ORLANDO, Fla. - A Florida man has been arrested, accused of starting what became the deadly and destructive "Palisades Fire" in Los Angeles, California.

Officials announced the arrest of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht. He was arrested Tuesday near his home in Melbourne, Florida, on a charge of maliciously starting a fire, which became the deadly Palisades Fire.

He is expected to be in federal court in Orlando on Wednesday.

The Palisades Fire

The Palisades Fire killed 12 people, burned more than 23,000 acres, and destroyed more than 6,000 structures, officials said. The fire was first reported on Jan. 7, 2025 in Palisades Highlands, an LA-area neighborhood.

This is a breaking news situation. FOX 35 will update as new developments come in.

The Source: California News

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