Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, of Melbourne, Florida, United States will appear in federal court in Orlando, Florida on October 15, 2025. He is accused of sparking the Palisades Fire in California, USA on New Year’s Day.
Palisades Fire
On January 1, 2025, the Palisades Fire began burning in the Santa Monica Mountains of Los Angeles County, California. It became the third most destructive wildfire in the history of the state.
Driven by the Santa Ana winds, the wildfire grew to destroy large areas of the county particularly in Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Topanga. On January 7, 2025, Los Angeles Fire Department chief Kristin Crowley announced that more than 30,000 people were under evacuation orders and more than 10,000 houses and 13,000 buildings were under threat.
On January 31, 2025, the wildfire was fully contained. A total of 12 people were killed by the wildfire, which burned 23,448 acres, destroyed 6,837 structures and caused around $150 billion in damages.
Jonathan Rinderknecht
Also known as Jonathan Rinder and Jon Rinder, Rinderknecht is a former resident of Pacific Palisades. Authorities described him as an Uber driver obsessed with dystopian imagery, bitterness and despair.
In the days leading up to the Palisades Fire, Rinderknecht repeatedly watched the music video of a rap song by José “Josman” Nzengo, 32, a French- Congolese-Angolan rapper born in Vierzon, France. The music video features the rapper setting things on fire.
On the evening of December 31, 2024, Rinderknecht worked as an Uber driver. On separate trips between 10:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m., he drove two passengers who later told law enforcement they remembered that he appeared agitated and angry that night.
On January 1, 2025, Rinderknecht allegedly set a brush fire. After it was put out, he allegedly ignited the Palisades Fire.
At around 12:12 a.m. that day, Rinderknecht allegedly ignited the flames near a hiking trail in the hillside of a state park overlooking Pacific Palisades shortly after dropping off his Uber passengers. He called 911 several times but did not get through because his iPhone was out of cellphone range.
While Rinderknecht was at the bottom of the hiking trail, he finally connected with 911 and reported the fire, which was already reported by a nearby resident to authorities. After the call, he fled in his car but turned around and followed the responding fire trucks back to the scene.
On January 24, 2025, Rinderknecht told investigators where the fire began, a piece of information that had not been made public. On October 7, 2025, he was arrested and charged with destruction of property by means of fire.
CONAN Daily 