NBC Nightly News Full Episode - Jan. 9

>>> TONIGHT, THE RACE. TO CONTAIN THE. CATASTROPHIC. WILDFIRES IN SOUTHERN. CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE. DESTROYED MORE THAN. 9,000 STRUCTURES. THE HISTORIC FIRES. BURNING OUT OF. CONTROL IN THE LOS. ANGELES AREA. NEW IMAGES SHOWING. THE SCOPE OF THE. DESTRUCTION. AT LEAST FIVE DEAD, INCLUDING THE FIRST. CONFIRMED FATALITY. FROM THE PALISADES. FIRE, THE MOST. DESTRUCTIVE BLAZE IN. THE CITY'S HISTORY. OFFICIALS WARNING THE. TOLL WILL LIKELY. RISE.

THE FLAMES BURNING. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF. ACRES AND NOW. THREATENING CRITICAL. COMMUNICATIONS. TOWERS. A STAGGERING 180,000. PEOPLE FORCED TO. EVACUATE. NOW FAMILIES. RETURNING TO FIND. THEIR HOMES BURNED TO. THE GROUND. OFFICIALS UNDER. SCRUTINY FOR THEIR. PREPARATION AND. RESPONSE. OUR TEAM ON THE FRONT. LINES AS FIREFIGHTERS. ENCOUNTER YET ANOTHER. FAILING HYDRANT. ALSO TONIGHT, THE. MAJOR WINTER STORM. SLAMMING THE SOUTH. FROM NEW MEXICO TO. VIRGINIA. AND CAUSING TRAVEL. CHAOS, OVER 2,000.

FLIGHTS CANCELED. ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE FAREWELL TO. FORMER PRESIDENT. JIMMY CARTER. THE EMOTIONAL STATE. FUNERAL AT THE. NATIONAL CATHEDRAL. BRINGING TOGETHER ALL. FIVE LIVING. PRESIDENTS. AND THEN THE LATE. PRESIDENT'S FINAL. JOURNEY TO HIS. HOMETOWN IN GEORGIA. AND AMID THE UTTER. DEVASTATION, THE. SYMBOL OF HOPE STILL. STANDING IN THE ASHES. OF SOUTHERN. CALIFORNIA. >> GOOD EVENING. AND WELCOME.

TONIGHT IN LOS. ANGELES COUNTY, THE. SMOKE PLUMES PARTING. LONG ENOUGH TO REVEAL. THE HEART-CRUSHING. EXTENT OF LOSS. STRETCHING ACROSS. NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE. EYE OF THOSE DEADLY. FIRE STORMS. IN ALTADENA, TWO. AERIAL IMAGES OF A. SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD. TELL THE STORY. ONE, A BEFORE PHOTO. OF TREE-LINED STREETS. AND MODEST HOMES. THE OTHER, WHAT IS. NOW LEFT. BLOCK AFTER BLOCK OF. UTTER DEVASTATION. TONIGHT, MULTIPLE. MAJOR WILDFIRES STILL. BURNING ACROSS MORE. THAN 45 SQUARE MILES.

OF THE SPRAWLING. COUNTY. FROM INLAND CITIES. NORTH AND NORTHEAST. OF DOWNTOWN LOS. ANGELES, TO THE. OCEANFRONT ENCLAVE OF. PACIFIC PALISADES TO. THE WEST, WHERE THE. FIRST FATALITY FROM. THAT FIRE WAS. REVEALED TODAY. AND WHERE THIS DRONE. VIDEO CAPTURED A. BARELY RECOGNIZABLE. HELLSCAPE THAT WAS. ONCE A THRIVING. COMMUNITY AND TOURIST. FAVORITE. THE FIRES CONTINUE TO. DEFY EFFORTS TO. CONTAIN THEM. AT ONE POINT, FLAMES. MAKING A HIGH-SPEED. RUN AT MT. WILSON.

