The United States Attorney’s Office of the Central District of California reports that an arrest has been made related to the start of the Palisades Fire of January 2025. The Palisades Fire burned throughout the course of the month in Los Angeles County, killing at least 12 people while burning more than 23,000 acres and destroying close to 7,000 structures. It caused an estimated $25 billion in damages.

According to a press release on the matter, former Pacific Palisades resident Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was arrested and charged as a suspect in relation to “maliciously starting what eventually became the Palisades Fire.” Rinderknecht is accused of starting the Lachman Fire just after midnight on New Year’s Day, which eventually grew into the Palisades Fire.

The press release alleges the following timeline of events:

• December 31, 2024: While working for Uber, Rinderknecht drove two passengers on two separate trips between 10:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m., with the passengers later claiming he seemed “agitated and angry.” After dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood Rinderknecht once called home, he drove toward Skull Rock Trailhead.
• Rinderknecht is then said to have parked his vehicle and after attempting to contact a former friend, he started to walk up the trail.
• Rinderknecht then used his iPhone to take video from a hilltop area while listening to a rap song that he had listened to repeatedly over recent days, with the music video of that rap song notably featuring images of things being lit on fire. The New York Post identified this song as “Un Zder, Un The,” which is by French artist Josman.
• January 1, 12:12 a.m.: Environmental sensing platforms indicate the Lachman Fire had started.
• Rinderknecht calls 911 several times over the course of five minutes, but didn’t have cellular connection. He hikes to the bottom of the trail and is able to report the fire, which had already been reported by a nearby resident.
• Rinderknecht leaves the scene in his vehicle, but turns around and heads back to the area after fire engines pass in the opposite direction.
• Rinderknecht walks up the same trail to watch the fire and firefighters, using his iPhone to take more video of the scene.
• Firefighters quickly suppress the Lachman Fire, though the fire unknowingly continues to burn underground within the root structure of the dense vegetation.
• January 7: Strong winds cause the underground fire to resurface, becoming the Palisades Fire, which would go on to result in widespread damage.
• January 24: Rinderknecht is interviewed by law enforcement and claims he first saw the Lachman Fire from the bottom of the hiking trail, calling 911. Meanwhile, the geolocation of his phone allegedly shows that he was in a clearing 30 feet from the fire as it started its rapid growth.
• Following the events of January 1 and at an undisclosed date, Rinderknecht moved to Melbourne, Florida.

BBC reporting on the matter indicates that Rinderknecht asked ChatGPT: “Are you at fault if a fire is lift (sic) because of your cigarettes?”, with the related indictment said to state that Rinderknecht “wanted to create evidence regarding a more innocent explanation for the cause of the fire.” BBC also reports that other fire-related ChatGPT prompts were allegedly submitted by Rinderknecht in months prior to the fire, as well, including prompts related to the creation of a “dystopian painting” that featured a forest burning and people running from the flames. Another prompt was reported to read “I literally burnt the Bible that I had. It felt amazing. I felt so liberated.”

Rinderknecht has been charged with maliciously starting what became the Palisades Fire. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum of 20 years. Other charges could still follow.

All charges are merely allegations and all suspects are to be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Find the full U.S. District Attorney’s Office press release on this matter here.