Authorities in California have made an arrest in connection with the deadly January wildfire that erupted into the most destructive blaze in Los Angeles history and destroyed much of the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, according to the Associated Press. Officials said 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested Tuesday in Florida for allegedly lighting a fire on New Year’s Day that later turned into the inferno that burned down much of Pacific Palisades a week later. He is expected to appear in court Wednesday in Florida, the AP report added. Acting US Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference Wednesday that Rinderknecht started a fire just after midnight on January 1 which later became the Palisades Fire, according to AP. The blaze, which erupted on January 7, killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 homes and buildings in the wealthy coastal neighbourhood of Los Angeles. It ripped through hillside communities, destroying mansions with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and downtown LA. Attending the 9 am news conference were Acting US Attorney Bill Essayli, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell, and Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Investigators still have not determined the precise cause of the Palisades blaze or the Eaton Fire, which broke out the same day in Altadena and killed 18 people. Both fires burned for days, leaving entire neighbourhoods reduced to grey and black debris. An outside review released in September found that a lack of resources and outdated policies for sending emergency alerts led to delayed evacuation warnings, AP said. The report, commissioned by Los Angeles County supervisors, cited “outdated policies, inconsistent practices and communications vulnerabilities” that hampered the county’s overall emergency response, according to the AP.
