also breaking, massive wildfires in washington state. thousands fleeing their homes, the view from the sky, terrifying, and new fear of powerful winds fueling the flames deadly missile strike in ukraine, russia hitting this theater, at least seven killed, more than 100 injured. major derailment in oklahoma, what sent these train cars flying off the rails. new video of a driverless taxi and a fire engine colliding. the major decision about this new technology protests over the death of a beloved orca held in captivity it was set to go free. why animal rights groups are outraged. >> we need to do better than this and the united airlines pilot who said he hit a breaking point. what drove him to attack this parking gate with an ax. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with jose diaz-balart. good evening, we begin tonight with a hurricane barrelling toward the united states that in itself is a major headline, but what makes this storm so historic and so dangerous is where it's heading. straight for southern california it is likely to weaken to a tropical storm before it hits, something that hasn't happened there since before world war ii. right now, hurricane hilary is battering mexico hitting resort towns like cabo san lucas, and cities like tijuana where so many migrants are currently staying. nearly 30 million people across six states are bracing for potentially devastating flooding here's why the storm could bring a year's worth of rain in just 48 hours and the dry, desert lands across the southwest won't be able to absorb it all. officials are already warning some residents to prepare to evacuate priscilla thompson begins our coverage tonight from palm springs, california. >> reporter: tonight, hurricane hilary bearing down, slamming parts of mexico. now barrelling north towards the u.s. in cabo san lucas, heavy rain pounding the tourist hot spot. and tonight, in southern california, this dire warning. >> make no mistake, this is a very very dangerous and significant storm. >> reporter: residents from san diego to palm springs, bracing for disaster filling sandbags to protect against potentially catastrophic floods >> i'm pretty worried, yeah, yeah >> reporter: just a few inches of rain in desert areas like palm springs can be catastrophic because of the sun baked, dry hard soil and sand which doesn't easily absorb water, sending flood waters rushing on to roadways and into neighborhoods. but it's not just rain officials say the storm could cause life-threatening rip currents, deadly mud slides, and even tornadoes residents now making a run on grocery stores, shelves, emptied as people race to stock up on essentials. >> i wanted to make sure i'm prepared. >> reporter: tonight, officials with this warning. >> if you do not need to be on the roadways, we are asking you to postpone any of your nonessential travel. >> reporter: air traffic already in jeopardy. southwest airlines cancelling all flights in and out of palm springs through monday morning national parks closed, too, including death valley, joshua tree, and others across southern california, communities on edge, as the storm inches closer. >> priscilla is in palm springs where storm preps continue priscilla even the military is getting ready for a worst case scenario across the southwest. >> reporter: that's right, jose, as people here frantically fill sandbags, the national guard has been prepositioned in california and nevada along with high water rescue vehicles, and even the navy is moving their ships out of the san diego bay to prevent damage jose. >> priscilla thompson in palm springs. thank you. let's get right to nbc meteorologist angie lassman who's tracking the storm angie, what's the latest >> jose, we have weakening from hurricane hilary as expected now down to a category 2 with 110 miles per hour wind. as we get into tomorrow, making landfall as a cat 1 storm, and a tropical storm as it threatens parts of southern california, bringing with it ample parts of rain as far north as montana through the next couple of days. the flood alerts are up for 26 million people, including l.a., san diego, las vegas and as far north as boise we have heavy rain, catastrophic rain happening here as we get through the day on sunday. that's the timing. sunday afternoon specifically into sunday evening. we'll see potentially upward of 10 inches of rain, east of the l.a. and san