INTERFERING WITH TV. AND COMMUNICATIONS. TOWERS. OVERALL, CALMER WINDS. TODAY AIDING THE. FIGHT AGAINST THE. MOST DESTRUCTIVE FIRE. IN L.A.'S HISTORY. TOM LLAMAS IS THERE. TO START US OFF. TONIGHT. TOM, GOOD EVENING. >> Reporter: LESTER, GOOD EVENING TO YOU. WHAT YOU SEE BEHIND. ME HERE IS A PILE OF. MISERY, AND IT IS NOT. UNIQUE. THERE ARE SEVERAL. COMMUNITIES AND. NEIGHBORHOODS AND. RESIDENTIAL AREAS. THAT LOOK JUST LIKE. THIS. THIS WAS A SHOPPING. CENTER AND BEYOND. THAT A SCHOOL. AND NOW YOU CAN'T. EVEN FIGURE OUT WHAT. IT IS.

TONIGHT, EVERYONE IN. THIS AREA IS PRAYING. THAT THE WINDS DON'T. PICK UP. A FIREFIGHTER TELLING. ME THAT THE SMALLEST. EMBER WITH THOSE. WINDS CAN TURN INTO A. BLOW TORCH. THIS IS WHAT THE MOST. DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRE. IN LOS ANGELES. HISTORY LOOKS LIKE. >> EVERYTHING IS. GONE. >> Reporter: THE TOLL. OF THE DEVASTATION IS. STAGGERING. THOUSANDS OF. STRUCTURES ALREADY. OBLITERATED. MORE THAN AUTHORITIES. CAN EVEN COUNT. THE BURN AREA IN THE. PACIFIC PALISADES NOW. BIGGER THAN.

MANHATTAN. THE FIRE KILLING FIVE. PEOPLE. >> I THINK THE DEATH. TOLL WILL RISE. I HOPE I'M WRONG, BUT. I THINK IT'S GOING TO. RISE. >> Reporter: THESE. APOCALYPTIC. CONDITIONS NOW IN. THEIR THID DAY AND. THE BIGGEST INFERNOS. ARE STILL ZERO. PERCENT CONTAINED. THIS IS ONE OF THE. EERIEST SCENES WE. HAVE SEEN SO FAR, WHERE THE CARS THAT. WERE ABANDONED WHEN. PEOPLE GOT STUCK IN. GRIDLOCK AND HAD TO. RUN FOR SAFETY. A BULLDOZER CAME. THROUGH TO LET FIRE. CREWS OUT. THOSE CARS WERE. SPARED BUT THESE CARS. RIGHT HERE WERE STUCK. IN THE INFERNO. YOU CAN SEE HOW HOT. IT GOT. THAT'S MOLTEN METAL.

THAT WAS ROLLING DOWN. THE BLUFF. AND TODAY, STUNNING. VIDEO SHOWING THE. THREAT TO LOS. ANGELES'. INFRASTRUCTURE. AS THE EATON FIRE. APPROACHED THE. TRANSMISSION TOWERS. ON MT. WILSON, THREATENING RADIO, CELLULAR, AND. BROADCAST SIGNALS. CITYWIDE. ROUGHLY 2,000. FIREFIGHTERS ARE. STILL STRETCHED. ACROSS THE FUNT. LINES. BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH. RESIDENTS PITCHING IN. TO SAVE THEIR OWN. HOMES. >> THIS IS A TRAGEDY. >> YOU NEVER THINK. IT'S GOING TO BE YOU.

AND NOW THAT IT IS. ME, I CAN'T TELL YOU. THE AMOUNT OF. HEAVINESS IN THIS. DISASTER. >> Reporter: WE MET. THE CHAMPION FAMILY, WHO LOST EVERYTHING. >> WHAT I WOULD GIVE. TO DO DISHES IN OUR. OWN HOUSE, WHICH IS. LIKE SO BASIC, BUT. THINGS THAT YOU TAKE. FOR GRANTED, ALL THE. LIFE THAT WE BUILT. HERE. >> Reporter: AND THE. THREAT IS NOT OVER. LAST NIGHT, NEW FIRES. IGNITED. NEAR MORE HEAVILY. POPULATED AREA. THE SUNSET FIRE. TRIGGERING RUSH HOUR. EVACUATIONS IN THE.

