Western Wildfires

Jonathan Rinderknecht is accused of starting a small fire on New Year's Day that eventually exploded in a historic Santa Ana windstorm to become the deadly Palisades Fire.

Authorities allege that Jonathan Rinderknecht "maliciously" set the fire that killed 12 people and burned more than 23,000 acres.

Some of the trees, estimated to be 3,000 years old, were wrapped with fire-resistant foil blankets.

The Pyrite Fire erupted in Riverside County on Friday evening, according to Cal Fire. The cause is under investigation.

The filings allege SoCal Edison failed to properly maintain its power and transmission infrastructure in the area where the Eaton Fire ignited on Jan. 7.

Thousands of homeowners lost their residences in January’s historic wildfires in Southern California.

The fire has scorched an estimated 5,400 acres north of Los Angeles, but Ventura County officials said firefighters were making “good progress in suppressing the blaze.”

The Cram Fire, already the nation's largest in 2025, could be the first this year to grow to at least 100,000 acres.

"I didn't know I still had it, I'm not going to lie," one-time Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Scott Mitchell said.

Some 17,000 homes, businesses and other structures burned to the ground in the Jan. 7 fires. It’s uncertain how much will be rebuilt.

With the new death, a total of 18 lives were taken by the Eaton Fire and 12 were taken by the Palisades Fire.