or a public charging credit. see your volvo retailer for details. tonight, new details on plans for covid booster shots. the highly contagious delta variant driving the deadly summer surge. a senior government official telling abc the fda is expected to have a plan for booster vaccines for immunocompromised americans in the next few weeks. the white house reporting half of new infections are coming from seven states with low vaccination rates. among them, florida. the state leading the nation in hospital admissions. cases rising among children. fears of staffing shortages with doctors and nurses pushed to the brink. but florida's governor rejecting calls for mask mandates and other restrictions. how he's going after president biden. and raging wildfires exploding in the west. dangerous heat and erratic winds fueling the flames. in california, the state's

largest wildfire engulfing an entire mountain town, gutting dozns of homes and other buildings. some dating back to california's gold rush era. and a new fast-moving wildfire breaking out near a city north of sacramento. the flames burning out of control. evacuation orders for thousands of residents. willght. thousands of passengers stranded at airports. spirit airlines issuing widespread cancellations for a fifth day. what the carrier is telling customers tonight. plus, how the faa is targeting alcohol use. the deadline for new york governor andrew cuomo. an impeachment investigation nearing its end. state lawmakers give the governor until next friday to provide additional evidence. new fallout from a report claiming he sexually harassed multiple women. the shocking attack on a driver in rhode island. a woman brutally beaten after being pulled from her vehicle with her child inside. honors for the heroes of january 6th. congressional gold medals awarded to the brave police

officers and others who defended the capitol against hundreds of rioters. scenes from today's tribute. the new push for electric vehicles. president biden signing a massive new executive order. details tonight. and the health news tonight on rolling stones drummer charlie watts. why he'll likely miss the band's upcoming u.s. tour. good evening everyone. thanks so much for joining us. i'm linsey davis, in for david. we begin tonight with the pandemic and the news on booster shots. the fda's plan could be ready within weeks. it comes as the vaccination rate appears to be turning around. more than 864,000 doses administered just since yesterday, that's the highest number in a single day in more than a month. meanwhile, the delta variant is surging across the country. 100,000 new daily cases for the

second time this week. and the most significant increases in hospitalizations since last winter. a month ago, there were 12,000 patients in america's hospitals. tonight, there are more than 61,000. and the growing concern for children who are too young to be vaccinated, as the debate over masking at school is growing more heated. pediatric hospitalizations are now 3 1/2 times higher than they were a month ago. tonight, more than 192 million people have had at least one dose of vaccine. that's 68% of people 12 and older. and a growing number of the newly vaccinated are in the states where the virus is soaring. abc's victor oquendo leads us off tonight in miami beach. >> reporter: tonight, federal health officials signaling they will likely recommend booster shots for immunocompromised americans, reportedly within weeks. >> it is extremely important for us to move to get those individuals their boosters. and we are now working on that, and we'll make that be implemented as quickly as possible.

>> reporter: those first boosters would go to vulnerable people like cancer or transplant patients or those on medications that suppress the immune system. today, moderna saying a booster for its vaccine will likely be needed in the fall. the company reporting its vaccine was 93% effective six months later, but that data was crunched before the delta variant took hold. tonight, on the front lines of florida's covid crisis, hospitals like memorial health care system pushed to the brink. the state reporting 2,000 new patients in just one day. teams making room in the hospital cafeteria. >> the patients are coming in younger, sicker and unfortunately, sometimes they are expiring quicker. >> reporter: florida has more children hospitalized with confirmed covid cases than any other state in the country, but the governor today doubling down on his ban of mask mandates in schools. >> what are the harmful effects of putting a kindergartner in a

mask for seven hours? have they talked about the emotional, the academic, the physiological? >> reporter: president biden this week criticizing states for banning masks mandates. the governor firing back, saying, "i'm not going anywhere." our stephanie ramos today pressing the white house on desantis' comments. >> he referred to the president as a power hungry tyrant. what is your response to the governor and the administration's response to the governor? >> reporter: today, the white house pointing to florida's covid numbers. >> that 25% of hospitalizations in the country are in florida. it is also a fact that the governor has taken steps that are counter to public health recommendations. >> reporter: late today, the president asked about the florida governor. >> governor who? >> desantis? >> reporter: in ft. lauderdale, 17-year-old david espino, a high school football player, hospitalized for ten days with covid, developing pneumonia. he's now at broward health. >> it's been pretty scary, actually. i wasn't actually able to go to the bathroom without shortness