HEART OF HOLLYWOOD. MIRACULOUSLY, A BREAK. IN THE WINDS LET. CREWS ATTACK THE FIRE. FROM THE AIR, STOPPING THE BLAZE. BEFORE IT COULD REACH. HOMES. THESE FIREFIGHTERS. ARE GOING NONSTOP, 60. HOURS BATTLING MORE. THAN JUST THE FLAMES. >> HOW HAS YOUR WATER. PRESSURE BEEN? >> A BIG ISSUE. WE HAVE DEAD HYDRANTS. SO WE HAVE BEEN. HAVING TO GO BACK TO. SUNSET BOULEVARD TO. GET WATER TO COME OUT. HERE. >> Reporter: THE. SMOKE HASN'T CLEARED. AND ANGER IS GROWING. MANY QUESTIONS LOOM. WHAT LOS ANGELES.

PREPARED? >> WE WILL ABSOLUTELY. DO AN EVALUATION TO. LOOK AT WHAT WORKED, WHAT DIDN'T WORK, AND. TO CORRECT OR TO HOLD. ACCOUNTABLE ANYBODY, DEPARTMENT, INDIVIDUAL, ET. CETERA. >> Reporter: FAILING. WATER PRESSURE AND. HYDRANTS LEADING TO A. HEATED MOMENT. A FIRE VICTIM. CHALLENGING. CALIFORNIA'S. GOVERNOR. >> WHY WAS THERE NO. WATER IN THE. HYDRANTS? GOVERNOR. >> IT'S ALL. LITERALLY --. >> IS IT GOING TO BE. DIFFERENT NEXT TIME? >> IT HAS TO BE. >> Reporter: WHILE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. IS STILL UNKNOWN, THE.

DAMAGE IS. INCALCULABLE. BEFORE AND AFTER. SATELLITE PICTURES. SHOW THE STORY. ON THE MALIBU COAST, A ROW OF. MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR. MANSIONS LAID TO. WASTE. 40 MILES AWAY, THIS. VIEW FROM ALTADENA. A MIDDLE-CLASS. NEIGHBORHOOD DOTTED. WITH DESTRUCTIVE. FIRES. >> IT'S A WASTELAND. >> Reporter: FOR. THOSE COMING BACK, HOME LOOKS LIKE A. HELLSCAPE. >> COULDN'T EVEN. RECOGNIZE IT ON OUR. WAY UP HERE. WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW. WHERE WE WERE ONE. BLOCK FROM OUR HOUSE.

>> AND TOM, YOU. MENTIONED THERE WAS A. BREAK IN THE WEATHER. THE WINDS WERE A BIT. MORE FAVEERAL TODAY, BUT THE SITUATION IS. GROWING MORE SERIOUS. THIS EVENING. >> Reporter: THAT'S. RIGHT. FIREFIGHTERS ARE. STILL WORKING AROUND. THE CLOCK. OFFICIALS BELIEVE THE. DEATH TOLL WILL. LIKELY GROW AS THEY. CHECK OUT MORE. NEIGHBORHOODS. AND THERE'S ONE MORE. THING THEY'RE WARNING. ABOUT TONIGHT. THAT IS LOOTERS. IF YOU CAN BELIEVE. IT, PEOPLE ARE COMING. TO AREAS LIKE THIS. AND STEALING WHAT. LITTLE PEOPLE HAVE. LEFT. SO FAR, THERE HAVE. BEEN AT LEAST A DOZEN. ARRESTS. >> TOM, THANK YOU. >>> THE TASK OF. FIGHTING SUCH A. MASSIVE AREA OF FIRE.

IS IMMENSE, AND AS. MORGAN CHESKY. REPORTS, THE STRUGGLE. FOR WATER IS. COMPLICATING THE. FIGHT ON THE FRONT. LINES. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, A RELENTLESS. FIREFIGHT FAR FROM. OVER. FRONT LINE CREWS. FACING CHALLENGES. THAT ONLY START WITH. THE FLAMES. >> WHAT DO WE GOT. GOING? >> WHAT WE HAVE IS. THE FIRE HAS ALREADY. BURNED THROUGH HERE. >> WHAT WE'RE LOOKING. AT RIGHT NOW COULD. HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A. SINGLE EMBER? >> ONE EMBER COULD. HAVE CAUSED THIS. >> Reporter: WE JOIN. LOS ANGELES FIRE. CAPTAIN IN THE. PACIFIC PALISADES.

