Man charged with starting Palisades Fire in L.A.

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(The Center Square) – Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, has been arrested and charged with starting what became the Palisades Fire, one of the most devastating blazes in the history of Los Angeles.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced his arrest, made on a federal complaint against Rinderknecht, during a news conference Wednesday. Rinderknecht, a former Pacific Palisades resident now living in Melbourne, Fla., and also known as "Jonathan Rinder" and "Jon Rinder," was arrested Tuesday. He is charged with destruction of property by means of fire.

Essayli said Rinderknecht was scheduled for his first court appearance Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in Orlando. If convicted, Rinderknecht faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in a federal prison, Essayli said.

The complaint accused Rinderknecht of maliciously starting a fire on New Year’s Day that eventually became the Palisades Fire. The destructive blaze burned 23,448 acres in areas including the coastal Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles and the beach city of Malibu, as well as inland properties. Large tracts of wooded land were reduced to what looked like moonscapes.

The blaze killed 12 people and destroyed 6,833 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

“The complaint alleges that a single person’s recklessness caused one of the worst fires Los Angeles has ever seen, resulting in death and widespread destruction in Pacific Palisades,” Essayli said. “While we cannot bring back what victims lost, we hope this criminal case brings some measure of justice to those affected by this horrific tragedy.”

Essayli said law enforcement determined the Palisades Fire was a continuation of the Lachman Fire that began early morning on Jan. 1 on land owned by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. The fire was suppressed quickly by firefighters, but continued to smolder and burn underground within the root structure of dense vegetation, Essayli said.

Heavy winds caused the underground fire to surface and spread on Jan. 7 and become the Palisades Fire, Essayli said.

Federal authorities are accusing Rinderknecht of maliciously setting the Lachman Fire just after midnight Jan. 1. They say they're basing allegations on witness statements, video surveillance, cellphone data and analysis of fire dynamics and patterns at the scene.

Evidence collected from Rinderknecht’s digital devices included an image he generated on ChatGPT depicting a burning city, Essayli said at the news conference, as well as in a post on X.

Rinderknecht was working as an Uber driver on the evening of Dec. 31, 2024, Essayli said.

Essalyi said two passengers that Rinderknecht drove on separate trips between 10:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. later told law enforcement Rinderknecht appeared agitated and angry.

"After dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades, Rinderknecht – who once lived in that neighborhood – drove towards Skull Rock Trailhead, parked his car, attempted to contact a former friend, and walked up the trail," according to the U.S. Department of Justice. "He then used his iPhone to take videos at a nearby hilltop area and listened to a rap song – to which he had listened repeatedly in previous days – whose music video included things being lit on fire."

Essayli and the DOJ said Rinderknecht attempted to call 911 after the Lachman Fire started, but didn't get through because his iPhone was out of cellphone range. When he connected with 911, he was at the bottom of the hiking trail and reported the fire. "By that point, a nearby resident already had reported the fire to authorities," the DOJ said.

Essayli praised the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Los Angeles Police Department and the U.S. Forest Service for its work on the investigation.

"At the request of state and local authorities, ATF took the lead in this complex investigation utilizing techniques unique to our agency's capabilities,” said Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper of ATF'S Los Angeles Field Division. “The horrific loss of life and property was significantly felt by ATF members, and we are honored to utilize our expertise to provide answers to this community. We remain committed to serving with integrity and distinction.”