock him up. He killed my brother. Lock him up. Reporter hes innocent. He didnt commit a crime. He will be acquit snood are the two men on opposite sides of what could be the next highprofile trial that will test californias new law, restricting when police can use deadly force. The new law says police can only use deadly force if it stops a person from killing or harming that officer or anyone else. Former prosecutor Stephen Clark is not involved in the case, but says given the nationwide scrutiny over police conduct, many doerngs wiistrict attorney following this case closely. It is very difficult to convict Police Officers, so this is an important test case moving forward. Reporter this morning san land row Police OfficerJason Fletcher was formally arraigned for voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of 33yearold Steven Taylor. Back in April Fletcher was called to a walmart in san leandro after someone reported an alleged shoplifter was holding a baseball bat. Body camera video shows fletcher ordering taylor to put the bat down and tasing him twice. Moments later, fletcher shoots taylor in the chest. Killing him. I wont be able to see him again because someone was scared. Its sickening. Its crazy. Reporter demonstrators who beamed the words justice for Steven Taylor on the walls of the San Leandro PoliceDepartment Last night were also outside of the dublin courthouse this morning. At the heart of this case, did fletcher do enough to deescalate . He did everything he could to avoid having to use the firearm. Well, this prosecution is a reflection of the Community Climate on police use of force. Officer fletchers bail was set at 200,000. He was taken into custody briefly before being allowed to post bail. Hes due back in court on the 28th. In dublin, im melissa colorado, nbc bay area news. 12 million is the highest settlement ever paid by the city of louisville, kentucky. Today an agreement was reached with the family of breonna taylor. Back in march the 26yearold was killed by police during a botched narcotics raid even though she had no history of drug or criminal offenses. Coming up on nightly news with lester holt hear from Breonna Taylors mother and how the deal will change the Louisville Police department. Up next, the possible name change in the city of berkeley. For a popular hiking spot named after its first police chief. The controversial part of his past sparking this discussion. Plus, missing those day trips that were possible precovid . Two High School Seniors come up with a way to bring outdoor experiences to those who now cant leave their house. Ill have details on the improving air quality and the fog rolling back in for tomorrow morning. Im chief meteorologist jeff ranieri. Thats up in my forecast in about eight minutes. The air qualitys Getting Better here, but up north in seattle, its still very unhealthy, and thats prompted Major League Baseball to postpone tonights giants game. The giants were supposed to play in seattle. Instead, the team flew back to San Francisco and will play two games at oracle park tomorrow. This is what it looks like at the ballpark there in seattle and downtown today. In the state of washington, the air quality over 240. You might recall, the as were actually in seattle yesterday and played two games in that thick haze. As players complained about having to play in the dangerous conditions. The legacy of another bay area icon is being called into question tonight and could lead to a name change at the highest peak in the berkeley hills. August wolmer was berkeleys first police chief. Many people credit him with innovations including hiring africanamericans and women. But some now accuse him of supporting eugenics. The peak in tilden park is named after him. But a Berkeley City Council member wants the east Bay Regional Park District now to rename that peak. The name change request is on Tonights City Council agenda. Well, calls for inclusion. A lawsuit claiming Foothills Park in palo alto is racially segregated. A group of civil rights activists are demanding the city repeal what it calls an unconstitutional residents only restriction. City leaders argue keeping Foothills Park private to palo alto residents and their guests helped maintain the crowds which in turn keeps it clean and functioning. Well, staying safe during this pandemic is a mix of things you can do and cannot do. For many seniors, even going outside is too big of a risk. Thats very true. Thankfully in the east bay, much younger people willing to bring the outside world in. Garvin thomas has tonights bay area proud. If youre the parent of a teenager or even just know a few, you know there are 1,000 different ways they can use their phone to disconnect from the world around them. Perhaps thats why its so special that when you hear about two High School Seniors used theirs to do just the