NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Monday, August 24, 2026

Episode Date: August 25, 2026

Tens of thousands evacuated from Nevada wildfire; In win for Trump, Supreme Court backs restrictions on mail-in ballots; 49ers owner arrested in prostitution sting; People in Gary, Indiana without power for 13 days; and more on tonight’s broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight the urgent battle against an out-of-control wildfire tearing across Nevada. Tens of thousands forced to flee their homes, entire neighborhoods burned down. Hundreds of firefighters attacking the flames by air and by land, officials say a human likely caused this. Also breaking the Supreme Court green-lighting President Trump's plan to restrict mail-in voting. As his administration launches an economic deed day on Iran, the new system. sanctions announced, plus the trade war ramping up with Canada, one official there threatening to cut off electricity to the U.S. NFL owner busted. The head of the San Francisco 49ers arrested after allegedly trying to hire a prostitute in an Ohio trailer park. The endless power

outage in Indiana, tens of thousands without electricity for weeks. We're with the residents now growing desperate. New manhole mystery in New York, video of three men, in overalls, climbing out of sewers right next to Madison Square Garden and Penn Station. So what's going on? Follow that man, wild video police jumping in an Uber to chase a potentially dangerous suspect what the driver told us about the hot pursuit. Terrifying video of a family tubing when they're slammed into a boat, how an off-duty lifeguard saved his own family.

A sleep at the wheel, a train operator caught on camera appearing to doze off before hitting another train. Record-setting robot the humanoid that just ran faster than Usain Bolt? But what happened when it needed to stop? This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening, and we thank you for joining us on this Monday night. We want to begin with that race to contain a major wildfire out west, with tens of thousands evacuated from the Reno, Nevada area,

and thousands more still in the fires past. It was a race to get out as the blaze exploded over the weekend. This video you see right here shows flames spreading just feet from the highway. And here you can see the skies darkening with that black smoke as a line of cars tried desperately to leave. One man driving his tractor through the smoke with the flames just inches away. And dozens of homes in this area burning to the ground and cars left charred to their frames as firefighters tried to get things under control both on the ground and in the same. sky. This National Guard helicopter dropping huge buckets of water on that fire. And now fears that

high winds and high temps will erase firefighters' progress. Steve Patterson and his team on the ground in Reno tonight starting us off. Tonight, firefighters racing to contain the flames above Reno, threatening tens of thousands. The rapidly expanding hawk fire exploding over the weekend, racing over more than 15,000 acres, destroying dozens of homes and forced to be. 45,000 people to evacuate. I'm still scared to death. You don't know if the winds are going to shift and it's going to get worse. Another 40,000 told a pack and get ready to go.

Every now and then, you'd hear a propane tank explode up on the hill. Mark Bordeaux from just north of downtown Reno evacuated his home Friday and has been living at the Bonanza Casino parking lot ever since. How bad was it? I could not see from my front door to the walk. Wow. and that was probably 20 feet. And leaving, it was bumper to bumper, and it was just total chaos.

The Hawk fire, now known to be a human cause fire, is being fought by 900 fire personnel attacking from the ground and from the air. The Nevada National Guard assisting with Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters. How dangerous is it? Extremely dangerous. It is a dry season, and with that cheat grass, that fire fuels, they ignite, they go quickly, and when you add that breeze, now you have an extremely fast-moving fire. The sheriff telling us seven people injured so far, including three first responders,

from fire so hot it's melted paint right off of cars. Oh, feel that heat. Oh, my gosh. Heavy smoke, blanketing neighborhoods around Reno, where the temperature today surge past 90 degrees, with hot and dry conditions, expected to continue for days. Those conditions, along with increased winds, creating a new risk for the fire to spread even further over the next 48 hours. And Steve joins us just outside the evacuation zone there in Reno.

And Steve, officials say this fire was human-caused, but at this point, they're saying it's unclear if it was intentional. Tom, the sheriff here tells me it is simply a matter that is under investigation. Meanwhile, we just learned from a briefing. Containment has jumped up to 27%. Firefighters are making progress here, but the winds are kicking up again and the danger. Far from over.

Tom. Good to hear about that little bit of. of progress, though. Steve, we thank you. We are also following multiple breaking news stories out of Washington tonight. The Supreme Court weighing in on President Trump's plan to restrict mail-in voting and economic wars ramping up on two fronts. Garrett Hake is at the White House tonight and, Garrett, the mail-in ballot win for the president could be short-lived. That's right, Tom. There are more legal challenges sure to come here, but tonight, a divided court is allowing the administration to order the Postal Service to only deliver mail-in ballots to those on federal lists.

of eligible voters, all as the White House ramps up its economic pressure on Iran. Tonight, as the war with Iran approaches the six-month mark, the Trump administration rolling out a new pressure campaign designed to force the Iranian regime back to the negotiating table, launching what the president has called an economic deeday for Iran, slapping sanctions on 60 foreign entities, and threatening to cut off Iran's trading partners from the global financial system unless they stop doing business with Iran. The actions of Treasury and other agencies will tighten the noose and block every potential source of revenue that funds the IRGC and the evil Iranian regime.

