Los Angeles —

A 29-year-old Florida man has been arrested and charged with arson in connection with the devastating Palisades Fire that tore through parts of Los Angeles in January, destroying thousands of homes and claiming 12 lives.

According to Acting U.S. Attorney for Southern California, Bill Essayli, the suspect, Jonathan Rinderknecht, faces a federal charge of destruction of property by means of fire. Officials say Rinderknecht, who had been living in the Palisades neighborhood at the time, worked as an Uber driver. On New Year’s Eve, he allegedly dropped off a passenger, walked up a nearby trail, and set the blaze that would later erupt into one of Southern California’s deadliest wildfires.

Investigators revealed that Rinderknecht allegedly generated an image on ChatGPT “depicting a burning city” before starting the fire. Authorities believe he then attempted to report the fire to emergency services, but fled the scene when the flames began to spread uncontrollably.

“The investigation into the Palisades Fire of January 2025 was lengthy, complex, and extremely thorough,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell during a press conference on Wednesday.

A Lingering Flame from an Earlier Blaze

According to the criminal complaint, the Palisades Fire was determined to be a “holdover” fire — meaning it reignited from the remnants of a previous blaze. Six days earlier, firefighters had contained another smaller fire in the same area, known as the Lachman Fire, which broke out on January 1.

Although the Los Angeles City Fire Department reported the Lachman Fire as contained, investigators now believe embers may have continued to smolder underground, within the root systems of dense vegetation. These hidden embers likely helped fuel the catastrophic blaze that began on January 7.

Satellite imagery, dispatch recordings, and field investigations confirmed the proximity of both fires, raising early suspicions that the two incidents might be connected.

The Scale of the Disaster

The Palisades Fire went on to burn more than 23,000 acres, making it the third-most destructive wildfire in Southern California history. Thousands of homes and businesses were lost, and climate experts estimated that it would rank among the costliest wildfires in U.S. history.

Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) determined that the blaze was “ignited with an open flame.” ATF Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper described the investigation as one of the most meticulous in recent years, involving agents who “literally crawled through fire debris” to trace the fire’s origin.

“While we cannot undo the damage and destruction that was done,” Essayli said, “we hope his arrest and the charges against him bring some measure of justice to the victims of this horrific tragedy.”

Ongoing Legal Proceedings

Rinderknecht is expected to make his first appearance in federal court Wednesday afternoon. Authorities have not disclosed a motive, and the investigation into his actions remains active.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta previously told CNN that early findings had pointed to the possibility of arson, prompting further scrutiny by both state and federal agencies.

With communities still reeling from the loss, the arrest marks a critical step in providing answers and accountability after one of the most destructive fires in Los Angeles history