>> THIS HYDRANT HAS. NO WATER. >> Reporter: WHERE. LACK OF WATER, CRITICAL TO BATTLING. A STILL ACTIVE. WILDFIRE, FRUSTRATED. CREWS. THIS ONE FROM SAN. FRANCISCO. >> WHAT SHOULD THE. WATER PRESSURE BE. RIGHT NOW, IDEALLY? >> YOU WANT 50 TO 80. IS YOUR IDEAL HYDRANT. PRESSURE. >> WHAT HAVE YOU GOT? >> I'M BOUNCING. BETWEEN ZERO, 50. IT'S NOT A CONSISTENT. PRESSURE. >> Reporter: AS. NEARBY HYDRANTS. FAILED AND WATER. PRESSURE FELL, FIREFIGHTERS ABOVE. SWITCHING FROM. OFFENSE TO DEFENSE. WHEN YOU RUN OUT OF. WATER IN THAT.

ENGINE --. >> NOT MUCH WE CAN DO. THEN. >> THIS IS OUR FIRST. JOB FOR THE DAY. >> Reporter: FLAMES. BURNING FOR PRECIOUS. MINUTES BEFORE ANY. RE-ENFORCEMENTS COULD. ARRIVE. >> HAD WE HAD WATER. EARLIER ON IN THE. FIREFIGHT, WE. PROBABLY COULD HAVE. STOPPED IT FROM. GETTING THIS BIG. >> Reporter: THIS IS. SOMETHING WE HAVE NOT. SEEN OFTEN, BUT WHEN. THE HYDRANTS ARE DRY, CREWS HAVE TO RELY ON. THESE TANKER TRUCKS. BECAUSE THE FIRE. WAITS FOR NO ONE. THE SITUATION A. FAMILIAR ONE FOR THE. CAPTAIN, A 25-YEAR. VETERAN OF THE LAFD. MERE BLOCKS AWAY,

ANOTHER CALL COMING. IN FOR ANOTHER HOME. UP IN FLAMES. >> IF WE HAD ANY WIND. RIGHT NOW, COMPLETELY. DIFFERENT FIREFIGHT? >> 100% DIFFERENT. FIREFIGHT. >> Reporter: JUST. FEET AWAY, A MILLION. DOLLAR VIEW BURNED. BEYOND RECOGNITION. >> THERE'S NOT EVEN A. SINGLE HOME FROM THIS. ENTIRE VIEWPOINT THAT. WE CAN SEE THAT HAS. SURVIVED. >> IF YOU HAD. OFFICIALS IN FRONT OF. YOU RIGHT NOW, WHAT. WOULD YOU ASK FOR TO. HAVE HAD A PROPER. FIREFIGHT HERE? >> MORE FIREFIGHTERS, MORE FIRE HYDRANTS, MORE AIR DROPPING.

CAPABILITIES. WE NEED MORE OF ASK. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, THESE CREWS DOING. WHATEVER THEY CAN. WITH WHATEVER THEY. HAVE. FIGHTING A HISTORIC. DISASTER HEAD ON. >> AND MORGAN, THIS. ALL COMING OUT OF A. RED FLAG WARNING. DO THOSE REMAIN IN. EFFECT? >> Reporter: YEAH, LESTER, THEY. ABSOLUTELY DO. THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG. CONCERNS OF THE CREW. WE EMBEDDED WITH. ONE EMBER CAN TRAVEL. UP TO TWO MILES. THAT IS WHY UNTIL THE. RED FLAG WARNING. EXPIRES ON FRIDAY,

EVERYONE NEEDS TO. STAY ON GUARD BECAUSE. A POTENTIAL FIRE. COULD POP UP ALMOST. ANYWHERE. LESTER. >> MORGAN CHESKY, THANK YOU. >> THE VIEW FROM. SPACE SHOWS THE. MAGNITUDE OF THE FIRE. IN ALTADENA, JUST. PART OF THE FIRE. ZONE. AND FOR SO MANY, RETURNING HOME TODAY, THERE WAS LITTLE. LEFT. GADI SCHWARTZ JOINS. US. YOU SPENT THE DAY IN. ALTADENA. WHAT DID YOU FIND? >> Reporter: LESTER, HEARTBREAK. WE FOUND SO MUCH. HEARTBREAK. PEOPLE COMING BACK TO. NOTHING LEFT AT ALL. IN FACT, THIS. BUILDING RIGHT HERE, THIS IS THE OUTLIER. BECAUSE THIS BUILDING.

