NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Monday, August 3, 2026

Episode Date: August 4, 2026

65,000 forced to evacuate from Spokane fires; First deaths from lettuce-linked outbreak; Trump gives Iran "last chance" to make deal before U.S. "decapitation" strikes; 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.

Breaking news tonight, nearly 70,000 fleeing their homes as wildfires burn out of control out west. Flames ripping through communities, at least 700 homes and buildings destroyed. Cars burned out. Neighborhoods burned off the map. This homeowner filming the Inferno torching his house. The race right now to stop the flames. The first reported death just announced in the lettuce-linked outbreak. So is it still spreading? and does it go beyond lettuce?

What you need to know? Seaplane crash rescue new video from inside the cabin, nearly a dozen on board as it slammed into a dock, how everyone got out alive. The major move from Todd Blanche to clear a hurdle towards his nomination and why President Trump is slamming the U.S. attorney in D.C. Janine Piro for dropping that Reflecting Pool case spotted today at the White House is her job safe.

President Trump warning Iran it's their last chance to make a deal and insisting the straight of Hormuz could be open tomorrow. What Iran is saying tonight. Deadly drone beach attack, a fiery explosion at a popular resort inside Russia, is Ukraine behind it. The hero opening fire on a mass shooter credited with saving countless lives in that deadly in-and-out shooting, how he put his own life on the line. Tragedy on the front lines, two firefighting helicopters colliding midair in Greece. Hotel Wi-Fi warning how hackers are targeting free Wi-Fi at popular hotels. And there's good news tonight. 365 days of catch.

The challenge that brought this father and son closer than ever. Nightly news starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. Great to be with you on this Monday. We begin tonight with the hellish images emerging from out west. As three separate wildfires burned thousands of acres, forcing nearly 70,000 to evacuate. The inferno's right now, zero percent contained. And the worst of it happening up in Spokane, Washington. You can see it right here, house after house there, totally engulfed in flames. The destruction seen here from above, an entire neighborhood erased from the map by those fires.

And back on the ground, imagine doing this. This is one resident shooting video of his own home as it burned and later capturing all that was left, just ash and parts of the foundation. Countless homeowners returning to nothing but smoldering rubble, cars burnt down to their frames, and what you're seeing there look closely is melted metal that is hardened now into a pool on the ground. Efforts to stop the flame so far in vain, one person using a garden hose as fires raced across his property. And this firefighter, a camera strapped to his helmet, seemed desperately trying to stop the spread. Morgan Chesky's in the middle of that fire destruction in Washington and starts us off. Tonight in eastern Washington, out-of-control wildfires forcing the evacuation of 65,000 people. The whole block's turned, dude. Three separate fires burning towards the city of Spokane, destroying more than 700 structures,

burning cars to a crisp and turning houses like this one into little more than ash, and rubble. The county sheriff's sharing some people are still unaccounted for. It's 14 reports of people who are calling for evacuations, and we haven't been able to find them. The smoke was very intense. Shouldn't have been back here, but I had to see my house. Ken Anderson capturing this video of his own neighborhood, going up in flames. That's our house. He and his wife Lisa coming back today to see their home of 27 years gone.

It was the first time I'd seen it since it was, since it burned. What made this one different? It was the tremendous wind that came with it. It's like pouring gasoline on a fire. With roadblocks and mandatory evacuations still in effect, few were able to see the damage firsthand. It's had to stop by my buddy's house to see if there's anything left, and there's not.

Many making the same discovery. This is really apocalyptic and pretty scary. Across the west, dozens of wildfires are burning, including in Utah and Oregon, where a condition spawned a rare fire-nado with a twister of swirling flames and superheated air caught on video. Back in Spokane, images from above showing the devastation for those on the ground. It seems like it's a nightmare that we're just going to wake up from, and it's all going to be okay. but I don't think it's going to be okay. Morgan Chesky joins us now live from hard hit Spokane and Morgan.

It looks like a hellscape there behind you. The mayor says it may be weeks before people can return to their homes. Yeah, Tom, that's right. And in reality, she really doesn't know when people can come back into these hard hit neighborhoods. And I want to show you one of the major reasons why you can see those embers continuing to burn beneath that layer of ash. That is what can pose such a high risk for a potential re-ignition. and that is why they have to be so incredibly cautious. The mayor also saying that this is the worst natural disaster to hit Spokane in its history.

