The man accused of igniting last year’s deadly Pacific Palisades fire faces trial Monday in Los Angeles. The court appearance comes against the backdrop of a devasted urban area still struggling to move on from the conflagration that looms large in the current mayor’s race. The blaze became the most destructive inferno in Los Angeles history. It killed 12 people and destroyed 7,000 structures, causing an estimated $18-20 billion in damages.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, a.k.a. “Jonathan Rinder,” and “Jon Rinder,” of Melbourne, Florida, 29, has pleaded not guilty to starting the fire, AP reports. Prosecutors allege Rinderknecht started a fire on Jan. 1, 2025, and it burned undetected deep in root systems before flaring back up on Jan. 7. The pace of work to rebuild is still frustrating residents who want to get on with their lives.
