A 29-year-old man, Jonathan Rinderknecht, has been charged with starting the Palisades Fire in California, which became one of the state’s most destructive wildfires. Authorities said on Wednesday that Rinderknecht, a local resident, started a small fire on New Year’s Day. The fire smoldered underground and reignited nearly a week later, sweeping through Pacific Palisades and Malibu. These areas are home to many prominent residents.
The blaze left 12 people dead in hillside neighborhoods across Pacific Palisades and Malibu. It was one of two major fires that broke out on January 7, resulting in over 30 deaths and destroying more than 17,000 homes and buildings during several days of burning in Los Angeles County.
Rinderknecht was arrested Tuesday in Florida and appeared in court Wednesday in Orlando. He faces charges including malicious destruction by means of a fire, carrying a minimum five-year prison sentence. During his court appearance, he wore shorts and a T-shirt while shackled at the ankles. He told the federal magistrate that he was not under the influence and did not have mental health issues. A hearing for bond and extradition is scheduled for October 17.
Aziza Hawthorne has been assigned as Rinderknecht’s federal assistant public defender. Attempts to reach her for comment were unsuccessful.
Investigators reported that Rinderknecht worked as an Uber driver at the time of the incident. After dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades, he parked his car and walked up a trail where he used his iPhone to take videos at a hilltop area while listening to music featuring images of objects being set on fire.
“He left as soon as he saw the fire trucks were headed to the location. He turned around and went back up there. And he took some video and, and watched them fight the fire,” acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference.
Uber stated it cooperated with authorities to determine Rinderknecht’s whereabouts at the time of the fire.
According to investigators, Rinderknecht made several calls to 911 reporting the fire. During an interview on January 24, he identified where the fire began—information not publicly known at that time—suggesting direct knowledge or involvement according to officials.
Essayli noted that Rinderknecht lied about his location during questioning: “He lied about his location, claiming he was near the bottom of the hiking trail.” The criminal complaint described him as visibly anxious during this interview. It also noted his efforts to preserve evidence showing himself trying to help suppress the fire while seeking explanations for its cause.
Investigators concluded that the initial January 1 blaze was deliberately set using a lighter on vegetation or paper; other causes such as fireworks or downed power lines were ruled out. They found a barbecue-style lighter inside Rinderknecht’s car weeks later—a lighter matching one seen earlier in his apartment based on photos from his phone—and confirmed he brought it with him up the hill.
Federal prosecutors must prove beyond reasonable doubt that both fires are linked—an issue defense attorneys may challenge due to their separation by several days between incidents. Jerod Gunsberg, an arson defense attorney not involved with this case, commented: “The defense is going to say, ‘How do we know it was the same guy? There’s a lot of time that went on in between these two fires.’ So prosecutors will have to show that evidence.” Gunsberg added: “You’re not off the hook,” even if firefighters believed they had extinguished an earlier blaze.
Authorities continue investigating another wildfire—the Eaton Fire—which erupted on January 7 in Altadena and killed 19 people; its cause remains undetermined.
Both fires destroyed large sections of neighborhoods including homes, schools, businesses, and churches throughout Los Angeles County; rebuilding efforts have begun but are expected to take years given widespread losses even among insured homeowners.
An independent review released last month found Los Angeles County’s emergency response hampered by resource shortages and outdated alert policies; weaknesses included inconsistent practices and communication gaps leading to delayed evacuation warnings.