diego mountains that's the bullseye of some of the most excessive rain fall that we're expecting of course the winds, too, 30 to 50 miles per hour gusts. but the highest elevations could see wind gusts up to 80 miles per hour downed trees and power lines are a possibility through sunday >> angie lassman, thank you. in washington state, thousands of people are evacuating three massive wildfires. those fires have already burned several homes and killed at least one person, and there are new concerns tonight about the impact the smoke is having on our air quality. here's jesse kirsch. >> reporter: tonight, a state of emergency in eastern washington. crews battling multiple wind blown wildfires, at least one already turned deadly with thousands evacuated. three different wildfires, the gray, winona and oregon blazes all raging outside spokane since friday how severe are these fires compared to others you have seen in your community before, where do these rank? >> it is incredible the destruction that occurred in these residential neighborhoods and how quickly that fire overtook that community. >> reporter: spokane county sheriff telling me at least one person has been found dead in the gray fire zone. >> i would not be surprised if we have more fatalities as we're able to get into areas and investigate. >> reporter: at last word, that blaze 0% contained. >> this is one of the most challenging, difficult fires that washington state has seen because of the fuel load, the wind, and the heavy population >> reporter: the region's fires have already destroyed at least 300 structures, including homes. >> i started to remember all the treasures from family heirlooms that i'll never get back. >> reporter: and beyond the fire zone, officials warn smoke from these blazes as well as canadian wild fires are making air quality dangerous in more than half of washington state meanwhile, authorities urging people to evacuate the washington fire zones when told. >> we know properties can be rebuilt, possessions can be replaced, but lives are irreplaceable. >> reporter: with the unpredictable fire threat far from over. jesse kirsch, nbc news. >> and now to the wildfires that have destroyed so much of maui, hawaii's governor is vowing to rebuild the hardest hit areas, but tonight there are growing calls for accountability as search teams are still scouring the burn zone for those lost dana griffin has the latest from maui. >> reporter: tonight, the agonizing search for the missing in lahaina. >> we can't found my friends and we post on the facebook, please can you see them, my friends, only we need help please. >> reporter: in an address to the state. >> lahaina will rise again. >> reporter: governor josh green vowing to rebuild and not repeat history, that as of now left a confirmed 11114 dead. >> we will get to the bottom of exactly how the fire started, how our emergency procedures and protocols need to be strengthened and how we can improve our defenses to protect us in the future. >> reporter: the painstaking process will take years. ♪ and community members want input. >> give us time to heal and allow us to sit at the table. >> reporter: atf investigators are working to determine the fire's cause as hawaiian electric and its subsidiaries are hit with a fifth lawsuit, alleging power lines owned by these companies came into contact with vegetation. >> reporter: do you regret not sounding the sirens? >> i do not. >> reporter: it comes as maui's recently resigned emergency management administrator, herman andaya under fire for not activating the emergency sirens, saying that could have sent people toward the flames >> we're not stupid. we know what a fire looks like. >> reporter: with cell service spotty, kindergarten teacher, kim comato says she has been able to reach only 8 of her 23 students' families >> own that you were wrong and it cost lives. these children on the hill, the ones we can't find, those are our students >> reporter: this is noaa the cadaver dog, they have managed to find eight of the victims so far. >> reporter: is there a pattern you're noticing when you find these bodies >> smoke inhalation puts you to sleep, so a lot of these victims went to sleep before they were affected >> reporter: with nearly 80% of the burn area searched and hundreds still missing, many on maui are holding out hope while lending a helping hand to each other as the road to