0 opportunity. we will have much more on cnn and "the situation room" later today. other subjects with the former secretary robert gates. thanks very much for watching. newsroom continues with brooke baldwin. >> this 23569 moving wildfire is devouring homes near los angeles. three people have been detained in connection with these fires. this fire so fierce it is burning out of control. people are trying to gather up whatever they can carry and get out of here. i want to you listen he is monitoring the wildfire. >> this area here on the westside of the fire, dozens and dozens of homes in the name's path and hundreds more that could be affected by the burping embers. it will be a total loss. we can get a last shot of the fire. this is consuming this house from top to bottom, left to right. >> casy is there for us in azusa, california. it's thing to see the fire from overhead, but can you put this into perspective for us. how big is this? >> right now, brooke, the numbers are 1700 acres as of about 15 minutes ago. this fire is continuing to spread. it's bigger than those official numbers. a minimum of 500 firefighting personnel fighting the fire. you can see the flame on the hillside there. coming as close to 100 or 150 yards to homes in these neighborhoods. that's the main concern for firefighters who continue to drop water and fire retardant from fixed wing helicopters. temperatures are going to go up perhaps as high as the high 80s. there could be winds 25 miles an hour or more. if they don't get it knocked down by then, it could be a big problem. you can see this house right here is where the figueroa family lives. there is about a dozen folks inside this house. they are not leaving. we have video of them a little while ago praying that their house would be spared and the firefighters would protect them. this family has been here more than 40 years. obviously they do not want to leave. they want to stay. we are going to have to see how the fire performs. you can see the fire over your right shoulder. what will it take for the people to leave. a lot of situations in southern california, homeowners will stay and fight these fires with garden hoses to try to save their homes. law enforcement and fire personnel don't recommend doing that. they strongly caution you not to do that. they tell you they won't be able to protect your home if you stay, but some people will still try to save their homes up until the last possible second. right now the winds are very, very calm so there is not a huge concern. >> the helicopter overhead. we will stay in close contact with you in azusa, california. thank you, casey. >> the prelude to hollywood's biggest night is what everyone is talking about today. the oscar nominations are out and you can bet this year's show, you will want a ring side seat when power houses duke it out from the historic epics to true hollywood stories come to on the big screen. this year's nominees tackled issues about aids, slavery, financial scandal in excess and the performances were phenomenal and groundbreaking. many actresses over the age of 40 getting a claim for worthy roles. best actor nods include leonardo dicab rio and matthew conaughey. amy adam, sandra bullock, merrill streep, by the way, this is her 18th nomination. this is an academy record for a performer. cate blanchett and the lineup for best picture includes gravity, american hustle, ten nominations each. >> i can't breathe! don't let go! >> the neck line is a little plunging. >> rayon. the whole purpose of the study is to determine if it's helping people. >> there ain't no helping me. >> that are doesn't mean i'm going to stop trying. >> can you say that again. just the way it is. just the same way. >> i don't know what you are talking about. >> you know what i'm talking about. >> we shouldn't do any of it. now i support richie. he has vision. don't do it. >>. ♪ some say john -- ♪ but i say john was a preacher and my bible says -- ♪ ♪ ♪ >> that final clip there, 12 years a slave. i will be talking live with the director in a matter of minutes. but the man's face you saw in the film, well, we have a personal section there. recognize the gal on the left of your screen. surprise to a lot of us today, his sister is our business correspondent and here is what happened when zane got the news this morning. >> he has been acting for 20 years. to see the recognition, i can't describe the feeling. >> awe! have you talked to him? >> i'm sorry. >> i totally understand. >> i never cried on tv before. >> zane asher joins me now. i know i e-mailed you earlier. congratulations to your brother. there was this collective awe! in the cnn newsroom when we watched you truly emotional and proud for your brother. have you talked to him? >> i have. i talked to him this morning. there is so much -- everyone is so excited and so emotional. so overwhelmed at this. we have been waiting for this a long time. my family, we are originally from nigeria. growing up, my mother didn't have running water. she lived in a tiny village. she would have to fetch water from a stream and boil it because it was very unhealthy obviously. now to see her son nominated for an oscar is unbelievable. i want to say that it is a kind of a sad day as well. my father is not alive anymore. he can't see this. some people know this already, but when he was 12 years old, he was in a car accident with my father and everybody in the car died. so he has that chance that he was given, that chance at life he was given. he has got to make the most of it. >> my goodness. i need tissues here. this is unbelievable. so you lot of your father and tell the story of your parents growing up and the situations they faced. me more about your brother and how he so wanted this. it was in his bones growing up. he was reciting a fellow. >> all the time. he wasn't a normal kid in the sense that he wasn't always going out partying. it really was from morning till night, shakespeare, reading plays and reciting stuff. my mother would get upset because he would scribble shakespeare on the walls and my mother would have to paint over it all the time. it was just like hard work and dedication and it's a true testament that if you work hard at something, hard work most of the time if not always eventually will pay off. it may not pay off when you expect it will or in the way you want it to. eventually it does. thing i will say is my brother works so hard at this. it's taken 20 years to get this recognition, but it certainly is well-deserved. he doesn't do it for the money and the nominations or the awards. it really is in his blood and it's a true passion of his. >> our heart felt congratulations much you are not doing so shabby yourself. your mother and i'm sure your father from someplace very, very proud. >> coming up and it is used to kill a man. the scene got disturbing fast. two senators from both sides of the aisle are looking to pitch a plan that would lead to some case in congress. stay with me.