of breath a couple of days ago. it can get to anyone. it can get you if you're 10, it can get you if you're 60, it doesn't matter how old you are. >> reporter: it comes amid growing concern for the young. the number of children admitted to hospitals with covid now 3 1/2 times higher than it was a month ago. david and his mother regret not getting him vaccinated. >> i would definitely encourage them to get their kids vaccinated if they're eligible. because now with school starting and, you know, we're here, and more than half of the kids here are, you know, due to covid. and so it's -- it's scary. >> so many concerned now about the children. victor oquendo joins us now. victor, with some 90 million eligible americans who still have not gotten a shot, explain why dr. anthony fauci is now warning that the continued spread could lead to a variant that's worse than delta. >> reporter: linsey, dr. fauci >> reporter: linsey, dr. anthony fauci is saying that without more people getting vaccinated,

the virus will keep mutating and we could end up with a variant that's even worse than delta, that could evade vaccines. that's why it's all the more critical to get more shots into arms now. linsey? >> victor, thank you. now, to the other major news tonight, the dramatic images from this catastrophic fire season in the west. nearly 100 large fires burning and excessive heat and strong winds not letting up. california's largest, the dixie fire, racing across 50,000 more acres in 24 hours, forcing more fmilies to evacuate their homes. destroying the entire main street in the historic mountain town of greenville. the smoke and haze from more than a dozen fires in northern california could be seen from a satellite 22,000 miles up. abc's will carr is in the fire zone. >> reporter: tonight, veteran firefighters, battle weary and exhausted, are calling these extreme conditions the worst they've ever seen. in the west, strong winds and dry brush acting like jet fuel, fanning multiple fires.

north of sacramento, the river fire ripping through 1,400 acres in just a matter of hours. >> so we're all evacuating. everyone's driving home as fast as they can to get their bag and split. >> reporter: destroying at least 50 structures and damaging dozens more. this fire burned through this parea so quickly, it destroyed dozens of homes and left residents with little time to get out. ron pucci and his wife losing their home. he tried to stay and fight using a hose and water from his pool, but says the fire raced up the hill like a tornado. >> all of a sudden, the wind kicked up, blew embers, smoke right in my eyes and blew the water right back in my face. the next thing i know, there's fire on both sides of me. >> reporter: further north, the dixie fire, now more than 500 square miles in size, tearing through the town of ory place for the town's 800 residents, but some decided to stick it out and narrowly escaped when the fire raced through as winds gusted to nearly 40 miles an hour. >> we're all heading out. back out the way we came.

>> reporter: firefighters forced to retreat. embers flying as they make their way through the smoke and flames. daybreak revealing the destruction. kxtv's monica coleman. >> this is what's left of main street in greenville. behind me is the sierra lodge, and to my right is way station bar. all that is recognizable is the front of the structure. >> reporter: fire crews say this historic mountain town turned into apocalyptic hellscape in just a matter of hours. the fire, the largest currently burning in california, may have been sparked by power lines, has been burning now for more than three weeks. linsey, tonight, as authorities are trying to figure out how many properties here have been lost. the threat of fire is still very real. crews are preparing for another night of red flag warnings and high temperatures through the weekend. linsey? >> those threats just not easing up. will, thank you. next, the chaos at the airports for a fifth straight day now. spirit airlines canceling hundreds more flights today. this despite their promises that the numbers would go down. abc's kaylee hartung with the passengers still trying to get

to their final destination. >> reporter: maria martinez was stuck in tampa, florida, for three days, trying to get home to detroit. >> we boarded the plane, they deboarded us out of the plane and then they told us it was canceled. >> reporter: she's one of thousands of passengers stranded as the fifth consecutive day of disruptions continues for spirit airlines. >> it's just been a nightmare. >> reporter: by midday today, more than half the airline's flights were already canceled. the low-cost airline has canceled nearly 1,900 flights since last weekend. >> this is for spirit. look at all these people. >> reporter: this passenger in orlando says she waited in line for nine hours just to speak to someone. >> nine hours. i'm about to cry. nine hours. i have never seen such customer service before in my life. >> reporter: spirit says the problems stem from, quote, a series of weather and operational challenges. >> passengers understandably frustrated. kaylee hartung joins us now live from l.a.x. kaylee, what is spirit saying about all of this? >> reporter: linsey, we just got an update from spirit airlines. they say they are working around