Tom? The danger's still very real there tonight. Okay, Morgan Chesky, we have a major development we want to tell you about in that dangerous illness linked to the lettuce. The outbreak has now turned deadly with two people reported dead in Michigan, and we have new reporting on other foods that may also be linked. Here's Ann Thompson. In Michigan, where cyclosporic cases, now top 11,000. For the first time, the state says two people are dead after getting the severe

stomach illness that sickened Americans this summer. State officials report both people had significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration. The FDA, adding, both individuals got sick before Taylor Farms' voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce grown in Mexico, July 17th. Dying from cyclosporiasis is rare, say, medical experts. Who is most at risk here? Most at risk are people at the extremes of age, the very old, very young, and people with chronic underlying medical conditions. Tonight, federal health officials report cases in 45 states, and they are investigating six clusters. The biggest involving Taylor Farms, iceberg lettuce, sold at Taco Bell restaurants in nine states. Both three,

Taylor Farms and Taco Bell say they stopped using that lettuce last month. While the number of cases continues to grow, the pace, at least in Michigan, is slowing. But in North Carolina, food detectives are looking beyond lettuce. Officials there say recent cases reported eating parsley and cilantro. All right, Ann, let's pick it up right there. Should people be worried now about parsley and cilantro? At least if you're in North Carolina, Tom, because officials there say, well, they haven't identified a source. When they interview people who've gotten sick, they say those are the two herbs that keep coming up. So they say, look, remove it or cook it to be on the safe side. And it's a good idea to check with your state public health officials

about what they're recommending as opposed to what federal officials are recommending because they're talking to people who get sick. Good advice. All right, Ann, we thank you for that. We have some new video tonight we want to show you of a seaplane with 10 Americans on board crashing into a dock in the Bahamas while trying to take off, but then the people who rushed into the rescue saving everyone. George Solis with the story and those incredible images. Tonight, new video of a harrowing seaplane crash in the Caribbean. Ten Americans on board a plane that slammed into a dock in the Bahamas as it was trying to take off. In this video, recorded by passenger Elouidis Scantio, the moment The plane makes impact.

It was very disarming, he said. Thank goodness I was wearing my seatbelt. It was very horrible. You can hear the desperation from passengers as alarms Blair. Bahamian police say the Cessna was attempting to take off Saturday morning when the plane ran into boat traffic leading the pilot to change course. Right place, right time, right people, and the rest was in God's hands. Nick Pavlakis was there on his boat dealership's customer getaway and among the Good Samaritans that raced into action to save lives.

Today, taking us on board the vessel used in the rescue. Where are the people boarding once they have the opportunity to get to safety? So some people boarded from the very bow of the boat. Some people boarded back here. Dramatic images show the plane's wing fully submerged as it began to sink. And this moment as it fully flips upside down. I pull up to the plane and it's a sound out. I'll never forget of the glug, glug, glug.

I said, guys, this plane's going down. We got to get everybody off. Ten souls on board. That's right. All saved. All saved. The company that runs the seaplane, Tropic Ocean Airways, telling NBC News in a statement, the safety of our passengers and crew is always our highest priority, and we are grateful that everyone is safe. Tom? Okay, George, thank you for that. We want to head to Washington now because there may be a new attorney general soon. Those two Republican Senator holdouts now say, they'll back President Trump's nominee, Todd Blanche, after he made a major concession. Gabe Gutierrez is at the White House.

Tonight, acting attorney general Todd Blanche's nomination is back on track after he agreed to the demands of two key Republican holdouts. Senators John Cornyn and Tom Tillis both said today they'd now support him. I'm glad we were able to solve the problem. Following Blanche, issuing an order that he says officially rescinds that controversial anti-weaponization fund. Nearly two billion taxpayer dollars for people who argued they were unfairly. targeted by the Biden Justice Department. These people were treated horribly, and this fund could have given them some solace. Despite the concession, the president today downplaying, any backtracking.

I didn't look at it. All I know is that Todd Blanche is great. He's also slamming a close ally for another concession. I guess she choked. The president now says U.S. attorney Janine Piro made a mistake by dropping charges against a former Olympic canoeist indicted for vandalizing renovations at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Piro acknowledging new evidence shows the damage was the result of a botched installation and not vandalism. I was disappointed with Janine Piro, really disappointed with Janine Piro. She folded like an umbrella and people get away with things and it's a disgrace.

Piro just left the White House after a meeting following the president's remarks. She, of course, is a longtime ally and former Fox News host, and tonight she has not responded to a request for comment. Tom. Gabe, our thanks to you. We want to stay in Washington now. President Trump today saying Iran is in talks with the U.S. for what he is calling their last chance to make a nuclear deal. But Iran claims they're not engaged. Kier Simmons is tracking it all. Tonight's President Trump insisting the threat of a massive U.S. strike has Iran back at the negotiating table.

They called me and they said, please don't attack. We'll make a deal. The price of oil plunging on the news, despite continued Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the strait of Hormuz through the weekend. Iran previously broke a ceasefire. It signed in June saying it would not attack those ships. But now the president saying the vital shipping lane could be open as soon as tomorrow. We're talking about the straight, the opening of the strait having it open literally by tomorrow, completely open. And that's phase one. The denuclearization of Iran has to happen.

