An Australian citizen is among those killed in the Los Angeles wildfires, his mum announced on social media.
British-born Rory Callum Sykes moved to Australia as a child and attended school in Sydney but has been living in the US more recently.
The 32-year-old, who lives with cerebral palsy, was with his mum in her Malibu home when the Palisades fire broke out on Tuesday and ripped through the area, fanned by the Santa Ana winds.
Rory’s mum, Shelley Sykes, said she is “totally heart broken” when announcing the news of her loss.
“A wonderful son, a gift born on mine & his grandmas birthday… a true humanitarian,” she wrote in part of a lengthy tribute on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Shelley also said her son was inside a cottage on their Malibu estate as it burned but claims when she tried to put out the flames using a hose, there was no water available.
“I’ve got a broken arm, I couldn’t lift him, I couldn’t move him,” she told Ten News First.
Shelley said Rory is not a part of the Los Angles fire death toll, which officially sits at 11 people at the moment but is expected to rise over the coming days.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has been contacted for comment.