the clock to try to fix this problem. but they warn us to expect at least 40% of their flights tomorrow to be canceled again. linsey? >> kaylee, thank you. next tonight, the walls are closing in on new york governor andrew cuomo, after that scathing report alleging a pattern of sexual harassment. the state assembly is now weighing his impeachment, saying their investigation is nearing completion, as five district attorneys are now eyeing possible criminal investigations and now one of his accusers is planning to file a civil suit, as well. here's abc's erielle reshef. >> reporter: tonight, new york legislators putting governor andrew cuomo on notice as they wrap up their impeachment probe. the state's judiciary committee giving cuomo's counsel another week to turn in additional evidence, noting the assembly "will soon consider potential articles of impeachment." the governor under fire for his handling of nursing homes during the pandemic, his book deal and now those searing allegations of sexual harassment against 11 women.

cuomo maintaining his innocence throughout, but support, even from his closest allies, evaporating. >> i began the process of trying to talk him into resignation, seeing that resignation was the best course of action. >> reporter: and cuomo now facing an impending civil suit from his first accuser lindsay boylan, who claims he and staff leaked personal information about her after she accused him publicly of harassment, including kissing her on the lips. >> there was an entire conspiracy to diminish her and to hurt her credibility. >> reporter: the state's independent report backing boylan's claim, but today, the governor's lawyer saying the finding was legally and factually wrong. investigators say a state trooper assigned to the governor's personal security detail also "feared retaliation" if she reported what she described as a series of "flirtatious" and "creepy" encounters with cuomo. >> she was standing holding the door open for the governor. as he passed, he took his open hand and ran it across her stomach from her belly button to the hip where she keeps her gun. >> and erielle joins us live

tonight from outside the governor's new york city office. erielle, we're hearing that cuomo's attorneys are responding to that deadline for additional evidence. what are they saying? >> reporter: well, cuomo's office, linsey, says they will cooperate with the assembly and that the governor and his team appreciate the opportunity to provide their perspective. linsey? >> erielle, thank you so much. the department of justice is launching an investigation into the phoenix, arizona, police force. attorney general merrick garland announcing the sweeping review to see if there's a pattern of unlawful policing, in particular, in officers' use of force, treatment of the homeless and their conduct toward protesters. this comes after civil rights advocates lodged complaints. the phoenix probe is the doj's third. minneapolis and louisville, kentucky, are already under investigation. high honors tonight for the heroes that helped protect the u.s. capitol on january 6th. police officers and others were awarded the congressional gold medal for defending against hundreds of rioters. stephanie ramos is at the white house tonight. >> reporter: tonight, the more

than 1,500 officers who responded to the capitol on january 6th recognized with one of the nation's highest civilian honors. with a number of officers in attendance, president biden signing a bill awarding capitol police and those who protected the capitol the congressional gold medal. >> i know receiving this award is bittersweet. on that day, more than 140 law enforcement officers suffered physical injuries and untold numbers suffering and emotional toll. 15 of you were hospitalized. and others were lost forever. may their souls rest in peace. >> reporter: today's ceremony comes on the heels of harrowing congressional testimony by four officers. >> i remember thinking there was a very good chance i would be torn apart or shot to death with my own weapon. >> what we were subjected that day was like something from a medieval battle. >> reporter: earlier this week, senate majority leader chuck schumer calling the officers

heroes, highlighting their bravery and sacrifice, as the measure to award the medal passed unanimously in the senate. >> this is our olympics, this is our gold medal. and it goes today to the capitol police officers and the metropolitan police officers and others that protected us that day. >> reporter: this bill calls for the treasury department to make four gold medals that will be publicly displayed at the u.s. capitol police headquarters, d.c. metro police, the u.s. capitol and the smithsonian the president today saying these medals should remind us of the officers who served and currently protect us all. linsey? >> well deserved honors there. stephanie, thank you. president biden also taking action to combat greenhouse gas emissions and make sure the future will be made in america, signing an executive order, including a target of 50% of all passenger vehicles to be electric by 2050. afterward, whithodreway.

