A 29-year-old man faces arson charges for igniting the January Pacific Palisades wildfire that claimed 12 lives and razed over 6,000 structures, after investigators uncovered a ChatGPT-generated image of a burning city on his devices, created five months before the blaze erupted near a coastal hiking trail.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, arrested Tuesday in Florida, is accused of starting the Lachman fire on New Year's Day 2025 with an open flame after an Uber shift, per the federal indictment. The initial spark was doused but smoldered underground, reigniting in wind gusts to scorch 23,000 acres and inflict $150 billion in damage, one of California's costliest infernos alongside the same-day Eaton Fire that killed 19 more.

Authorities traced Rinderknecht's phone to the Skull Rock Trailhead—blocks from his former Palisades home—where he allegedly lied about his location during interviews.

Videos of him filming firefighters, failed 911 calls, and queries like "Are you at fault if a fire is lit because of your cigarettes?" painted a suspicious picture. A July 2024 ChatGPT prompt depicted a dystopian scene of the rich laughing as the poor fled flames behind a dollar-sign gate.

Rinderknecht, agitated during a New Year's Eve ride per a passenger, moved to Florida post-fire. Uber cooperated with the ATF, revoking his access upon suspicion. He appeared in Orlando court Wednesday without plea, facing bond Thursday and arraignment in LA soon; further charges like murder loom.

The LAFD's after-action review, released hours after the arrest, faulted resource shortages, inexperienced chiefs, and communication lags for the 25-day inferno's toll, urging tech upgrades.

Governor Gavin Newsom called the bust a "step toward closure" for displaced residents, including celebrities like Mel Gibson.