A heartbroken family has spoken out following the loss of a beloved grandfather in the devastating LA fires.
The deadly wildfires raging through Los Angeles have claimed at least 11 lives, with over 10,000 homes and structures reduced to ashes, according to BBC News. Entire neighborhoods have been left in ruins as firefighters face an uphill battle to contain the destruction.
Thousands of residents have fled their homes, with firefighters working tirelessly under harrowing conditions. As of this writing, the wildfires are on track to be among the costliest in US history, with losses already expected to exceed $135 billion.
President Joe Biden described the scene in Los Angeles as a “war zone,” warning that the death toll is “likely” to rise as authorities gain a clearer picture of the widespread devastation.
Adding to the crisis, forecasts of strong winds this weekend have raised fears of further disaster. A red flag warning, signaling critical fire conditions, remains in effect across the region.
Six fires are currently active in the area, with the newest, called the Archer Fire, breaking out on Friday. The blaze remains uncontrolled, further straining already stretched firefighting resources.
Family Mourns Beloved Father Lost to Fire
Among the confirmed victims is 83-year-old Rodney Kent Nickerson, a longtime resident of Altadena. Nickerson had reassured his family and neighbors that he would be fine, even as they urged him to evacuate.
“My son tried to get him to leave, and my neighbors and myself, and he said he’ll be fine,” his daughter, Kimiko Nickerson, told KCAL News.
Nickerson was last seen hosing down his property around 7:00PM on Tuesday. Kimiko spoke to him for the last time via FaceTime around 9:30PM. “That was the last thing he verbally said to me was, ‘I’ll be here tomorrow’,” the heartbroken daughter said.
Tragically, he was later found in his bed. “We found his bones, his whole body was intact,” Kimiko said.
“His house is here, and he was here too,” Kimiko said.
Nickerson had lived in the home since 1968 and spent 45 years as a project engineer manager for aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin. For his family, the home holds a lifetime of memories.
“I don’t know anywhere else other than here,” Kimiko said. “Myself and my brother and my son and his other grandchildren, this is where we’ve been our whole life.”
A Community Devastated
The fires, fueled by drought conditions and strong winds, have devastated the region, leaving families grieving and communities shattered. Officials are urging residents to remain vigilant as the forecast indicates worsening conditions.
Meanwhile, California’s governor Gavin Newsom has called for an independent investigation into how critical fire hydrants ran out of water and “impaired” the fight against the Los Angeles area wildfires.
“Losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the effort to protect some homes and evacuation corridors,” Newsom wrote.
With the red flag warning in place and resources stretched thin, the fight against the wildfires continues, but the road to recovery for survivors will be long and arduous.
Our thoughts continue to go out to every person impacted by this tragedy.
