The arrest of a 29-year-old Florida man for starting what eventually became the Palisades fire shed more light Monday on firefighters’ suppression efforts, while affirming, for many, suspicions that local residents have had for months: that a smaller blaze, drive by fierce winds on Jan. 1 reignited a week later into the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, a former resident of the Palisades, was charged with destruction of property by means of fire, according to the 24-page federal criminal complaint against him.

Authorities charged him with starting the Lachman fire on the morning of Jan.1 on federal property within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, as well as property owned by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority and

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