Timeline: Two fateful hours that planted the seeds of destruction in Pacific Palisades

For months, there has been intense speculation about what caused the Palisades fire.

On Wednesday, federal prosecutors offered a detailed timeline about what they allege caused the fire, which charred 23,400 acres and leveled more than 6,800 structures, including many homes in Pacific Palisades and Malibu and killed 12 people.

They alleged the seeds of destruction began not on Jan. 7 when the flames entered Pacific Palisades but on Jan. 1. They claim an Uber driver intentionally set the fire on a popular hiking trail in what they claim was a bizarre series of events that included listening to a French rap song. Firefighters responded and believed they had snuffed it out. But intense winds on on Jan. 7 reignited it.

The suspect, Jonathan Rinderknecht, could not be reached for comment and is in custody in Florida. This is a timeline of those fateful two hours on New Years Eve as laid out in court records. Some of the precise times are estimates. Authorities allege this led to the destruction of so much of Pacific Palisades:

LAPD officers keep the public and media out of the Skull Rock Trailhead in an area

(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

11:15 pm.: Rinderknecht drops off passengers in his Uber. They later told authorities he seemed agitated.

11:28 p.m. Suspect listened to the song “Un Zder, Un The,” by the French artist Josman, on his iPhone. Investigators allege the song included themes of “despair and bitterness… Google records indicate that he had listened to the same song nine times in the previous four days.”

11:34 p.m.: He drops off a passenger on Palisades Drive and drives toward Skull Rock Trailhead.

11:38 p.m. He parks at Skull Rock Trailhead and tries unsuccessfully to reach a friend who lived nearby. He walks up the trail to a small clearing, passing a sign saying “No Fires/Smoking.”

11:47 a.m.: He takes photos and a video of the area.

11:54 p.m. He listens to “Un Zder, Un The.”

Las Lomas Place homes were destroyed near from Skull Rock.

(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

12:12: a.m. A camera shows the first indication of a fire in the area. He calls 911 but it “did not go through, most likely because he was out of cellphone range.” He tries again, unsuccessfully. Over the next few minutes he tried to reach 911 several times. Authorities allege he waited at least a minute before his first 911 call. He also allegedly recorded himself trying to reach 911. “This indicates that [he] wanted to preserve evidence of himself trying to assist in the suppression of the fire and he wanted to create evidence regarding a more innocent explanation for the cause of
the fire,” prosecutors wrote.

12:17 a.m. He finally gets through to 911. According to the complaint, “he reported the fire (by that point a local resident already had reported the fire to 911). During the call, [he] typed a question into the ChatGPT app on his iPhone, asking, ‘Are you at fault if a fire is lift [sic] because of your cigarettes.’ (ChatGPT’s response was ‘Yes,’ followed by an explanation.)”

12:20 a.m. He drives around the area, sees fire trucks headed to the fire and decides to follow the trucks. He gets to the trail area where firefighters were now battling the blaze. He “later told investigators that he offered to help the firefighters fight the fire,” the complaint said.

1 a.m.: Investigators said a witness later told them they encountered the suspect at this time. He allegedly told the witness he had “been down the hill at a house party” when he noticed the flames.

1:02 a.m. He took several photos capturing firefighters battling the flames.

1:44 a.m. Authorities say his own video showed the glove box of his car opened. Authorities said when they later searched the car, they found a barbecue lighter inside the glove box. The suspect later told investigators he admitted bringing a lighter to the trail that night but could not remember what times, the court filing say,

Rest of Jan. 1: Firefighters used water dropping aircraft and hand crews. “Suppression efforts continued during the day of January 1, 2025, as firefighters continued to wet down areas within the fire perimeter. When the suppression efforts were over, the fire crews intentionally left fire hoses on site, in case they needed to be redeployed.”

Jan. 2: “LAFD personnel returned to the scene to collect the fire hoses. It appeared to them that the fire was fully extinguished.”