Before the war, as much as 90 percent of Iran's oil was sold to China. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was asked if the U.S. would risk sanctioning Chinese banks. We want to make clear to hear today that no one is above the reach of U.S. sanctions. But Bessent offered no timeline for action on China. That effort to wind down one war comes as the White House is ramping up a new trade war with Canada, the president levying new 50% tariffs on roughly 5% of Canadian exports Saturday with trade talk scrapped. Products now set to cost Americans more include ice skates, refrigerators, auto parts, even plywood. We need to send a message loud and clear to the Prime Minister of Canada. Stop taking advantage of America. It's over. We expect

fairness in our trade policy. But this auto body shop in Colorado concerned with spiking costs. And just, you know, put that on a customer's car and say, hey, this is $300 more because of a tear of pricing. And now one official in Canada threatening to cut off electricity exports to the U.S. saying President Trump, quote, better have a pack of batteries. Garrett Hake, NBC News, the White House. Now to those big questions for the NFL tonight. How will the league respond following that headline today that the owner of the San Francisco 49ers was arrested in a prostitution sting? Here's Maggie Vespa. Tonight, just before the NFL season kicks off a stunning turn of events off the field for the San Francisco 49ers. That's 49ers principal owner Jed York pleading no contest to a charge of disorderly conduct in Ohio, the married father of two, who court records show five. for divorce earlier this year, originally arrested on one count of engaging in prostitution,

prosecutors amending the charges, according to court documents. The documents state York responded to an undercover ad placed on a known prostitution website by a local human trafficking task force, arranging to meet a woman at this East Palestine, Ohio trailer park Sunday, and pay her $140 in exchange for sex. York also pleading no contest to possessing criminal tools referring to his cell phone, which investigators say he used to arrange the meeting. As part of his plea, York was sentenced to one day in jail, given credit for time served, and ordered to pay more than $1,100 in fines. No response from York's attorney. Now, focus turns to how the NFL might respond.

The League only saying they're aware of the matter which will be reviewed under the personal conduct policy. The 49ers noting the matter's been resolved, declining to comment. York's from Ohio. His grandfather bought the 49ers nearly 40 years ago, the franchise hosting the Super Bowl earlier this year. What really matters is the lasting impact that you create, the hope that you create. And Maggie, that NFL season starts in two weeks. What could the NFL do here? Yeah, well, Tom, the league's policy doesn't put any limits on punishments, only listing possibilities like paid leave.

It also says owners, quote, have traditionally been held to a higher standard and will be subject to more significant discipline. Tom. All right, Maggie, thank you. In Gary, Indiana tonight, a power outage now on its 13th day is creating brutal conditions for people unable to refrigerate their food, cool their homes, or in some cases, use critical medical equipment. Shaquille Brewster is on the ground there for more. In Gary, Indiana tonight, fear and outrage boiling over. I'm in a blackout, one of the worst ever for Indiana.

There's no gas, no power, nowhere to go. As thousands are still in the dark, nearly two weeks after devastating storms and tornadoes tore through Indiana. This is day 13. Day 13 without power. It certainly is. 73-year-old Joetta Walker has lived in Gary her entire life. I feel hurt because I feel like they could do better than this. She's lost more than $700 worth of food and has been relying on drop-up.

from family. Most concerning, she can't use her breathing machine. What has been the impact of you not being able to use this? It's making it very difficult for me to rest at night because the whole thing is you don't get enough oxygen. Indiana Governor Mike Braun today demanding an investigation into local utility company Nipsco, raising questions about its preparation for and response to the severe weather. Nipsco telling NBC News, crews are working 24 hours a day to repair and infrastructure damaged by this historic storm. This is the kind of work that's been taking place here in Gary the past couple of weeks. Crews having to reinstall and repair lines through what you see are incredibly tough conditions.

Gary's mayor, Eddie Melton, says the ongoing crisis in his predominantly black city is unacceptable. Is race a factor here? I think race could be a factor in terms of black communities, brown communities are often overlooked in tragic situations. As of this afternoon, nearly 10,000 NipSco customers in Northwest Indiana are still without power. The lights just turning back on for Cheney Weber and her two granddaughters. I feel like we still came last, so I feel like we're at the bottom before everybody else. Shaquille Brewster, NBC News. And we have a major development in the manhunt for that woman wanted in the death of her police officer husband in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Police say they found a body they believe is Karen Solomon's in a woman. wooded area. Police sharing they believe the couple's death were a murder-suicide. Her husband, Kurt, was found shot to death in their home last week. In New York City, a mystery is unfolding underground. People once again caught climbing out of manholes, this time next to major landmarks. Sam Brock has more. Tonight, a mystery under the streets of New York only intensify after these three men were captured on video climbing out of the New York City sewer system just after four o'clock in the morning, according to NYPD. wearing overalls using what appears to be headlamps.