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ask your doctor about ibrance. to the index tonight. new wins for team usa in tokyo. megan rapinoe and carli lloyd helping the american women's soccer team win a bronze medal victory over australia today. rapinoe scored two goals, one directly a corner kick. the usa men's basketball team beating australia to advance to the gold medal game. kevin durant and other nba all-stars set to take to the court against france on saturday. and america failing to qualify for the men's 4x100 meter relay after a botched baton handoff. the team placing sixth in its heat. a bad baton exchange disqualified the men back in rio r charliwas ll likely miss the rolling stones upcoming u.s. tour. a spokesperson for watts says the 80-year-old is recovering from an unspecified medical procedure. the spokesperson also says it

was completely successful. the stones are set to resume their no filter tour in st. louis in september. the longtime and powerful president of the afl/cio labor union richard trumka has died. trumka had been president since 2009 and oversaw 12 million members. president biden and senate majority leader chuck schumer among the leaders remembering him today. richard trumka was 72 years old. when we come back, a young cancer survivor giving back in a very big way. to severe crohn's disease. then i realized something was missing... ...me. my symptoms were keeping me from being there for her. so, i talked to my doctor and learned humira is the #1 prescribed biologic for people with crohn's disease. the majority of people on humira saw significant symptom relief in as little as 4 weeks. and many achieved remission that can last. humira can lower your ability to fight infections. serious and sometimes fatal infections,

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finally tonight, one little boy who has already endured so much, eager to give back and help other children smile in the midst of trying times.

this hero's homecoming is all for 7-year-old tripp hughes. >> it just feels amazing. >> reporter: after being diagnosed with lymphoma at just 4 years old, this soon to be second grader just finished 857 days of cancer treatment and chemotherapy. >> all of our friends and family have been asking what they can get him to celebrate. >> reporter: tripp had an idea based on something he noticed before leaving the hospital. >> they're running low on toys because they let kids take some of the toys home with them. so we just want to help. >> reporter: so tripp, along with his mom, asked a few of their friends to pitch in. donate money and toys for children's mercy in kansas city for other children just like tripp. >> hi, tiktok. this is tripp. >> reporter: even sharing their mission on tiktok. >> i hope you can donate money to my fund-raiser. >> reporter: the donations kept growing. and growing. 4,400 toys in all. >> look at all them! i love it.

he just went through a really tough time in his life, and his thought was, how can i give back? i just think that's amazing. >> reporter: tripp barely containing his excitement when he and mom made the delivery themselves. >> yeah, i got some more carts coming. >> yeah, you're going to need 5,000 more. >> you're right. >> reporter: one grateful hospital, community and little boy. >> i just hope this inspires other kids to also do other helpful things. >> you are certainly an inspiration to us all, tripp. thank you so much for watching. i'm linsey davis. hope to see you right back here tomorrow night. have a great evening. good night.

how long is the current surge of covid case is going to last? experts give us answers and here is a hand, you might not have to wait much longer. they will grow up knowing what their father was like. >> he was a father, a husband, and so much more. the family of philip kreycik as a message of thanks to share. they are making a hard situation harder and a bad situation worse. >> the edd is asking him to pay back his benefits. that is why 7 7 7 7 michael finney got involved. building a better bay area. moving forward. finding solutions. this is abc7 news. we do not want a repeat of the winter surge. >> we do not want to repeat and it looks like we might not get one. the summer surge might not be with us much longer. thank you for joining us, i am

ama daetz. you are watching abc7 news at 6:00, live on abc7, hulu live, and wherever you stream. >> there is only one bay area county without a mask mandate, solano county. napa county announced it was joining the mandate. it requires everyone, regardless of vaccination status to wear a mask indoors in public. >> abc7 news has confirmed zuckerberg san francisco general has started giving supplemental shots to people who received the single-dose johnson & johnson vaccine. sky 7 was over a hospital staging tent where people lined up before going in. some people without appointments were turned away. the cdc has not recommended additional doses or booster shots. however, the department of public health and the hospital decided to allow the vaccines. meanwhile, sources tell abc news the fda should have a vaccine booster plan rey