recovery begins. >> dana griffin joins me now from maui. there's a new warning for residents there? >> reporter: that's right, jose. officials have expanded the water advisory, which means you should not drink it even if you boil it. it's a precautionary measure because of the unknown impacts of this wildfire jose. >> dana griffin in maui, thank you. overseas, the casualties are rising after a russian missile hit a historic theater in ukraine. this woman was taking a video when the missile violently exploded behind her. the video then just cuts out ukraine's interior minister said seven people were killed, including a 6-year-old child more than 120 people were injured. now to a major setback for driverless car technology after a self-driving taxi collided with a fire engine injuring a passenger. california was set to expand the fleet of robot taxis, but now they're putting those plans in reverse. jake ward has the latest from san francisco. >> reporter: this video posted to citizen.com. >> i have an emergency in town >> reporter: highlighting questions over robot taxis on the road >> they're going to ruin our life >> that's right. >> reporter: a driverless vehicle from gm cruise and a san francisco fire truck collided thursday night the truck had lights and sirens on as it entered the vehicle the cruise had a green light the passenger was treated on scene for minor injuries the incident came one week after california regulators granted mission to cruise, as well as google's driverless company, waymo, to expand their fleets to 24 hours of operation a day. >> i'm seeing at least one incident a day now with autonomous vehicles. >> reporter: the approval came despite long standing concerns from first responders here. when a fire department has to roll out on a call like this, if they can't get to a fire in time, every minute that goes by, the fire can double in size. >> the technology is not ready for prime time > reporter:r: incidentsts lis collisioion with a c city bus he fufueled crititicism and although driverless car companies have touted their relative safety benefits, a recent nbc news investigation found that in california, driverless cars had been involved in 280 crashes over the past five years, though it was not clear in how many cases the autonomous vehicle was at fault. >> you can see there's like one, two, three, four cruise cars blockiking no onene can get t through. >> reporter: the very day after california approved the expanded use of driverless cars, nearly a dozen robo taxis froze, creating a traffic jam in san francisco's north beach neighborhood. >> i looked and there were no drivers in them. >> reporter: cruise posted on social media said, a large festival causing delayed connectivity to our vehicles, and it was invesestigating to o prprevent the e situation n from happppening agaiain. crcruise is nonow cutting g its francicisco fleet t in half asae city is pupushing the e state to rescind itits decisionon to let these e vehicles o operate aror the clock.k. jake ward, nbc news, san francisco. still ahead tonight, protests over the death of a beloved orca in miami and the questions now being asked. plus, the breaking point this airline pilot says he reached that led him to use an ax to attack a parking gate. back now with outrage in miami after the death of a famed killer whale lolita the orca was kept in the miami seaquarium for 50 years and was set to be freed soon marissa parra is there. >> we need to do better than this. >> reporter: tonight, outside the miami seaquarium, voicing their anger after the death of beloved orca lolita. >> her miserable existence is finally over. >> reporter: the park's doors closed today following lolita's death on friday, grief taking many forms >> shame on you! >> reporter: as she was taken from the aquarium for the final time, protesters demand to know why it didn't happen sooner while she was still alive. >> we're all absolutely devastated that she was so close to finally having some semblance of a natural life. >> reporter: the 57-year-old orca had spent all but four years of her life right here she was the miami seaquarium star for decades, her presence sparked joy. >> fabulous. to say the at least, it was fabulous. >> reporter: and fury. >> free lolita >> reporteter: she's beeeen n lg there sincnce 1970 before she was lolita she was known as tokitae, prior to to her capture at 4 years