Who is Jonathan Rinderknecht? Florida firebug arrested for sparking Palisades fire

Updated on: Oct 08, 2025 09:54 pm IST

Jonathan Rinderknecht has been identified as the person arrested for allegedly sparking the deadly Palisades fire back in January.

Jonathan Rinderknecht has been identified as the person arrested for allegedly sparking the deadly Palisades fire back in January. Rinderknecht is 29 years old, officials revealed. Acting US Attorney Bill Essayli identified the suspect, accusing him of ‘maliciously’ igniting the blaze that ultimately became the massive Palisades Fire.

Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested on Wednesday(X)

Investigators believe Rinderknecht first started a smaller fire, known as the Lachman Fire, in Pacific Palisades on January 1. That blaze scorched roughly eight acres and initially caused no major damage. However, officials said powerful Santa Ana winds likely reignited embers from that fire days later, sparking the inferno that devastated large swaths of the region.

The Palisades Fire burned through more than 23,000 acres across Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and the Santa Monica Mountains, according to Cal Fire. Twelve people lost their lives, and nearly 7,000 structures were destroyed in one of Southern California’s most destructive wildfires in recent years.

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