STILL HAS WALLS UP. SO MANY OF THE HOMES. WE VISITED TODAY WERE. DOWN TO THE. FOUNDATIONS. BUNCH OF MELTED METAL. AND PILES OF ASH. IN AT DINA TODAY, DESOLATION AND EERIE. SILENCE PUNCTURED BY. GAS LINES STILL. SPEWING FIRE. IN THE DESTRUCTION, A. SEARCH FOR ANYTHING. WITH MEANING. THIS IS EVERYTHING. YOU OWN. >> EVERYTHING, AND. THEN, YOU KNOW, NOW. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO. FIND SOMETHING. I MEAN, I DON'T CARE. LIKE MY KID FOUND A.

TEA CUP, HALF A TEA. CUP. BROKE. SHE WAS THRILLED. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHAT ELSE CAN WE GET, MAN? IT'S GONE, BRO. >> Reporter: AS THE. FLAMES DESCENDED AT. 4:00 IN THE MORNING, RUPERT GARCIA TRIED. TO FIGHT BACK. >> THIS TREE CAUGHT. ON FIRE. EMBERS FLYING ALL. OVER THE PLACE, ONTO. THE HOUSE. >> Reporter: ONE. EMBER EVEN SCORCHING. HIS CHEEK. AT WHAT POINT DID YOU. REALIZE, I'M NOT. GOING TO SAVE THE. HOUSE? >> WHEN MY SON-IN-LAW.

GRABBED ME LIKE THIS. AND SAID WE HAVE TO. GO. I'M LIKE, NO, MAN. I TURNED AROUND, I. CAN'T GO, BRO. 51 YEARS I HAVE BEEN. IN THIS HOUSE. >> Reporter: SHORTLY. AFTER RUPERT WAS. FORCED TO FLEE THE. NEIGHBORHOOD, WE. ARRIVED TO FIND WHAT. FELT LIKE A HURRICANE. OF FIRE IN THE CHAOS, WE SPOTTED A HORSE. ALONE AND TRAPPED IN. AN INFERNO AND RAN TO. GET HELP. THIS IS FIREFIGHTER. GARRETT JUMPING INTO. ACTION. >> I WAS KEEPING HIM. COOL. >> Reporter: TODAY. WHEN WE MET UP WITH. HIM AGAIN, WE LEARNED. THE HORSE SURVIVED, BUT ACROSS THE WAY,

JOSE SHOWS US WHAT. WAS THE GARAGE FULL. OF LANDSCAPING TOOLS. HE JUST INVESTED IN. NOW HIS LIVELIHOOD. ALONG WITH ALMOST. EVERYTHING ELSE GONE. IN AN INSTANT. SO OFTEN WE HEAR THEY. ESCAPED ONLY WITH THE. CLOTHES ON THEIR. BACK. >> I DIDN'T GET. ANYTHING. LOOK AT MY SHOES. THESE ARE MY HOUSE. SLIPPERS. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, THAT IS THE SHARED. AND TERRIBLE REALITY. >> YOU WORK HARD FOR. YOUR AMERICAN DREAM. >> Reporter: FOR SO. MANY IN A COMMUNITY. WHO CAME FACE-TO-FACE. WITH THESE FLAMES. GOTTI SCHWARTZ, NBC.

NEWS. >> EARLIER IN THE. BROADCAST, WE TOLD. YOU ABOUT THE LOOTING. HAPPENING IN SOME. AREAS. NOW THE SHERIFF. ANNOUNCING A CURFEW. IN THE FIRE ZONES. STEVE PATTERSON ZOINS. US. WHAT MORE DO WE KNOW? >> Reporter: THE. SHERIFF TONIGHT. SAYING THERE HAVE. BEEN MORE REPORTS OF. BURGLARY, MORE. REPORTS OF LOOTING IN. FIRE ZONES LIKE THIS. TO COMBAT THAT, MORE. RESOURCES, MORE BOOTS. ON THE GROUND, INCLUDING, WE'RE. HEARING, THE NATIONAL. GUARD EXPECTED TO BE. ACTIVE AT BOTH THE. EATON AND PACIFIC. FIRE ZONES AND YES, A. CURFEW, IF NOT.