old earlier this year, activists were delighted seaquarium agreed she would be released in two years to a netted sanctuary in her native waters just this week an update with delivered hope >> toki being retired is a short amount of time now she is better than ever right now and is way more active than she has been in the past >> reporter: days later a new update delivered heartbreak. the seaquarium saying after serious signs of discomfort and despite receiving the best possible medical care, lolita died from a suspected renal condition. pita called the tank the smallest, bleakest orca tank in the world. the see kwar yum did not respond to nbc's request for comment >> we are feeling a lot of pain and sorrow for lolita now. >> reporter: the ones that pressed for her release that she never lived to see, heartbroken. >> marissa, what do we know about the other animals held at the seaquariun with lolita >> reporter: so the original plan was to have dolphins join lolita to their new home in the sanctuary. obviously with her passing, activists are pushing for the plan to stay the same for the dolphins we haven't heard back yet from the seaquarium on what the new plans will be. jose. >> marissa parra in miami, thank you. we are back in a moment with a shocking moment of an airline pilot striking a parking gate with an ax why he says he did it. we're back with a major train derailment in oklahoma take a look at this dash cam video in a town of moore, you can see on the left-hand side, the cars begin to topple over. from above, you can see the extent of the accident 22 cars went off the rails officials said the cargo was not a threat to the surrounding community. police confirmed a mechanical issue was the cause of the derailment nobody was injured and now to some shocking video out of denver. a united airlines pilot reaching his breaking point while waiting at a parking lot he apparently got so frustrated he used an ax to chop down the gate george solis has the latest. >> reporter: it's hard to look away an ax wielding airline pilot waging war on a parking lot gate cameras capturing the bizarre moment at denver international airport, when united airlines pilot, kenneth jones, still in uniform, hacks away at the gate over and over again more than 20 times. the pilot told police that multiple cars were backed up behind the gate. that's when he decided to get the ax he already had in his car and solve the problem himself. he told police he had, quote, hit his breaking point. when a parking lot employee tries to take the ax away, the pilot won't let go both of them gripping it for two minutes until another employee arrives. >> this is somebody that's probably really had a really tough trip, very stressed. >> reporter: united airlines has suspended the pilot as they investigate. >> will this pilot be allowed to return to the cockpit? >> i think so. i think he will be evaluated by professionals and i think once they determine what caused it and to be able to reduce the stress in his life to a manageable state, i think he'll return to fly. >> reporter: when police arrived, the pilot turned himself in he was charged with criminal mischief, a pilot going to extremes after he was forced to wait at the gate george solis, nbc news when we come back, the surprising message this young boy left on a doorbell camera that left his neighbor speechless ♪♪ ♪ there's good news tonight. often the good news doesn't get as much attention as the bad, so every saturday we highlight the many people who spread joy and love this is just some of those stories this week. >> this is the moment andrea had been waiting for, embraced by family >> oh, my god. that's awesome >> after finding out she had passed her final nursing exam. a dream come true for this proud latina who came to america as a child. andrea is the first in her family to graduate college in the u.s. >> we know that it's not easy for us to obtain the american dream. at least seeing one or two people have hope, it gives everybody else hope. and take a look at this very good boy that's retired military dog ryder getting a very special package from the u.s. war dog's association, filled with toys, a certificate, and medal for his service. >> look at you >> ryder served in the u.s. navy, spending time overseas with his owner josh cosachata. ♪ that's theo zigota, finally getting glasses after being diagnosed as legally blind