who started the palisades fire

The Palisades Fire was started intentionally by Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 29-year-old former Uber driver. He allegedly ignited the initial fire on New Year's Day, January 1, near a hiking trail in the Pacific Palisades area. Although firefighters initially suppressed this fire—referred to as the Lachman Fire—it continued to smolder underground. When strong winds hit about a week later, on January 7, the fire reignited and spread, becoming the devastating Palisades Fire that destroyed thousands of structures and caused multiple fatalities. Rinderknecht was arrested in Florida and charged with destruction of property by means of fire. Evidence against him included his own digital records and behavior surrounding the event, including a disturbing AI-generated image of a burning city found on his devices.