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Jonathan Rinderknecht Arrested, Charged With Starting Fire That Became Palisades Blaze

Prosecutors say digital forensics link a Jan. 1 ignition to the later wildfire.

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FILE - An aerial view shows the devastation left by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, file)
Firefighters watch the flames from the Palisades Fire burning a home on January 8, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.
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Overview

  • Federal authorities arrested 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht in Florida and charged him with destruction of property by means of fire, with an initial court appearance scheduled in Orlando.
  • The complaint alleges he intentionally set a small New Year’s Day blaze in Pacific Palisades that smoldered underground and then reignited on Jan. 7 during strong Santa Ana winds to become the Palisades Fire.
  • Investigators cited cellphone location data placing him near the origin, alleged false statements, surveillance video and witness accounts, and an image he allegedly generated on ChatGPT months earlier.
  • Officials say origin-scene analysis and ATF testing support an intentionally set “holdover” fire, and the complaint excludes fireworks, power lines, lightning and cigarettes as causes for the Jan. 1 blaze.
  • The Palisades Fire killed 12 people, burned more than 23,000 acres and destroyed over 6,000 structures; the broader investigation continues, and the cause of the separate Eaton Fire remains undetermined.