IMPLEMENTED TONIGHT, THEN TOMORROW NIGHT. STARTING AT 6:00 P.M. EVERY NIGHT TO 6:00. A.M. WITH THE GOAL. BEING AVOID FURTHER. VICTIMIZATION OF. PEOPLE OFFER. SUFFERING SO MUCH. LESTER. >> STEVE PATTERSON, THANK YOU. >>> FORMER PRESIDENT. JIMMY CARTER WAS. REMEMBERED FOR HIS. KINDNESS, COMPASSION, AND CHARACTER AS FOUR. OF HIS SUCCESSORS. WERE AMONG THOSE WHO. GATHERED FOR HIS. FUNERAL AT THE. NATIONAL CATHEDRAL. HERE'S KELLY. O'DONNELL. >> Reporter: THE. PASSING OF A. PRESIDENT OFFERS A. RARE MOMENT OF. NATIONAL REFLECTION.

STIRRING TRADITIONS. PLAYED OUT TODAY TO. HONOR THE LIFE OF. JIMMY CARTER. ♪ AMAZING GRACE ♪. >> Reporter: THE 39th. PRESIDENT BROUGHT. TOGETHER DECADES OF. HIS SUCCESSORS. THEIR INTERACTIONS. APPEARING TO SET. ASIDE CONFLICTS IN. POLITICS AND. PERSONALITIES. ONE HANDSHAKE ENDED. NEARLY FOUR YEARS OF. NO CONTACT BETWEEN. FORMER VICE PRESIDENT. PENCE AND THE. PRESIDENT HE SERVED. AND MR. OBAMA AND. MR. TRUMP ENGAGED IN.

CONVERSATION. IN HIS EULOGY, PRESIDENT BIDEN. PRAISED CARTER'S. EXAMPLE OF. LEADERSHIP. >> STRENGTH OF. CHARACTER IS MORE. THAN TITLE AND THE. POWER WE HOLD. >> Reporter: SONS OF. THE LATE REPUBLICAN. PRESIDENT GERALD FORD. AND CARTER'S VICE. PRESIDENT WALTER. MONDALE READ TRIBUTES. THEIR FATHERS HAD. WRITTEN. >> IT WAS BECAUSE OF. OUR SHARED VALUES. THAT JIMMY AND I. RESPECTED EACH OTHER. AS ADVERSARIES, EVEN.

BEFORE WE CHERISHED. ONE ANOTHER AS DEAR. FRIENDS. >> WE TOLD THE TRUTH. WE OBEYED THE LAW. AND WE KEPT THE. PEACE. >> Reporter: REMEMBERED AS A. GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN, TO HIS FAMILY, A. REGULAR GUY AT HOME. >> MY GRAND FATHER. WAS LIKELY TO SHOW UP. AT THE DOOR IN SOME. '70s SHORT SHORTS AND. CROCS. >> Reporter: JIMMY. CARTER'S LONG. FAITHFUL JOURNEY ENDS. TONIGHT. FOREVER A SON OF.

PLAINS,O'DONNELL, NBC. NEWS. >> WE'LL TAKE A BREAK. HERE. IN 60 SECONDS, AL. ROKER AND WHEN. CONDITIONS WILL CALM. DOWN IN. >>> WELCOME BACK. THOSE ON THE FRONT. LINES OF THE. FIREFIGHT IN SOUTHERN. CALIFORNIA ARE HOPING. FOR CONDITIONS TO. IMPROVE. AL ROKER IS HERE. ANY RELIEF IN SIGHT, AL? >> JUST A LITTLE BIT, THEN IT'S GOING TO. GET BAD AGAIN. UNFORTUNATELY.

