US EditionWhy was the blaze that turned into the deadly Palisades Fire allowed to smolder?
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, faces charges after a fire he started on New Year's Day smoldered underground for nearly a week before reigniting into the deadly Palisades Fire.
- On January 1, 2025, federal officials say Jonathan Rinderknecht ignited a small fire that smoldered underground before reigniting on January 7 into the Palisades Fire, burning more than 23,000 acres.
- Authorities described the blaze as a holdover fire that was not fully extinguished, while Rick Crawford, retired LAFD battalion chief, said mop-up and containment policy was likely not followed and the Lachman Fire burn scar should have been monitored.
- Investigators say witness statements, video surveillance, cell phone data and fire-dynamics analysis linked the Jan. 1 ignition to the blaze, and geolocation data and 911 call records show Jonathan Rinderknecht stood about 30 feet from the fire while calling 911.
- The Department of Justice announced on October 8 that Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, faces destruction of property charges carrying up to 20 years, with a preliminary hearing set for Oct. 17 in Orlando.
- An outside review released in September found outdated policies and communication gaps delayed evacuation warnings, while Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said `To me, I think all things need to be examined.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Here’s what we are learning about the man accused of causing the Palisades fire
A 29-year-old Central Florida man accused of setting what eventually turned into the devastating Palisades fire was described as a loner with a “despondent view of the world” who lived paycheck to paycheck by driving for Uber and DoorDash. Jonathan Rinderknecht moved in with family members in Florida months after he allegedly set the Lachman fire in the Pacific Palisades using “an open flame,” requiring firefighters to spend hours putting it out…
MyCentralOregon.com
Man accused of 'maliciously' igniting fire that caused the deadly Palisades Fire: DOJ
Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, center, speaks during a news conference along with announcing the arrest of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht, of Florida, a suspect in the Palisades fire after a nine-month investigation into the blaze that killed 12 people, at the United States Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. Among the evidence that were collected …
Man charged with starting Palisades Fire to remain jailed
A federal magistrate in Florida on Thursday ordered a man charged in California's deadly Palisades Fire to remain jailed after a prosecutor said he had traits of an arsonist and his family had worried about his declining mental state. Federal officials have said Jonathan Rinderknecht, who lived in the area at the time, started a small fire on New Year’s Day that smoldered underground before reigniting nearly a week later and roaring through the …
Palisades Fire Arson Shatters Climate Change Narrative
Federal prosecutors have revealed that the devastating Los Angeles blaze once pinned on climate change was actually deliberate. The Palisades fire arson case has shattered months of political and media narratives that blamed the tragedy on global warming and fossil fuels. Federal prosecutors in California have charged Jonathan Rinderknecht with “one count of destruction of property by means of fire,” a crime carrying up to 20 years in prison. “W…
The Man Arrested For Allegedly Starting The Deadly Palisades Fire Donated To Joe Biden's Presidential Campaign * 100PercentFedUp.com * by Andi
Another violent act by the left. The man who was accused of starting the deadly Palisades Fire in California donated to Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. Uncovered records have revealed, Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, donated two times in 2020 to a Democrat PAC associated with the reelection campaign of Joe Biden. Rinderknecht, has been charged with the destruction of property by means of fire. Alleged Palisades fire arsonist Jonathan Rinderknecht…
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