his mom shayla puts them on, and then theo sees clearly for the very first time, giving us all a smile as bright as sunshine. there's always going to be somebody that cares about you. >> in minnesota, this is 13-year-old jackson perrell. >> i'm just trying to say something nice. >> out with friends, kid were dingdong ditching. >> they're running away and stuff. i'm trying to say that you matter, man, or girl but jackson had other plans. sharing a heartfelt message on a stranger's doorbell camera >> whoever you are, you matter to someone keep that in mind. >> jackson, tell mae little bit about why you decided to record that message >> i just thought maybe the person that would see the video needed to hear it. >> ashley mann lives at that house, and was so moved by jackson's words, she posted the video to social media. >> it left me speechless because it was something i'd never expect a young kid to say. >> jackson's mom, carissa, proud of her son. >> i just stood there in awe and amazement. and really proud >> i'm just trying to say that you matter, man. >> what is it that you want jackson to know? >> that he matters, too. i mean, everybody. everybody matters in this world. we're all human. we all deserve a chance to have happiness and love and everything else. >> whoever you are, you matter to someone just keep that in mind, don't forget that. >> everyone matters. that's "nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i am jose diaz-balart, thank you for the privilege of your time and good night the news starts right now and thank you for joining us. california is under a state of emergency for what is expected to be the first tropical storm to make land in 80 years and we have been following hilary as it is headed straight for the southern coast and it is hurricane strength and packing plenty of rain. >> here is a time-lapse from a wildfire camera in santa monica and you can see these clouds rolling in and there is much more to come with the state of emergency covering 11 counties from southern california to the central valley including los angeles, riverside, san diego, san bernardino and fresno and they are doing what they can to prepare. they say 7500 emergency responders are on the ground ready to help as they coordinate resour

Related Keywords

Southern California , Clouds , Baja , Showers , Highs 80s Or 90s , 80 , 36 , 24 , Weather , Temperatures , Thunder , 90 , Storm , Hurricane Hilary , Warnings , Track , Mexico , Historic Storm Heading , Flights , Cities , Parks , Worst , Shelves , Wildfires , Thousands , Homes , Washington State , Derailment , Flames , Theater , Winds , Missile Strike , Sky , View , Fear , Terrifying , Russia , Ukraine , Seven , 100 , Video , Orca , Death , Taxi , Train Cars , Technology Protests , Fire Engine Colliding , Rails , Captivity , Animal Rights Groups , Decision , Outraged , Oklahoma , Uniform , Ax , Parking Gate , United Airlines , Breaking Point , Nbc Nightly News , Jose Diaz Balart , Announcer , Hurricane Barrelling , Headline , Heading , United States , Something , Resort Towns , It Hits , Migrants , Hasn T , Cabo San Lucas , World War Ii , Tijuana , People , Rain , States , Flooding , Worth , Desert Lands , 48 , Six , 30 Million , Reporter , Palm Springs , Residents , Officials , Coverage , Priscilla Thompson , Southwest Won T , Bearing Down , Parts , Heavy Rain , North , Tourist , Hot Spot , Warning , San Diego , Mistake , Disaster Filling Sandbags , Doesn T , Floods , Desert Areas , Sand , Sun , Dry Hard Soil , Neighborhoods , Water , Roadways , Flood , Rip Currents , Tornadoes , Deadly Mud Slides , Grocery Stores , Essentials , Run On , Nonessential Travel , Jeopardy , Southwest Airlines , Air Traffic , Joshua Tree , Death Valley , Monday Morning National Parks Closed , Military , Storm Preps , Southwest , Others , Case Scenario , Communities On Edge , Jose , That S Right , Vehicles , Sandbags , Navy , Prepositioned , Rescue , Ships , National Guard , Nevada , San Diego Bay , Sunday Angie Lassman , Nbc , Storm Angie , Damage Jose , Wind , Landfall , Cat , Flood Alerts , Montana , 26 Million , 2 , 1 , 110 , Timing , Including L A , Las Vegas , Sunday Afternoon , East , Some , Course , Bullseye , Mountains , Gusts , Rain Fall , Elevations , 50 , 10 , 30 , Fires , Power Lines , Person , Wind Gusts , Trees , Possibility , Thank You , One , Three , Concerns , Air Quality , Smoke , State Of