After Wednesday’s arrest of Jonathan Rinderknecht in connection with the deadly Palisades Fire, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared that there was finall “closure” for Pacific Palisades residents, but nothing could be further from the truth. The arrest provided answers about the fire’s origin, but created a lot more questions.
A criminal complaint charging Rinderknecht with intentionally setting the blaze states that it started just after midnight on January 1, 2025, and was contained by the Los Angeles Fire Department within a day or two, depending upon which LAFD official was speaking. A firebrand became seated in dense vegetation and smoldered and burned in the roots underground for nearly a week until January 7, when the predicted windstorm brought embers to the surface. By the next morning, most of Pacific Palisades was gone.
According to federal investigators, Rinderknecht used a lighter that was found in his glove compartment to light the blaze, and it was not caused by teenagers setting off fireworks for the new year, as had been rumored.
Ed Norskog, former head of the LA County Sheriff’s Department arson unit, told the Los Angeles Times:
“This affidavit puts the responsibility on the fire department. There needs to be a commission examining why this rekindled fire was allowed to reignite.
“The arsonist set the first fire, but the Fire Department proactively has a duty to do certain things.”