THE RED FLAG WARNINGS. NOW STILL FOR 17. MILLION PEOPLE. WIND GUSTS TONIGHT. 65-MILE-PER-HOUR, PLUS SINGLE DIGIT. RELATIVE HUMIDITY. THE GUSTS REDEVELOP. TONIGHT, ESPECIALLY. OVER THE HILLS AND. THE MOUNTAINS. THEY DIE DOWN A BIT. AND THEN LATTER PART. OF THE WEEKEND INTO. NEXT WEEK, THEY. INCREASE AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY. THANKS TO A WARMER. CLIMATE AND. PERSISTENT DROUGHT, MORE THAN HALF OF THE. TOP 20 LARGEST FIRES. HAVE HAPPENED IN. CALIFORNIA IN THE. LAST FIVE YEARS. RIGHT NOW, 86 MILLION. PEOPLE LOOKING AT. WINTER WEATHER. ADVISORIES, STORM.

WARNINGS FROM THE. SOUTHWEST TO THE. COAST. BIG STORM SYSTEM NOW. GETTING ITSELF. TOGETHER, BRINGING. SNOW TO OKLAHOMA, NORTHERN TEXAS, 1 TO. 3 INCHES OF A SLOPPY. ICY MIX IN DALLAS. 6 TO 9 IN LITTLE. ROCK. 2 TO 5 IN CHARLESTON, AND LESTER, WE'RE. LOOKING FOR NORFAULK. TO DALLAS, ANYWHERE. FROM A TENTH OF AN. INCH OF ICE TO EVEN. LESS GOING TO CAUSE. SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS. ON ROADS. >> ALL RIGHT, AL, THANKS VERY MUCH. >>> AND COMING UP, THE NEXT STRUGGLE FOR.

>>> EVEN. >>> EVEN BEFORE THE. WILDFIRES RAGING. THROUGH SOUTHERN. CALIFORNIA, THE STATE. WAS FACING A MAJOR. CRISIS. THOUSANDS OF. HOMEOWNERS DROPPED. FROM THEIR INSURANCE. NOW, AS LIZ KRAUTS. REPORTS, MANY WHO. LOST EVERYTHING COULD. STRUGGLE TO BE MADE. WHOLE AGAIN. >> Reporter: AS. WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO. RAGE IN CALIFORNIA, ONE ESTIMATE SAYS THE. INSURED LOSSES ARE. ALREADY AT LEAST $20. BILLION. FOR BRIANNA NAVARRO, THE LOSS IS.

INCALCULABLE. >> SHE LOVED HER. FAMABLY. >> Reporter: SHE. BELIEVED HER. GRANDMOTHER PERISHED. AT THEIR HOME IN THE. EATON FIRE. >> I THOUGHT SHE. WOULD BE LIKE 99, WALKING AROUND. >> Reporter: THEIR. HOUSE OF MORE THAN 40. YEARS BURNED TO THE. GROUND. ARE YOU WORRIED AS. YOU REBUILD THAT YOU. WON'T BE ABLE TO GET. INSURANCE ANYMORE? >> POSSIBLY, YEAH. IT'S DIFFICULT. WHERE DO YOU EVEN. START? >> Reporter: SEVEN OF.

CALIFORNIA'S TOP 12. HOME INSURERS EITHER. PAUSED OR LIMITED. POLICIES OVER THE. PAST TWO YEARS. STATE FARM WHICH HAS. 21% OF THE MARKET. SHARE IN THE STATE, ANNOUNCED IN MARCH IT. WAS MAKING THE. DIFFICULT BUT. NECESSARY DECISIONS. THAT WOULD MEAN NOT. RENEWING 30,000 HOME. POLICIES IN THE. STATE. ENDING 69% OF ITS. POLICIES IN THE NOW. DEVASTATED PACIFIC. PALISADES. >> INSURANCE IN. CALIFORNIA IS. HORRIFYING. >> Reporter: IN. ALTADENA, DUSTIN AND. ERIN SAY THEY WERE. DROPPED FROM ANOTHER. INSURANCE COMPANY. LAST YEAR. DEWAS ONLY LAST MONTH.