Emergency , Impact , Crews , Eastern Washington , Jesse Kirsch , Community , Raging Outside Spokane , Gray , Winona , Oregon , Fire , Destruction , Spokane County Sheriff , Areas , At Last Word , Challenging , Fatalities , Gray Fire Zone , 0 , Region , Fuel Load , Population , Structures , Including Homes , 300 , Treasures , Blazes , Half , Family Heirlooms , Authorities , Beyond The Fire Zone , Lives , Possessions , Fire Threat , Properties , Washington Fire Zones , Maui , Governor , Hit Areas , Burn Zone , Accountability , Search Teams , Calls , Hawaii , Friends , Latest , Lost Dana Griffin , Search , Missing , Lahaina , Facebook , Estate , Address , History , Dead , Josh Green , 11114 , Protocols , Emergency Procedures , Defenses , Bottom , Community Members , Painstaking Process , Cause , Hit , Atf Investigators , Input , Table , Subsidiaries , Fifth Lawsuit , Sirens , Companies , Herman Andaya Under Fire , Contact , Vegetation , Emergency Management Administrator , Emergency Sirens , Cell Service , Kindergarten Teacher , Kim Comato , 23 , 8 , It , Ones , Students , Children , Cadaver Dog , Families , Cost , Noaa , The Hill , Lot , Victims , Eight , Bodies , Area , Pattern , Sleep , Hope , Many , Road , Mother , Helping Hand , Hundreds , Water Advisory , Impacts , Overseas , Measure , Casualties , Wildfire Jose , Woman , Missile , Interior Minister , Cuts , Child , Passenger , Fire Engine , Setback , Driverless Car Technology , 6 , 120 , Plans , On The Road , Town , Emergency , Fleet , Reverse , San Francisco , Clock K Jake Ward , Citizen Com , Cruise , Life , Vehicle , Questions , San Francisco Fire Truck , Gm , Incident , Regulators , Mission , Lights , Scene , Flight , Injuries , Night The Truck , Fleets , Approval , Responders , Google S Driverless Company , Fire Department , Waymo , R , Technology , Call , Prime Time , Size , Lis Collisioion , Incidentsts , Car Companies , Benefits , Investigation , Cases , Fault , Safety , Crashes , Driverless Cars , Ac City Bus , He Fufueled Crititicism , 280 , Five , Cars , Two , Use , Blockiking , No Onene , Four , Social Media , Festival , Drivers , Taxis , Neighborhood , Robo , Traffic Jam , North Beach , Nonow Cutting G , Vehicles O , Connectivity , Francicisco Fleet T , Pupushing The E , Crcruise , O Prprevent The E Situation N , Half Asae City , Itits Decisionon , Happppening Agaiain , Operate Aror , Airline Pilot , Miami , Protests , Led , Plus , Outrage , Killer Whale Lolita , Miami Seaquarium , Marissa Parra , Orca Lolita , Anger , Existence , Protesters , Doors , Grief , Forms , Aquarium , The Park , Friday , Semblance , Star , Presence , Joy , 57 , She S Beeeen N Lg , Lolita , Lolita Reporteter , Least , Capture , Fury , Fabulous , 1970 , 4 , Activists , Update , Sanctuary , Hope Toki Being Retired , Amount , Heartbreak , Care , Discomfort , Signs , World , Comment , Smallest , Tank , Orca Tank , Renal Condition , Request , Spain , Sorrow , Pita , Kwar Yum , Plan , Dolphins , Animals , Release , Seaquariun , Home , Passing , Same , Haven T , Airline Pilot Striking A Parking Gate , Look , Train Derailment , Dash Cam Video , Police , Extent , Threat , Cargo , Side , Above , Accident , Moore , 22 , Parking Lot , Nobody , Denver , Issue , Parking Lot Gate Cameras , George Solis , Ax Wielding Airline Pilot Waging War , Denver International Airport , Gate , Times , Kenneth Jones , 20 , Won T , Car , Parking Lot Employee , Problem , Quote , Somebody , Employee , Both , Trip , Professionals , Stress , Cockpit , Extremes , Mischief , Message , Boy , Camera , Neighbor , News , Stories , Bad , Attention , Andrea , Family , Finding , Exam , Nursing , Dream Come True For This Proud Latina , God , College , The American Dream , Military Dog , Everybody Else , Josh Cosachata , Package , Certificate , Toys , Service , Medal , War Dog S Association , U S Navy , Theo Zigota , Glasses , Shayla , Theo , Smile , On , Sunshine , Kid , Jackson , Stuff , Girl , Oman , Perrell , Minnesota , Dingdong Ditching , 13 , Someone , Mind , Stranger , Ashley Mann , Words , House , Carissa , Son , Amazement , Awe , Everybody , Human , Chance , Everyone , Happiness , Love , Privilege , Don T , Everything Else , Land , Hurricane Strength , Packing , Plenty , Coast , Wildfire Camera , Time Lapse , Santa Monica , Emergency Responders , Resour , Counties , Ground , Central Valley , San Bernardino , Riverside , Fresno , 11 , 7500 ,