Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Joseph Gedeon in Washington

Man charged with starting Palisades fire that killed 12 people

Jonathan Rinderknecht Bill Essayli Palisades Florida ATF
debris on the ground
An aerial view of homes which were destroyed in the Palisades fire with some lots cleared of debris on 15 March 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

A 29-year-old man has been arrested and charged with igniting the fire that days later became the devastating Palisades blaze, which killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,800 structures in one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history.

Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested near his Florida residence on federal charges of destruction of property by means of fire, acting US attorney for the central district of California, Bill Essayli, announced on Wednesday. No motive was presented.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
US Schools Record Nearly 12,000 Book Bans, the Highest Ever in a Single Year, as 'Jane Eyre' and 'Lessons in Chemistry' Join the List
PEN America reports nearly 12,000 book-ban instances in US schools, a record total, as Texas overtakes Florida and AI tools enter the removal process.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Alice Zaslavsky’s shortcut beetroot baked risotto – recipe
An unconventional technique makes this vibrant rice – finished with dill fronds – a lower-touch dinner for weeknights
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Does your sleep tracker get it right? A Pittsburgh neuroscientist weighs in
On a typical night, I go to bed wearing a tracking watch on one wrist and another type of tracker on the other wrist. Then I compare their sleep findings while I drink my morning coffee.
The Conversation
The Conversation
There's A Reason Taxi Cabs Are Almost Always Yellow
Yellow taxis are easy to spot in traffic, but the color's history goes far beyond simple visibility.
Motor1
Motor1
How ‘technoference’ can disrupt parent-child connections
Have you ever been telling someone a story when their phone lights up, and their eyes flicker toward their device?
The Conversation
The Conversation
Holding Lightning by Emily Lordi review – an intimate portrait of Whitney Houston
An empathetic biography of the the singer recasts her tumultuous later career as a triumph of self-expression
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play