A 29-year-old individual accused of triggering the most devastating fire in Los Angeles history is believed to have used a lighter to ignite a blaze on New Year’s Day that smoldered underground and later flared up, resulting in the death of 12 individuals in an affluent hillside area, according to authorities on Wednesday.
Federal law enforcement officials have charged Jonathan Rinderknecht with starting the fire on January 1, which was initially put out by fire crews but rekindled days later amid high winds, as stated by acting U.S. attorney Bill Essayli at a press briefing.
Rinderknecht, who was apprehended in Florida on Tuesday, was set to appear in court on Wednesday. He is facing charges of malicious destruction by fire, which carries a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison. The federal public defender assigned to his case, Aisha Nash, has not provided any comments to The Associated Press.
The Palisades Fire, one of two blazes that erupted on January 7, claiming over 30 lives and devastating thousands of homes in Los Angeles County, swept through hillside communities in Pacific Palisades and Malibu, laying waste to luxurious mansions with stunning views of the ocean and downtown Los Angeles.
Scorching over 9,308 hectares, the fire ravaged approximately 6,000 structures in Los Angeles, resulting in about $150 billion in damages.
According to investigators, Rinderknecht, who worked as an Uber driver, parked his vehicle after dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades. He then proceeded to walk up a trail, recorded videos with his iPhone at a nearby hilltop, and listened to a rap song featuring objects being set ablaze in the music video. Subsequently, he fled the scene after igniting the fire but returned to the location to observe the unfolding inferno, Essayli disclosed.
The suspect made multiple 911 calls to report the fire and during an interview on January 24, disclosed the fire’s origin, information that was not publicly known at the time. Rinderknecht misled authorities about his whereabouts during the incident, falsely claiming he was near the base of the hiking trail, Essayli added.
A “barbecue-style” lighter resembling the one found in Rinderknecht’s apartment on December 31 was discovered in his car’s glove compartment on January 24. He confessed to carrying the lighter with him during the trip to the hill.
Facing three federal charges related to the fire, Rinderknecht underwent an extensive investigation by the Los Angeles field division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Los Angeles Fire Department, and the Los Angeles Police Department, officials stated.
As the cause of the second blaze, the Eaton Fire, which erupted in Altadena on the same day and resulted in 19 fatalities, remains undetermined, both fires left vast sections of neighborhoods in ruins, necessitating years of rebuilding. Many homeowners, including those with insurance, may struggle to afford reconstruction.
An independent review released in September identified deficiencies in resources and outdated emergency alert policies that led to delayed evacuation warnings. The review highlighted weaknesses such as outdated policies, inconsistent practices, and communication vulnerabilities that impeded the county’s response to the wildfire emergencies.
