TRANSCRIPT
Multiple wildfires continue to ravage Southern California during a historic red flag wind event, with at least 13 people losing their lives including Australian Rory Callum Sykes.
Rory, a former child actor who starred in the late-’90s TV show “Kiddy Kapers,” had cerebral palsy and was unable to walk.
His mother, Shelley Sykes, tells Channel 10, she's heartbroken over her 32-year-old son’s death in Malibu, where their home was engulfed by flames.
Her attempt to save her son by dousing the fire with a hose failed as there was no water.
And she says there was another problem.
"Guess what didn't work? 911. All the phone lines were down."
As the flames approached, Rory told his Mom to leave him and save herself.
"He said, Mum, leave me. No mum could leave their kid. And I've got a broken arm, I couldn't lift him, I couldn't move him."
Without water and unable to call emergency services, Ms Sykes rushed to the nearest fire station for help, only to be met with devastating news.
The fire department had no water.
"They said, we've got no water, and I said, 'Oh my God, my son is locked in his room."
Without running water, no one could do anything.
Defeated, Ms Sykes returned home to realise her worst nightmare had come true.
"When the fire department brought me back, his cottage was burned to the ground. ... He died with carbon monoxide poisoning, rather than burning. I didn't want any pain for my baby. ... It was my baby, and he died needlessly."
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported that one-fifth of its hydrants in the Palisades area lost pressure during the fires, though repairs have been completed.
Edith de Guzman, a water equity specialist at UCLA, noted that firefighters tackling the Palisades Fire faced challenges such as dry hydrants, low water pressure, mountainous terrain, with strong winds hindering aerial efforts.
“The demand was just overwhelming. This is a catastrophic situation that, you know, we have kind of this trifecta of, of conditions that have come together. You know, we had extremely wet winters in 2023 and ‘24, which encouraged a lot of vegetative growth and then followed by an unprecedentedly dry few months, we have essentially had no detectable rainfall since about May of last year. So, all of that vegetation that grew very effectively during the ‘23, ‘24 years is extraordinarily dry now. And then the third component, of course, was these ferocious winds."
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed they are working with local authorities to support Rory’s family.
At least five fires are still burning in Los Angeles, fuelled by strong winds, dry air, and parched vegetation.
The Palisades fire alone has scorched 22,660 acres, destroying homes, businesses, and landmarks in Pacific Palisades.
Among those affected are Maria Demina and Matt Lichtenberg, whose home was destroyed in the blaze.
"I'm from Russia, St. Petersburg, or Leningrad. It was under siege. My family is from there. It feels like, you know, remnants of the Second World War and we'll, Russians will always rise again. So we'll rise again and everybody else will rise again. It's just, it will take time."
By Saturday morning, the fire was only 11 per cent contained.
Aerial footage captured the moment firetrucks fled the scene of a dangerously-close blaze in the hills of Los Angeles on Friday evening.
One firefighter was seen running alongside the fleeing vehicles as the Palisades fire was ripping through a hilly area close to the Santa Ynez reservoir.
“Looks like a truck that is now catching on fire there. This is one of the trailers that they are losing, they had to leave some things behind as they really, they ran out of here in a hurry. We literally saw them speeding through the flames, and firefighters, a couple of firefighters at least, running from these flames.”
Evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect for Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Santa Monica, Calabasas, Brentwood, and Encino, as over 12,000 structures remain at risk.
Officials report more than 5,300 buildings, including many homes, have been damaged.
In Altadena and Pasadena, the Eaton fire has burned 13,956 acres, damaging 7,000 structures.
Among those affected is 69-year-old Makas Dasigenis, who evacuated with his wife as their Altadena home faced imminent danger.
Originally from Greece, Mr Dasigenis realised the threat as the fire grew out of control.
But watching the news, he realised the flames were encroaching on his house and he decided to take action.
“I evacuated, but I was watching some news clippings and I realised the fires are out of control so I decided to come and take a look. And there was nobody on the way back. Nobody. It was like eerie. Flames, you know, things with the embers flying around. Businesses on the right and left of Lake Avenue were burnt out, so I got scared."
The same fire that destroyed Mr Dasigenis' home, threatened Mount Wilson, prompting additional evacuations, though some residents in Glenoaks and Chevy Chase canyons were allowed to return home.
Containment rose from three per cent on Friday to 15 per cent by Saturday morning.
Late Friday, shifting winds drove the Palisades fire north and east through the Santa Monica Mountains, triggering evacuations in Brentwood, Encino, and Tarzana.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell says a curfew is now in place for all evacuation zones in Los Angeles City.
"There are several important updates that I want to share with you today. And I'd like to start by announcing that the LAPD will be enforcing a curfew in Los Angeles City areas where mandatory evacuations are still in place. The curfew will run from 6 pm to 6 am. Unless you are public safety personnel or other disaster workers, you have no reason to be at these locations. And if we see you in these areas, you will be subject to arrest."
While some are looting, many more are doing whatever they can to help those affected.
Jimmy Medina Jr. a street vendor in Altadena, decided to start serving food to people in need.
He said that his live broadcast on TikTok activated would-be helpers, who had been inundated by the algorithm with scenes of destruction and chaos, and needed a way to feel as if they were doing something positive in the moment.
“With the power of social media to the people on TikTok that watches us live, it started out with their donations. We told them, we announced what we were going to go do and we get donations like, man, I think about 300-400 and start out with like 300-400 hot dogs for two carts. And from there just blew up to this. The next day, it just got bigger and bigger and then, look, we're here now."
Meanwhile, the county's emergency alert system faced criticism after sending faulty evacuation alerts to millions.
Officials are addressing a software glitch and working to prevent outdated alerts from causing confusion.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says a thorough investigation into all the failings will be held once the flames are all doused.
"When the fires are out, we will do a deep dive. We will look at what worked. We will look at what didn't work, and we will let you know."
The Santa Ana winds are expected to intensify, with gusts continuing through the weekend, further fanning the flames.
As for Ms Sykes, who lost her son, she plans to rebuild.
"I'm not going to move, I'm going to, that's going to be the place, a special place for Rory now, and we'll make it even more beautiful than it already was."
