The mother of an Australian man living in Malibu has revealed that he died in wildfires ravaging Los Angeles.
Shelley Sykes said in a post on X that her 32-year-old son, Australian citizen Rory Sykes, had lived with her on a 6.8 hectare property in Malibu and died on Thursday after she lost the water supply to hoses she was using to extinguish embers on the home's roof.
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"It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful son @Rorysykes to the Malibu fires yesterday," Ms Sykes said in the post.
"I'm totally heart broken. British born Australian living in America, a wonderful son, a gift born on mine & his grandmas birthday 29 July 92, Rory Callum Sykes."
Mr Sykes is not believed to be among those confirmed dead by officials.
In a statement, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spokesperson said DFAT was providing consular assistance to a family of an Australian man who may have been impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires, but was unable to provide further comment due to privacy obligations.
Ms Sykes said her son was born blind, lived with cerebral palsy and stayed in a self-contained cottage on the property.
She told 10 News that phone calls she made to the United States' 911 emergency line did not connect.
"He said 'Mum, leave me' and no mum could leave their kid. I've got a broken arm, I couldn't lift him, I couldn't move him," Ms Sykes told 10 News.
She said she then drove 400 metres to the nearest fire station to raise the alarm, only to be told there were no water reserves in local fire hydrants.
"When the fire department brought me back, his cottage was burnt to the ground," Ms Sykes told 10 News.
She also said that her son's death is not yet counted in the official death toll from the Los Angeles fires because cadaver dogs would need to locate his remains among the rubble of his home.
The official death toll, according to Los Angeles authorities, is 11, including at least two people who died in the Palisades fire and at least five in the Eaton fire.
