Allegations: Jonathan Rinderknecht is on trial for the Lachman and the Palisades fires, the latter which scorched nearly 23,500 acres in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and surrounding areas and left 12 people dead while damaging or destroying more than 7,000 structures from Jan. 7, 2025, to Jan. 31, 2025.
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Prosecutors allege Rinderknecht maliciously started the Lachman fire, in the Pacific Palisades on New Year’s Day, which continued smoldering underground for six days before fierce winds brought it back to the surface, starting what became the Palisades fire. Rinderknecht’s attorney, Steve Haney, has said prosecutors do not have evidence to show Rinderknecht sparked the Lachman fire and that firefighters failed to completely douse it, allowing it to smolder and rekindle.
Defendant: Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30.
Charges: Destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, timber set afire. The charges could lead to a federal prison sentence of up to 45 years.
Victims: Thousands of residents, the federal government
Date of Incident: Jan. 1, 2025
Trial Date: June 8, 2026
Trial Location: Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez United States Courthouse, in downtown Los Angeles
Judge: Anne Hwang
Quote: “This is not a case about an individual causing a fire. This is a case about government agencies failing to do their jobs, and then seeking a scapegoat when their failures resulted in tragedy.”
— Steve Haney, attorney representing Jonathan Rinderknecht.
Noteworthy: A ChatGPT image allegedly created by Rinderknecht shows a burning village. Depositions of firefighters and other officials explaining their efforts during the Lachman were deemed inadmissible during trial by Judge Anne Hwang in May. The case has also uncovered issues involving Rinderknecht and his family, including an alleged threat by him to burn down his sister’s home in Florida. Rinderknecht at one time lived in the Pacific Palisades and Hollywood, but had moved to Florida to live with family before his October 2025 arrest.
Previous Coverage:
Judge bars certain evidence from trial of man accused of sparking Palisades fire
Palisades fire suspect was angry about romantic relationship, researched Luigi Mangione, prosecutors say
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