opposite. Is that all the clips that you have . Even before the pandemic started. Ooh, i like that one. Inside was not somewhere maddie freed and emmy eckhouse wanted to spend too much time. The best friends were always looking for a good excuse to get out. Whenever one of us says, do you want to do this . Okay, be there in five minute. Reporter so, the stayathome orders hit this pair pretty hard. But not, they knew, as hard as some others, namely seniors living in retirement communities and nursing homes. A vulnerable population with strict orders to stay put. The elderly are so high risk for the virus, so i think it was just we realized that and we were like, oh, thats thats worse than what we have. Yeah, thats worse. Reporter both maddie and emmy have had relatives who lived in Senior Communities and know how much they enjoy their outings. While everybodys stuck inside, like, someone needs to do something that can help even just a little bit. Ready . Okay. In 1852 so maddie and emmy came up with an idea, one that got them out in real life and gave the seniors a virtual escape. Welcome to the walnut creek library. Reporter a video day trip, they called it. I used to go with my grandmother every week to check out new books. Here we are at the iron horse trail. Reporter around their hometown of walnut creek. Orter stopping at wellknown land marks at the height of production, the farm had 200 seasonal works. Reporter sharing perhaps some littleknown history. We thought, like, they need something to, like, unite them, bring them together, have a sense of community. That fireplace offer there has, like, some sort of significance. Reporter after researching, shooting and editing their video, maddie and emmy shared it with more than two dozen facilities around the east bay. Became one of the first. Reporter hundreds of residents have watched. One home even inviting them to visit inperson when such things are possible. The gardens founder ruth ba bancroft lived to be 109. Reporter in the meantime the two are happy to know they may have provided a distraction for those stuck inside while coming up with an excuse to get themselves outside. Garvin thomas, nbc bay area news. Thats helpful for us, too. Oh, for sure. Very good job. Thats a great story. Jeff, lets talk about air quality. Wow, we saw vast improvements around the bay area today. So nice. That change in the upper level winds, also the surface winds really helping to kick this smoke out of here. I know everybody has been so thankful, really, to just be able to go outside today and breathe a little bit of some fresher air. Now, it was unhealthy on and off at types today, but overall, much, much better. So as we begin our microclimate forecast, i thought wed take a look back at all the unhealthy days of air quality we have had. It is longest stretch ever for the spare the air days. 29 consecutive days we have been under, and thats why its probably been so depressing for a lot of you. I know for me each day its been kind of a battle. We normally typically only have 13 days per year. If you look at the numbers closer, the 2020 season had a total of 33 spare the air days. So also another record for the total amount in one year. Wildfire smoke also the lead pollution cause versus the traditional pollution coming from cars and other things. So goodbye, good riddance. Were seeing that better air quality move on in, and its all from this. Ive been telling you about this for over a week, so very relieved to see the storm system really kind of panning out. As expected. With it building offshore. All about this area of low pressure, had some rain associated with it. But the good stuff for us has been the wind, the upper level wind, the surface winds kicking this smoke off to the north and the east, and at this point, i think were going to see this pattern continue tonight into thursday. Also into fridays forecast as well. So as we move through the next 12 hours, im doing it in a 12hour increment here just because it is an hour by hour situation. I think over the next 12 hours will be moderate from the north bay to the south bay. And at the coastline well be good. As we roll through tomorrow, im keeping it in the moderate with the coastline in the good category as well. So this is all based on the current fire behavior. We see the fires change or new fires develop. That obviously will change. Now, i wanted to let you know, tomorrow morning when you look up at the sky, its not gonna be thick smoke, but we have fog coming back from the north bay down to the south bay. Pretty thick, even for the inland valleys. Even some drizzle right there at the coastline. That will all kick back for the afternoon and we should see some sun kicking through that haze. Temperatures tomorrow morning, theyll start on the cool side with that fog. 62 in the south bay. 60 in the trivalley. Best chance of