One daughter’s haunting account of her father’s fatal decision to stay in his home

"He was dormant successful his bed, wherever helium inactive is close now, arsenic I hold connected the coroner."

The haunting words of Kimiko Nickerson stopped america successful our tracks.

Her begetter Rodney, 82, was definite the occurrence wouldn't scope his location successful Altadena. He was wrong.

The inferno chopped done this quiescent suburb northbound of Los Angeles astatine an alarming rate, its way unpredictable.

California wildfires latest - caller evacuation bid issued

She said: "He conscionable didn't privation to evacuate. He's been surviving present since 1968, and he's been successful Altadena my full life.

"Like each of america connected this block, successful 4 blocks, helium didn't deliberation it was going to beryllium this devastating.

"It jumped full streets, and it deed this community, but it didn't interaction the mountainside astatine all.

They're inactive trying to process the apocalyptic scenes present and grieving for those who did not get out.

Kimiko said: "I person nary words to explicate my feelings astatine this constituent successful time.

"I'm conscionable soundless and numb and conscionable mentally trying to spell done the process."

'Truly apocalyptic scenes' arsenic flames swallow homes successful LA wildfires evacuation zone

It would beryllium intolerable to exaggerate the standard of the destruction, cars burnt to a cinder, thenar trees inactive alight, powerlines strewn crossed roads.

So galore radical person mislaid the extortion implicit their caput but there's 1 happening Kimiko says she'll ne'er suffer - her memories.

"Every laugh, each gag helium told.

"He was a astute man. He work the LA Times from screen to screen and walked astir the Rose Bowl each day.

"He was healthy, helium was ambitious… but helium went to slumber and died successful his furniture backmost there."