What we know about LA fires victims

Family of Victor Shaw Victor ShawFamily of Victor Shaw
Victor Shaw died trying to defend his home from the flames, his family says

At least 25 people have died as wildfires rage in Los Angeles - and there are fears the number will rise.

Officials say it may take several weeks to identify victims as traditional methods - such as fingerprinting and visual identification - may not be possible.

Here is what we know about those who are reported to have died, according to their family members and international media.

Victor Shaw

Victor Shaw died trying to defend his home from the wildfire in Altadena, his family said.

The 66-year-old's body was found on the side of the road by his property, with a garden hose in his hand, according to TV network KTLA. The property had been in Mr Shaw's family for nearly 55 years, it reported.

Mr Shaw lived at the home with his younger sister Shari, who said she tried to get him to evacuate with her on Tuesday night as the fire moved closer.

She told KTLA that he refused because he wanted to try to fight the fire, adding that she had to flee because "the embers were so big and flying like a firestorm".

Ms Shaw told CBS News she would miss her big brother.

"I'll miss talking to him, joking about, travelling with him and I'll just miss him to death," she said. "I just hate that he had to go out like that."

Randall "Randy" Miod

Mr Miod died in his Malibu home, his mother Carol Smith told CNN.

The 55-year-old told Ms Smith on Tuesday that he had a garden hose ready to protect the house, where he had been living for decades, from the encroaching fire, CNN reports.

"[His home] was his prized possession. That's the one and only house he ever owned," Ms Smith said, according to the news outlet.

"Now that I'm realising how many memories he had in that home, I can understand why he didn't want to leave."

Friends of Mr Miod have been posting tributes to the long-time Malibu resident on social media, sharing photos of him surfing and his red beach house.

Anthony Mitchell and his son Justin

Anthony Mitchell and his adult son Justin died at their home in Altadena as they tried to escape the wildfires, their family said.

Hajime White told the Washington Post she received a call from her 67-year-old father, in which he said "the fire's in the yard".

Mr Mitchell, a 67-year-old retired salesman and amputee, lived with his son Justin, who was in his early 20s and had cerebral palsy, the newspaper reported.

Another one of Mr Mitchell's sons, Jordan, lived with the pair but he was in hospital with an infection, the Washington Post reported.

Ms White told the newspaper she had received the news that Mr Mitchell and Justin had died, adding: "It's like a ton of bricks just fell on me."

Mr Mitchell was a father of four, grandfather of 11, and great-grandfather of 10, Ms White said.

Rodney Nickerson

Kimiko Nickerson Rodney Nickerson (left) with his daughter Kimiko NickersonKimiko Nickerson
Rodney Nickerson (left) told his daughter Kimiko Nickerson, "I'll be here tomorrow"

Rodney Nickerson, 83, died at his home in Altadena, according to his daughter, who said her father believed the wildfire would "pass over".

Kimiko Nickerson told KTLA her father had bought the property in 1968 and had experienced previous fires over the decades.

Mr Nickerson worked as a project engineer at Lockheed Martin for 45 years.

Ms Nickerson told CBS News that the last comment her father made to her was: "I'll be here tomorrow." She confirmed to the broadcaster that his body had been found.

Annette Rossilli

Annette Rossilli, 85, refused to leave her Pacific Palisades home after she was told to evacuate following the start of the Palisades fire, CNN reported, citing Luxe Homecare, the company that provided in-home care for her.

She was staying in her home with her five pets: a dog, a canary, two parrots and a turtle.

Firefighters found Ms Rossilli's body in her car on Wednesday, according to CNN, which cites her relatives and Luxe Homecare president Fay Vahdani.

The BBC has not been able to independently verify this report and has contacted Luxe Homecare for comment.

Rory Callum Sykes

Shelley Sykes/X Shelley Sykes smiles as she looks at the camera. She's standing with her son, Rory Callum Sykes.Shelley Sykes/X

The 32-year-old Australian citizen died after the Palisades fire broke out on Tuesday, his mother Shelley Sykes said in a post on X.

Ms Sykes said her son, who had cerebral palsy, died in a cottage on their 17-acre Malibu estate, adding she had tried to put out the flames.

