What we know about the people killed in the Los Angeles wildfires
Details are starting to emerge of the victims of the Los Angeles fires – and at least two died trying to protect the homes where they raised families for decades.
The number of people killed by the wildfires has increased to 16, according to officials.
The Eaton fire has killed 11 people and the Palisades fire has killed five.
LA fires latest: New evacuation order as 16 confirmed dead
Here is what we know so far about the victims:
Anthony Mitchell. Pic: family photo via NBC News
Anthony and Justin Mitchell
The 67-year-old great-grandfather of 10 died in his Altadena home. His son Justin Mitchell also died.
Justin’s older brother – also called Anthony – told Sky News’ US partner network NBC News: “He probably could have gotten himself out but he wasn’t going to leave my brother.
“He really loved his kids.”
Erliene Louise Kelley. Pic: Briana Novarro via NBC News
Erliene Louise Kelley
Briana Navarro, 33, lived with her grandmother at the family’s Altadena home – along with her husband and two daughters.
Mrs Navarro told NBC News that her husband wanted to leave.
Read more:
In pictures: Before and after the blazes
What caused the fires?
However, Mrs Kelly told them she was fine and decided to stay at the property.
Police confirmed to Mrs Navarro on Thursday night that her grandmother died when the fire engulfed the home.
She said she thinks her grandmother was “at peace” staying in the home she “tended to every day” for more than four decades.
Victor Shaw. Pic: Family photo via ABC News
Victor Shaw
Victor Shaw, 66, was trying to protect his home that had been in the family for over five decades when he was killed Tuesday night in the Eaton Fire.
His sister, Shari Shaw, told ABC News that they lived together in the home, and as the flames started to engulf the property she tried to get him to leave.
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She described how he died in a “heroic attempt” to protect his home in Altadena and his body was found in front of the home with a garden hose still in his hand.
“I can’t imagine what he might have been thinking, how he might have been so frightened,” Ms Shaw said.
“And I couldn’t be here, I couldn’t be here to save him. I couldn’t be here, that’s what hurts the most.”
Rodney Nickerson. Pic: Kimiko Nickerson via NBC
Rodney Kent Nickerson
Rodney Kent Nickerson, 83, had reassured loved ones that he would be fine as his family and neighbours tried to get him to evacuate his Altadena home.
His daughter Kimiko Nickerson told KCAL News: “My son tried to get him to leave, and my neighbours and myself and he said he’ll be fine, I’ll be here when you guys come back.
“And he said his house would be here.”
Mr Nickerson was outside trying to hose down his property at around 7pm on Tuesday and the last time Ms Nickerson talked to him was on FaceTime just over two hours later.
“His house is here and he was here too. He was in his bed when I found him. His whole body was there intact,” she added.
Rory Sykes. Pic: Shelley Sykes via X
Rory Sykes
The former British-born Australian child star, who was born blind and had cerebral palsy, died on Wednesday after his mother said she was unable to save him from his burning cottage.
Shelley Sykes said it burned down in the Palisades Fire when she “couldn’t put out the cinders on his roof with a hose” because of a lack of water.
She told Australia’s 10 News First that she has a broken arm and could not lift or move her son.
Mrs Sykes drove to the local fire department for help and when the fire department brought her back, Rory’s “cottage was burnt to the ground”.
Writing on X, she said Rory “was born blind with cerebral palsy and had difficulty walking. He overcame so much with surgeries and therapies to regain his sight and to be able to learn to walk”.
Anti-Trump protests took place across America on Saturday, with demonstrators decrying the administration’s immigration crackdown and mass firings at government agencies.
Events ranged from small local marches to a rally in front of the White House and a demonstration at a Massachusetts commemoration of the start of the Revolutionary War 250 years ago.
Thomas Bassford, 80, was at the battle reenactment with his two grandsons, as well as his partner and daughter.
He said: “This is a very perilous time in America for liberty. I wanted the boys to learn about the origins of this country and that sometimes we have to fight for freedom.”
At events across the country, people carried banners with slogans including “Trump fascist regime must go now!”, “No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state,” and “Fight fiercely, Harvard, fight,” referencing the university’s recent refusal to hand over much of its control to the government.
Some signs name-checked Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadorian citizen living in Maryland, who the Justice Department admits was mistakenly deported to his home country.
Read more: Donald Trump’s deportations explained
Pic: AP
People waved US flags, some of them held upside down to signal distress. In San Francisco, hundreds of people spelt out “Impeach & Remove” on a beach, also with an inverted US flag.
People walked through downtown Anchorage in Alaska with handmade signs listing reasons why they were demonstrating, including one that read: “No sign is BIG enough to list ALL of the reasons I’m here!”
Pic: AP
Protests also took place outside Tesla car dealerships against the role Elon Musk ahas played in downsizing the federal government as de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The protests come just two weeks after similar nationwide demonstrations.
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Organisers are opposing what they call Mr Trump’s civil rights violations and constitutional violations, including efforts to deport scores of immigrants and to scale back the federal government by firing thousands of government workers and effectively shuttering entire agencies.
The Trump administration, among other things, has moved to shutter Social Security Administration field offices, cut funding for government health programs and scale back protections for transgender people.
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