that drizzle right there in San Francisco, and 57 degrees. By the afternoon, we should be able to rebound to pretty good temperatures here. Le 8 in concord, 87 livermore. Down to san jose, 79. Santa rosa, 82 and i got you in the 60s here, San Francisco to half moon bay. My extended forecast in sf continues with morning fog, afternoon sun the next couple of days and the 60s. For the inland valleys, well see that improving air wednesday, thursday and friday. But i do want to draw your attention over here to sundays forecast as northeast winds 10 to 20 could bring back some smoke. It doesnt look like red flag fire warning conditions, but if higher containment isnt brought on these fires, we could see that wind bring down more smoke. Well keep a close eye on that. No now, everybody, enjoy that fresher air. We were all smiling for the first time in weeks to see fresher air. Apple shows off new products today, but not the iphone 12. Why its delayed. Next. Our nations racial reckoning could soon lead to pretty big changes inside b. A. R. T. s police force. Well tell you what it means for you with our new season, our Digital Series about all things b. A. R. T. And you can watch all of our new episodes right now on our app, youtube, apple tv at nbcbayarea. Com derailed. Well, ucsf wants to help track the coronavirus with your smartphone. Its part of the new covid seeker study. Anyone can download the app. You dont have to be covid positive. Google maps logs your location every few minutes so analysts can see where people probably got infected and when they were most likely to infect others. Volunteers also report symptoms daily, but they arent identified to preserve privacy. The covid seeker app looks back in time as opposed to apples covid tracker which sends alerts in real time when other users who are nearby have tested positive. Apple unveiled several new products today, but no new iphone and you can blame it on the pandemic. Covid slowed production so we will likely not see the iphone 12 until at least october. Apple did show off new versions of the ipad and apple watch during todays event. The new apple watch will track the oxygen level in your blood. If you choose to buy it for the whole family, it will track your Childrens Health as well. A subscription to track your inhome exercising. That costs 8. I just graduated from the apple 8, the iphone 8. I dont have an apple watch. Oh, you mean the phone . Yes. Making way for the new way of christmas in the park in san jose. Stay with us. Hi. Were glad you came in. Whats on your mind . Can you help keep these guys protected online . Easy. Connect to the xfi gateway. What about wireless data options for the family . You can customize and save. What about internet speeds that can keep up with my gaming . Lets hook you up with the Fastest Internet from xfinity. And now with our stores reopening, were putting Healthy Practices in place. Come visit a store today. Stop in or book an appointment online at a time that works for you. Now thats simple, easy, awesome. Ask. Shop. Discover at your local xfinity store today. Im szasz. [norm] and we live in columbia, missouri. We do consulting, but we also write. [szasz] we take care of ourselves constantly; its important. We walk three to five times a week, a couple miles at a time. Weve both been taking prevagen for a little more than 11 years now. After about 30 days of taking it, we noticed clarity that we didnt notice before. Its still helping me. I still notice a difference. Prevagen. Healthier brain. Better life. Tonight at 6 00, could we have a vaccine by election day . How about the end of this year . A ucsf Infectious Disease expert weighs in with a realistic timeline. That story and more tonight at 6 00. Finally at 5 00, a giant drivethrough. The new reality for christmas in the park, san joses enduring tradition. Theyre going to move it from plaza decesar chavez. It will be drivethrough. The emphasis on Pretty Lights so its now a nighttime event. Advanced tickets on sale for 20 bucks. There is an early bird rate for 10. This will be a bigger event because all of history park will be decorated. It kind of reminds me of the holiday drivethrough in los gatos. There is the street that you can walk through. Thats going to do it for us. Lester holt is next. Bye. Tonight the dangerous hurricane bearing down as we come on the air. The gulf coast bracing for impact from hurricane sally. The category 1 storm packing 80mileperhour winds already bringing heavy rain emergency evacuations, as officials warn of historic, life threatening flooding al roker is timing it out for us also the rising toll in the western wildfires. Dozens dead, many more missing. The first images inside an oregon town left in ashes. Now the toxic air reaching all the way to the east coast. Breaking news, the federal officer shot outside a courthouse what the fbi jus