In the big republican debate. And there she is. The new miss america. Miss georgia crowned overnight. Wowing the crowd with her performance. Was it what she said about tom brady that helped her win the title . And Vanessa Williams is back. The emotional apology more than 30 years in the making. And good morning, america. Heres a look at what youre waking up to this morning. Frightening images from the wildfires in california, nearly 50,000 acres scorched by one of those fires. 1,000 homes and structures, gone. Thousands of people trying to escape. Look at the incredible images. One man escaping the flames, broadcasting it live to many on the internet. Californias head of Emergency Services says these are the worst fires hes seen in 30 years. We have full Team Coverage this morning starting with matt gutman on the front lines. Good morning, matt. Reporter good morning, george. You can call this the epi center of that fire which came in here like a collegehammer. Insin rating cars. You can smell the acrid smell in the appear. This goes on for block after block after block. Those flames were 200 feet in the air. This was all about getting these people out of here to safety. This morning, Deadly Wildfires racing through northern california. The valley fire, 100 miles north of San Francisco, threatening napa county. Fueled by 30 mile per hour winds. Exploding from a small fire over the weekend to a 50,000acre monster. Up to 1,000 homes destroyed. 20,000 people evacuated. So many unprepared for its speed, trying desperately to outrun it. This man driving through the worst of it. These timelapsed videos capturing the panicked exodus. Watch as this driver struggles to find a way out. Fire everywhere he turns. You can hear the fires jet engine roar. [ roaring noise ] others cornered by the flames and smoke. Watch as flames consume this home. Just minutes. Scariest thing i have ever been through in my life. Weve lost all of our homes. And some pets. Were just devastated. Reporter cars, gas stations, garages, nothing spared. Whole towns reduced to cinders. Governor jerry brown declaring a state of emergency sunday. On twitter a woman posting the moment she realized she had to evacuate. Its in the backyard. I know, i know. Lets go. We have two fires. Structured threatened. Theyre putting water on this particular house because its in a corner and they dont want to lose this corner. Reporter farther east, more than 4500 firefighters battling the butte fire. This morning, chewing through 65,000 acres. Only 25 contained. Extreme fire behavior. It burned everything in its path. Reporter hundreds of people who used to live in neighbors like this are in a red cross shelter about 20 miles aware from here. No word when they will return. I want to show you how hot this fire got. This is aluminum. It almost looks like mercury and given how hot and how much destruction its almost miraculous that 20,000 people managed to evacuate. Almost all uninjured. Robin. Thank you, matt. Thousands of firefighters are battling the fires. Vacations have been canceled. Clayton sandell is on the ground in kelseyville. Inside the inferno. Reporter good morning, robin. Nearly 1500 firefighters on the front lines this morning. Theyre working around the clock. All vacations and timoff cancelled. They are trying to save the homes that are still standing. Firefighters are putting in grueling shifts. Technically lasting 24 hours. Its not safe. Reporter when we met captain wes day and his crew overnight, they had been going nonstop for 30plus hours. How many houses . Two right here. Reporter they used fire to burn a protective barrier around the homes, saving them. As the fire turned an entire town into hell on earth, overwhelmed firefighters did what they could. Every engine has got multiple structures to try to protect and you just cant save everything. Reporter former firefighter todd sudmeier puts this on periscope. Theyre putting water on this particular house because its on a corner. They dont want to lose the corner. In addition to the structures that were burning, the cars that were burning, the trees, the cars that were burning, theres a lot going on. Its chaotic. Reporter with the smoky haze grounding all aircraft, winning this firefight is up to the boots on the ground. This is the dangerous stuff, because its so fast. Reporter four firefighters burned over the weekend are now recovering. One giving a thumbs up from the hospital. Many of the firefighters also live in this community. We have talked to at least two who have watched their own houses burn to the ground. George. Such a devastating situation, okay, clayton, thank you very much. Lets get more from battalion chief scott mclean. Thank you so much for joining us. We know how difficult this is. Whats your biggest challenge right now . Biggest challenge, as you can imagine, is the weather. When the fire started, there were 20mileperhour winds behind it pushing it. What are your firefighters facing on the front line right now . The fire went in so many different directions. So many areas to take care of. Access is poor in most places. It takes time to get in these things. Yesterday, for example, we had an inversion layer holding the smoke to almost ground level. So the aircraft couldnt get engaged. The ground forces, dozers, hand crews, engine crews, made significant process. Some of your firefighters losing their own homes. How are they holding up . Theyre all tired, as you can imagine. Especially, yes, losing some of their