"He was my baby, and he died needlessly," she told Australian TV newscast 10 News First. "He said 'Mum, leave me,' and no mum can leave their kid, and I've got a broken arm. I couldn't lift him. I couldn't move him."

British-born Rory was a former child actor, having appeared on the 1998 British TV series Kiddy Kapers.

He was born blind and had difficulty walking, but was able to regain his sight and learn to walk with the help of surgeries, going on to become an "inspirational speaker", Ms Sykes said.

Erliene Kelley

The family of 83-year-old Erliene Kelley found out late on Thursday that she was among the victims, the Los Angeles Times reports.

According to the newspaper, Ms Kelley's granddaughter Briana Navarro said her grandmother was "adamant" that she did not want to evacuate because previous fires had never reached their house in Altadena.

On Thursday evening, the family learned that authorities had found a body in the rubble of the home. It had been more than 48 hours since Ms Navarro last heard from her grandmother.

Charles Mortimer

According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, 84-year-old Charles Mortimer was one of the victims of the Palisades Fire.

He died of a heart attack in hospital on 8 January after suffering from fire-related injuries.

The medical examiner's office lists his causes of death as acute myocardial infarction, effects of smoke inhalation, thermal injuries and coronary artery atherosclerosis.

Dalyce Curry

Known to friends and family as "Momma D", former actress Dalyce Curry, 95, died when her home in the Altadena area was destroyed by the Eaton Fire.

Her granddaughter, Dalyce Kelley, was the last person to see her alive, having dropped her off at home shortly before the blaze struck.

"It was total devastation," she told ABC News after revisiting the scene. "Everything was gone except her blue Cadillac."

MS Curry's career as an extra - someone who helps to populate the background of TV and film to make scenes feel and look more realistic - spanned several decades.

She appeared in films such as The 10 Commandments, The Blues Brothers and Lady Sings the Blues.

Arthur Simoneau

Arthur Simoneau, a hang-gliding pilot for four decades, died in the Palisades Fire while trying to save his home in Topanga, according to his loved ones.

Friends and neighbours paid tribute to the 69-year-old on Facebook, describing him as a "spirited" figure who was one of the pillars of the Bohemian mountain community in which he lived.

Long-time friend and fellow hang-gliding enthusiast Steve Murillo told the LA Times that Mr Simoneau was returning to the area from a skiing trip when he heard that his home was subject to an evacuation order, but decided not to turn back.

Mr Simoneau was "heading home to save it if he could," said his friend, who spoke to Mr Simoneau by telephone as he was driving towards Topanga.

"Arthur was the kind of guy that once he put his mind to something, you couldn't really talk him out of stuff."

Officials found his body near the doorway of his home last Thursday.

Kim Winiecki

Facebook Kim Winiecki smiles at the camera. She has a paisley scarf wrapped around her head and wears glasses.Facebook
Kim Winiecki

Kim Winiecki died in the Eaton Fire, a Facebook post on Monday from her friend Jeanette McMahon said.

The day before, Ms McMahon had shared a missing person poster of her friend, hoping to find her.

On 7 January, Ms Winiecki sent Ms McMahon a text message saying she would be fine at her home during the fires.

Talking about the text messages in a TV interview with a local NBC News affiliate, Ms McMahon said her friend messaged her: "I'm packing a few things, and if I have to I will walk out."

"I think it hasn't hit me yet that she's gone," Ms McMahon said, adding that her friend Ms Winiecki was "such a wonderful person".

Evelyn McClendon

Evelyn McClendon died at her home in the area devastated by the Eaton Fire, her brother told CBS News, the BBC's US partner.

Zaire Calvin got separated from Ms McClendon, who lived next door as he was fleeing the neighbourhood with his baby and elderly mother.

"Everybody's yelling, 'Get out.' I'm thinking that she's getting out," Mr Calvin told CBS' 60 Minutes.

"And the next day after the storm - I come back, and her car's still there. So at that point, in my brain, my soul is shaking."

Zhi Feng Zhao

Zhi Feng Zhao, 84, died in his home in the Altedena area ravaged by the Eaton Fire, the LA County Medical Examiner's Office announced Tuesday.

His place of death was listed as his residence.