Has to happen. And that'll be the second phase. Iran is denying any talks with the U.S. are happening. All as President Trump pulls back from massive strikes, he said, would involve Israel. Tonight, he is warning Iran again to make a deal, calling this their last chance. I want to give them every last chance before decapitation. Very tough to do what we have planned, still planned. We'll see what happens.

Kier is there along the Persian Gulf live for us tonight, and Kier Iran is now responding? That's right, Tom. Iran saying tonight that it is negotiating over the strait of Homoos, but only with Oman. President Trump says that shows Iran's leadership is, quote, unbelievably duplicitous. Tom.

Kier Simmons for us and a new escalation in the war with Ukraine. Look at this. People at a beach on the Black Sea in Russia when a deadly drone strike hits. happened in a resort town not far from a compound belonging to Vladimir Putin, Russian officials blame Ukraine and say at least seven people were killed there on the beach. Back here at home, we are learning more about the heroic actions two people took to stop a deadly shooting at an Idaho in-and-out fast food restaurant.

Dana Griffin is there. Tonight, this man is being credited throughout Idaho for trying to stop a gunman. Armed with an AR-style rifle who opened fire Saturday afternoon, outside this twin falls in and out. Everybody's running. Sending people running for their lives. An off-duty trooper and the man seen here confronting the shooter in the drive-thru, now being praised for their bravery.

We believe their actions helped drive the suspect away from the scene, preventing further casualties. Pretty crazy. He was standing up there and without hardly any cover for quite a bit of it. Three people were killed, including Ashley Garibay and Christopher Clanch, according to their families. A Clanch family spokesperson calling him a big giver with a huge heart. In-N-Out's owner, adding, he took the precious lives of our associate and customers,

innocent people who never saw it coming. Seven others were injured, including taxi driver Terry Dudley, shot while charging his car in a nearby parking lot. It's a miracle that Terry's alive. The man was definitely aiming to take his life. His son, Michael, sharing an update on his father's condition. He's in pretty rough shape, but, you know, it's to be expected. But they're doing everything they can. Police say the 24-year-old suspect died from a self-inflicted wound. Just nine days after welcoming its first customers, this in and out is now shuttered. The Samba reminder of the lives forever changed here. Tom?

Dana Griffin on the scene there. Dana, thank you. When we return in 60 seconds, wildfire battle disaster. Two firefighting helicopters colliding midair. We're back down with a deadly disaster out of Greece. Two firefighting helicopters colliding. while responding to a giant blaze west of Athens. Fire officials say two people on board, one chopper were killed.

The two men and the other chopper somehow survived. Also tonight, Microsoft warning of a hacking scheme targeting hotel Wi-Fi networks. The company says a Russian back group is stealing personal data from devices connected to those guest networks using fake software updates and sign-in pages that look like these screenshots you see here. Microsoft says the best way to avoid the hacks is to use a MyFes. and avoid clicking on pop-up requests. And fears are mounting Major League Baseball could stop next season because of a strike.

All of this as the Los Angeles Dodgers just pulled off a monster trade picking up two pitchers, including superstar Terek Scoobel from the Tigers. It has some baseball fans crying foul and adds to the looming fight over how much teams can spend as clubs with the most money are dominating. When we come back tonight, a father and son and the backyard family tradition, inspiring us all to grab our gloves. That's next day. Finally, there's good news tonight.

A father and son from southern Idaho turning their love of baseball into a daily tradition, playing catch every day for a year. And guess what? They just hit number 365. Ooh, that was a good one. Like a lot of fathers and sons, Reed McCashlin and his 10-year-old boy, Colby,

love to throw a ball around. So last summer, they set out to play catch every single day for a whole year. Day 28. Day 130. Day 23. Day 250 of playing catch with my kids every day for a whole year.

Rain. Hey Colby, guess what? It's raining. Shine. In the dark. And in the snow. Even getting creative with it when Reed had to travel.

Holby's brother and sister, often getting it on it too. Oh, she got it! Finally, the big day rolled around. We actually made. today, 365. One full year of playing catch together. There is only one way to celebrate this day.

Want to go play catch? Yeah. All right, let's go. We've been using the same baseball every single day for the entire year, so we'll probably retire this one, pick out a nice brand new white one, and start playing again for another year. Colby dreams of being a big leaguer someday

and loves the practice. But mostly, he's just happy to be out there with his dad. It's fun to spend time with him every single day. Life gets busy. Schedules get crazy. But when we set aside those 5 to 10 to 15 minutes every single day to spend time with each other, it just gives us a chance to connect, gives me a chance to get to know my kids beyond the surface level things. And it gives me a chance to really build some memories with them.

Amen to that. All right. 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.