By Sarah Sankel
Correspondent
The United States Department of Justice announced that they have arrested a suspect for a deadly fire in the Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, CA, that took place in January 2025. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Fire Department faces criticism that they could have prevented a resurgence of the fire that took place days later.
The fire, which has been referred to as the “Palisades Fire,” began on Jan. 7, and was not fully extinguished until Jan. 31. 6,837 structures were destroyed, 12 people died and four were injured, according to CA Fire, a government website that publishes fire reports.
The fire resulted in approximately $150 billion in damage, according to BBC News. The fire prompted widespread humanitarian efforts, and the cause is still under investigation.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, the arrested suspect, is 29-years-old. He is a former Uber driver, and lived in the Pacific Palisades at the time of the fire, according to CNN News.
BBC News reported that part of the evidence collected was a ChatGPT-generated image extracted from his device depicting a burning city.
According to CNN News, Rinderknecht also asked ChatGPT to show “hundreds of thousands of people in poverty are trying to get past a gigantic gate with a big dollar sign on it. On the other side of the gate and the entire wall is a conglomerate of the richest people. They are chilling, watching the world burn down, and watching the people struggle.”
Investigators say that Rinderknecht dropped off an Uber passenger in the Pacific Palisades on New Years Eve, then walked up a nearby trail that overlooked the wealthy neighborhood. They estimate that he lit the fire shortly after midnight, and later returned to watch the neighborhood burn. He also took videos of the firefighters and called 911 multiple times, according to AP News.
According to BBC News, California Governor Gavin Newsom referred to the arrest as “bringing closure to the thousands of Californians whose lives were upended.” He also said that the state was supporting federal investigations.
During the hearing on Oct. 9, Assistant Federal Defender Aziza Hawthorne emphasized that there were no allegations of physical violence from Rinderknecht and that he had been seeing a psychiatrist recently. Additionally, she emphasized that his family was supporting him, ultimately saying that “he is not a risk to anyone,” according to AP News.
Rinderknecht was charged for starting the fire, and court proceedings will resume on Oct. 17 when bond and extradition proceedings will be discussed, according to AP News. In the meantime, he will be in jail.
As many emphasize the guilt of Rinderknecht, others recall the actions of the Los Angeles Fire Department and other individuals. For one, the Santa Ynez Reservoir was under construction during the fire, removing an important water source for firefighting, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Others emphasize the fire department’s failure to fully stop the fire on Jan. 1, after which it was rekindled by strong winds on Jan. 7, creating the large and deadly Palisades Fire, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