This is the manhole cover just feet away from the busiest transit hub in the Western Hemisphere, Penn Station underneath Madison Square Garden, where some 600,000 people pass through every single day. Darren Porcher is a former lieutenant for the city's police department. Are you concerned by the images that you're seeing? I'm very concerned. This is reactive and it's not proactive. I highly encourage a proactive mechanism inside of the state.

sewer system that would detect as soon as an individual is there. Law enforcement saying the NYPD is aware of the incident. There are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing. With the city's Department of Environmental Protection adding that they've inspected the sewers at the location and our infrastructure is safe. This latest sewer incursion comes on the heels of a similar scene in Queens, New York a couple months ago, as well as multiple instances in Brooklyn, with early morning divers pouring out from underground.

As this investigation unfolds, the city is war. any would-be scavengers that entering the sewer system is both illegal and extremely dangerous. Sam Brock, NBC News, New York. When we return in 60 seconds, the terrifying accident during a Caribbean trip and the lifeguard on vacation who leapt into duty to save his own family. Plus, the video of police hopping into an Uber and making him pursue a potentially dangerous suspect. And the train crash caught on camera, was that driver asleep at the wheel? Welcome back. Almost every great police chase in Hollywood starts the same way.

Police commandeer a car and tell the driver, follow that man. Well, it sometimes happens in real life, too. An Uber driver has the video to prove it, and he's sharing it with our Priscilla Thompson. This was the moment unsuspecting Uber driver Anthony Baines was suddenly called to duty. Baines was sitting at a stop sign earlier this month. His dash cam rolling as a shirtless man raced by with two Houston police officers in hot pursuit. One officer breaking from the chase, heading in his direction. Hey, give me right over that, please.

Jumping into the Uber and telling Baines to hit the gas. Go, go, go, go, go. At one point, stopping to pick up another officer. What was going through your mind? Honestly, once it felt like an action movie. Like, they're getting away! your car. So I literally visualized me being that driver in that moment and just kind of was running on

adrenaline. The impromptu police Uber lasted several minutes, Bain says. Which way did he go? Over here. Go that way. Houston police tell our affiliate KPRC officers were trying to detain a man accused of threatening to shoot a woman and her children and that the suspect ultimately got away. They declined to say if the officer's actions violate department policy.

Is it concerning? Absolutely. I mean, once again, three people in a car, two people signed up to be put in these very situations and are getting paid to be in those situations. Dangerous situations. Dangerous situations. Still, Bain says he's hoping for five stars for the ride. Priscilla Thompson, NBC News, Houston.

Tonight we also have some startling video of a family tubing in the Caribbean, slamming into another boat and the off-duty lifeguard who saved a lot. his own family when he jumped in. Dana Griffin has this. Tonight, a lifeguard's heroic actions to save his own family. Watch those two rafts being towed by a speedboat in Aruba. Its engine revs while making a wide turn. Then one raft slams into a catamaran.

It whipped my other family members straight directly into the boat. And the minute I saw that, I know I had to jump out of the jump off my raft and go save them. That's lifeguard Marcelo Lorenzo, seen here jumping off the other. raft and into the ocean to save his father, aunt, and cousin. The 24-year-old first reaches his dad. He was unresponsive underneath the boat. That's when I grabbed him and pull him up out of the water. Then when I swim to the backside of the boat, I find my cousin face down, unconscious in the open water. I then lifted my father onto the back of the smaller boat. That's where I found my aunt as well with a broken arm. Turns out Lorenzo spends most days here as a lifeguard in Hollywood,

Florida. That day, thousands of miles away, he relied on his training to save his family. We're out here just getting ready for the worst, and that's exactly what happened. Lorenzo tells me his dad is now in the U.S., recovering after he had to stay behind in Aruba to be cleared for travel. As for the hero lifeguard, he is back on duty and being honored this week in Florida. Tom? And those lifeguard instincts kicked in. Okay, Dana, thank you for that. When we returned the record run for this robot running faster than any human has ever before,

and you won't believe how it stops. That's next. Back now with some scary moments out of San Francisco, watches this train operator appears to nod off at the wheel. He's jolted seconds later when he rear ends another train, shattering the windshield's glass. Transit officials are citing fatigue as the cause of the crash. Two passengers on board were not injured.

That driver has been suspended. In the south of France, in the town of Pomas, no one was sleeping because of this. La Tournade, that's Tornado in French. You're welcome. of this size and strength are very rare in this part of Europe. And from the robots are taking over files, check out this humanoid name Lightning, turning in the fastest 100 meter dash in history, beating Usain Bolt's world record. But instead of posing like Bolt, he just smashes right into the wall.

This happened at the World Robot Games, but not all of them found eternal glory like this weightlifting robot. Pretty good form at first, but definitely not Arnold Schwarzenegger. it drops the barbell and then trips right over the weights. Pretty sad. That's nightly news for this Monday. I'm Tom Yamas. We thank you so much for watching tonight and always.

We're here for you. Good night.