own homes. They understand that. The biggest challenge is the wind. What is your major job right now . Major job is to get containment on this. Provide safety and well being for the citizens. And we have heard, we know theres at least one fatality so far. As you go through the areas that have been hit so hard, any sense that the death toll will climb . Not really. We still have a lot of work to do. Because that fire basically exploded. It went in several directions. We need to get a handle on it. Ever had to deal with a fire like this before . Not as severe, no. Were looking at over several hundred homes or businesses and structures of any type destroyed in just a few hours. Chief mclean, thank you so much for your service. Thank you for joining us this morning. Thank you. Everything conspiring to make this so damaging. Every time you see the video, george. Now to a new report being released this morning shining a spotlight on the racial divide in st. Louis following Michael Browns killing and the violent protests in ferguson. It calls for major changes. Pierre thomas is in washington with that. Reporter good morning, robin. Critics will say this new report by Missouri State commission lays out a disturbing picture of inequality. According to a State Government website, among the findings of the ferguson commission, blacks were 75 more likely to be pulled over in missouri than whites. The findings similar to those of a blistering Justice Department review that also found africanamericans much more likely to be targeted in Traffic Enforcement than whites. The dlj report found that police and local officials were using traffic stops not so much for Public Safety but as a means of collecting revenue. From taxpayers. The report says bluntly this is about race. They suggest that blacks, at least some of them in missouri, are not living the american dream. Robin . All right, pierre, thank you. The race for president now. Your voice, your vote. And our brandnew abc News Washington post poll. Showing a surge for donald trump and ben carson dominating. The republican side. Hillary clinton and donald trump neck and neck. Abcs tom llamas tracking it all. Reporter were just two days away from the next big republican debate. A new poll this morning shows trump and carsons highest numbers yet. In any National Poll this cycle. You can see right there. Trump, 33 . Carson, 20 . Jeb bush, Single Digits for the first time in any abc News Washington post poll this cycle. This morning, donald trump is stronger than ever in the polls. And in iowa over the weekend, with the new camouflage hat, but keeping the same tough talk strategy. Saying he would hire ruthless negotiators if elected. If im elected, i know the smartest. I know the toughest. I know the meanest. Some are just horrible human beings. Reporter the donald turning his rivals into political punchlines. Heres the headline. Carly is surging. Shes got 3 . I hear ben, hes surging. But hes way behind me. I dont think ben has the energy. Reporter but dr. Ben carson on this week trying not to take the bait. It doesnt bother me because i recognize i have plenty of energy. Reporter either way, voters are listening to the antipoliticians in the race. Trump and carson with more than 50 of the combined vote in the latest abc News Washington post poll. A sliding jeb bush is trying to show voters hes the real conservative superhero. Opening his white buttondown to show a vintage campaign shirt. A reminder, he says, of what leadership looks like. This week before the debate all the candidates are busy. Today, donald trump is in the home of the dallas mavericks. 20,000 seats sold out. Some people are scalping tickets to a president ial political speech. George. 20,000 seats and probably new ratings records on wednesday night. Now to breaking news for our viewers in the west. The kentucky county clerk who refuses to issue marriage licenses to samesex couples returns to work. Abcs t. J. Holmes is on the scene. Good morning, t. J. Reporter good morning to you, robin. And the question this morning is what will kim davis do . We got our answer not too long ago when she stepped out to address reporters. And her decision could land her back in jail. Nearly a week after kim davis and her supporters celebrated her release from jail, the controversial county clerk headed back to work this morning with a statement. Im here before you this morning with an impossible choice that i do not wish on any of my fellow americans. My conscious or freedom. Refusing to authorize rise marriage licenses. Will not be issued or authorized by me. One of her deputy clerks says he will continue to issue them even though davis says they should not be issued in her name. They will not have my name, title or authority on it. Instead, the license will state they are issued pursuant to a federal court order. Davis was held in contempt and sent to jail after refusing to issue marriage licenses. You should Whose Authority . Under gods. Citing her religious objection. She was released with strict orders from a judge not to interfere with her deputy clerks who have been issuing the licenses in her absence. Davis was released from jail after six days with strict rules, do not interfere with your deputies. T. J. Thank you. Well see if theres a showdown today. Police have made several arrests in the hunt for the serial shooter in phoenix. The latest in just 30 seconds. Police in phoenix arrested three copycats sunday night. One person of interest in custody