THEY FINALLY FOUND A. COMPANY THAT WOULD. GIVE THEM COVERAGE. >> I WONDER HOW MANY. OTHER PEOPLE WEREN'T. ABLE TO GET THAT. POLICY BECAUSE YOU. WORKED VERY HARD TO. GET IT. >> Reporter: MORE AND. MORE, CALIFORNIANS. ARE STERNING TO THE. STATE CREATED. INSURANCE PROVIDER OF. LAST RESORT CALLED. FAIR PLAN. A TEMPORARY SAFETY. NET OFFERING BASIC. COVERAGE WHEN PEOPLE. CAN'T GET INSURED. THROUGH PRIVATE. COMPANIES WITH. ENROLLMENT SURGING. 123%. RICARDO IS. CALIFORNIA'S. INSURANCE.

COMMISSIONER. >> Reporter: WHEN. SHOULD PEOPLE EXPECT. TO SEE THE MONEY. >> IT ALL DEPENDS. I KNOW IT'S. DIFFICULT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE. WE GET IT AS QUICKLY. AS POSSIBLE. WEEKS IF NOT A MONTH. >> Reporter: EXPERTS. SAY THOSE WHO HAVE. SUFFERED A LOSS FROM. THE WILDFIRES SHOULD. KEEP TRACK OF ALL. EXPENDITURES, START. GOING THROUGH PHOTOS. AND VIDEOS THAT CAN. BE USED AS EVIDENCE. TO SHOW WHAT WAS IN. THE HOME, AND. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. SOMETHING MANY HERE. ARE DOING RIGHT NOW. AND THE GOVERNOR HERE. IN CALIFORNIA TELLING. ME HE EXPECTS THESE. FIRES TO BE AMONG THE. MOST COSTLY DISASTERS. OF OUR LIFETIME. SO MANY LOSING. EVERYTHING IN THE.

PROCESS OF BEING MADE. WHOLE JUST GETTING. STARTED. >> LIZ, THANK YOU FOR. THAT. >>> UP NEXT, SIGNS OF. HOPE AMID THE RUINS. >>> FINALLY TONIGHT, THE PALISADES FIRE. DESTROYED SO MANY. HOW'S OF WORSHIP, BUT. ONE IS STILL STANDING. TONIGHT. AND OUR JACOB. SOBOROFF IS THERE. >> Reporter: EVERYTHING ACROSS THE. STREET FROM THE. SYNAGOGUE BURNED. DOWN. BUT THE SYNAGOGUE IS.

STILL HERE. WHAT'S IT LIKE TO SEE. IT? >> SURREAL. >> UNBELIEVABLE. >> Reporter: FOR. RABBIS AMY AND. DANIEL, AND THE. CANTER, SEEING THE. SYNAGOGUE STANDING. AMID SO MUCH. DEVASTATION IS. STAGGERING. LOOK AT THIS. THIS IS THE ASH THAT. CAME THROUGH THE. DOOR. >> I CAN'T BELIEVE. IT'S STILL HERE. I'M SO GLAD IT'S.

HERE. >> Reporter: KNOWING. WHAT HAPPENED OUTSIDE. OF THESE WALLS AND. SEEING JUST THIS. PIECE IS --. >> THE REMNANTS OF. THE PALISADES IS. RIGHT HERE. >> Reporter: WOW. THIS IS THE COMMUNITY. IN WHICH I WENT TO. PRESCHOOL. >> YES. >> Reporter: MY. SIBLINGS HAD THEIR. BAR ZVAHS HERE.

>> THIS IS NOW A. REFUGE FOR THE ENTIRE. COMMUNITY, NOT JUST. THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. >> YOU COULD FILL THE. SANCTUARY WITH YOUR. CONGREGANTS WHO HAVE. LOST THEIR HOMES. >> AT LEAST THIS HOME. IS STANDING FOR SO. MANY PEOPLE. SO MANY OF US. THIS IS OUR HOME. >> WHEN TRAGEDY. STRIKES AND DISASTER. STRIKES, WE TURN TO. OUR FAITH. THAT'S WHAT THIS. REPRESENTS. I SING THIS LOVINGLY. FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO.

HEAL. ♪♪. >> AND THAT IS. NIGHTLY NEWS FOR THIS. THURSDAY. THANK YOU FOR. WATCHING. I'M LESTER HOLT. PLEASE TAKE CARE OF. YOURSELF AND EACH.