this morning. Kayna whitworth is on the scene in phoenix. Reporter good morning. As we get set for this busy monday morning, authorities are monitoring some 200 Traffic Cameras overlooking the phoenix area alone. Thats i10. This is all happening as the shooter or shooters are still at large. This morning, the Police Searching for the person or persons responsible for the 11 reported shootings along arizona highways in the last two weeks. Late sunday, authorities arresting three 18yearold men they say are copycats who used a slingshot to shoot at drivers and pedestrians on saturday night. Charging them with assault, endangerment. And criminal damage. These are kids out thinking maybe they come up with good ideas. None of this is fun and games. Reporter police say these copycats are unrelated to the 11 other incidents across this eightmile stretch of highway. On friday, Police Taking oscar munoz into custody. Calling him a person of interest. Now saying the real shooter or shooters is still out there. Hes been held on unrelated charges. The city on edge. Thousands of football fans heading to the cardinals game on sunday avoiding the highway. Hopefully, whoever this is is caught soon. Reporter mark spicer, a former sniper and Expert Witness in the 2003 d. C. Sniper trial, says this is far from over. Ultimately, the goal for him or her will be to say to the police, im still here. Reporter thats a scary mentality for parents that are putting their kids on school buses this morning. Many district drivers ordered to avoid highways until the allclear is given. Robin. Now, ginger, you have incredible images you want to share. We had a volatile weekend. Here in the northeast. It displayed like this in long beach, new york. Thats a water spout. The water kicking up. No one injured there. We dont see them as much as they do in miami. Miami had a beautiful water spout. Stayed far away from shore. Thats where we like to keep them. Heres the other headline. I mentioned a cold front. Were just coming off the heels of the record heat last week. This morning, record low temperature in jacksonville, florida, the low 60s. Were feeling 40s, 30s. This touch of fall wont last long. Theres warmup behind it. Ill have that coming up. And now amy with top stories. The state trooper killed overnight. Authorities say they have captured the man who shot and killed a kentucky state trooper. They say 31yearold trooper Joseph Cameron ponder was conducting a traffic stop when the suspect took off and opened fire, hitting ponder several times. He died at the hospital. The suspect, Joseph Shanks fled on foot and was arrested this morning. Overseas right now, germany is enforcing new border restrictions to slow the wave of Syrian Refugees streaming into that country, which could present new legal challenges. Germany expects 1 million refugees and migrants this year 13,000 arrived in one city on saturday. European leaders have called an emergency meeting on the crisis. Also breaking right now. The first images coming in from a major prison break. In afghanistan. The taliban storming the facility, freeing 350 more dangerous criminals. Highlighting more security concerns in that country. A massive volcano is erupting in southern japan taking tourists by surprise. Spewing smoke and ash into the air. No injuries reported. Finally, an incredible finish at the u. S. Open. Djokovic pulling off a victory over federer. He bypassed the crowd to get to his friends and family after clenching his third grand slam title of the year. The tept of his career. Look who helped to give out the trophy to the u. S. Womens winner. There she is robin, roberts, such a special moment for pennetta. She surprised everyone by announcing her retirement. Flavia, you just won the u. S. Open. What are you going to do . Retire. So gracious both of them. To be there on the court, as close as im going to get to a grand slam. More to come this monday morning. A new twist in the kayak murder mystery. Incredible new interrogation tapes of the woman accused of killing her fiance. I wanted him dead and now hes gone. And im okay with it. And im okay with it. Flonase is the 24 hour relief that outperforms the 1 nondrowsy allergy pill. 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Call or go online to learn more about a free trial offer. If you cant afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. Back here on gma, its not just the flames but the smoke were following. Look at this video out of california. So thick, the smoke, they couldnt run some of the helicopters for the rescue efforts. The smoke as far east as denver. Your local news and weather coming up next. Good morning. Im eric thomas. Governor jerry brown plans to meet with local authorities today about the mali fire, burned 61,000 acres and is 5 contained. Flames spread through napa, sonoma and lake counties. 400 houses destroyed. More than 17,000 people forced out of their homes. Meantime, cal fire is investigating reports of at least one fatality. Opposed to a proposed luxury tower in oakland, unveiling plan for the property later today. The city, which owns the land, wants to build a 300unit luxury apartment tower. Opponents protested claiming it violated state law not offering enough affordable housing. Those opponents are expected to reveal their own plan including affordable housing. The morning commute. A couple trouble spots. The peninsula. Pardon me, go north just past hercules. Westbound 80 at willow. Motorcycle down. Very slow traffi