Chat GPT helped find the culprit behind the deadly Los Angeles wildfire.

A suspect in the January 2025 Pacific Palisades fire in Los Angeles has been arrested in the United States. It killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6000 homes, according to Air force.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was arrested on October 7 in Florida and charged with destruction of property, Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essaily announced at a press conference in Los Angeles on October 8. He may face additional charges, including murder.

According to the Justice Department, evidence collected from Rinderknecht's digital devices included an image of a burning city he created using ChatGPT.

One of the most devastating fires in Los Angeles history began on January 7 near a tourist trail overlooking the coastal district. Another fire, the Eaton Fire, which broke out the same day in another Los Angeles neighborhood, claimed the lives of another 19 people and destroyed 9400 buildings. Its cause remains unknown. The Palisades Fire engulfed more than 9300 hectares and caused an estimated $150 billion in damage. It raged for more than three weeks, destroying entire neighborhoods and devastating parts of Topanga and Malibu. Among the homes destroyed were those of Hollywood celebrities, including Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton, and Jeff Bridges.

On the subject: Dehumidifiers Cause Hundreds of Fires in California, Manufacturers Jail

What is known about the suspect

Rinderknecht was arrested in Florida, where authorities say he moved shortly after the Los Angeles fires. He will appear in Orlando County Court on October 16 for a bail hearing. He has pleaded not guilty.

The initial fire, which investigators believe Rinderknecht set on New Year's Eve, January 1, 2025, was quickly extinguished by firefighters. However, investigators say the fire continued to smolder underground in the roots of dense vegetation and was subsequently reignited by strong winds. Authorities say the suspect previously lived in Pacific Palisades and knew the area well. He lived one block from the trailhead of the Skull Rock hiking trail, where he allegedly started the fire. On New Year's Eve, Rinderknecht, who worked as an Uber driver, picked up two passengers, one of whom told investigators that the driver seemed agitated and irritated.

Authorities said they used Rinderknecht's phone data to determine his location at the time the fire started on January 1. He allegedly lied to investigators, claiming he was down at the trailhead.

Uber stated that Rinderknecht was not an active driver for the service at the time of the fire, but the company worked closely with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to help determine his location using geolocation and other information. The company stated that it suspended Rinderknecht's access to the platform as soon as it learned of his suspected involvement in the fire, but noted that he had passed both an initial background check in 2023 and subsequent annual background checks.

Authorities said other fire-related materials were found on Rinderknecht's phone, including videos he took of firefighters trying to extinguish the blaze.

Artificial Intelligence

According to data from Rinderknecht's phone, he repeatedly called emergency services shortly after midnight on January 1st, but was unable to get through due to the weak signal on the trail. At one point, he managed to connect with a dispatcher. His phone contains a history of his ChatGPT conversation, in which he asked, "Am I to blame if my cigarettes started the fire?" Investigators stated that the suspect was attempting to "leave evidence that he was trying to help extinguish the fire."

"He wanted to create the impression that there was a more innocent explanation for the cause of the fire," the indictment says.

In July 2024, five months before the fire, Rinderknecht asked ChatGPT to create a terrifying image of a burning forest and a crowd of people fleeing the flames. The request description read: "In the center of the image, hundreds of thousands of poor people are trying to get through a giant gate with a large dollar sign. On the other side of the gate is a conglomerate of very rich people. They relax, watch the world burn, and watch the people resist. They laugh, have fun, and dance."

A month earlier, Rinderknecht apparently wrote on ChatGPT: "I literally burned the Bible I had. It's an amazing feeling to feel like a man who has thrown off his chains."

California Governor Gavin Newsom called the suspect's arrest an important step toward "closing the case for the thousands of Californians whose lives have been completely changed by this fire disaster."

Perfect Storm

Hours after Rinderknecht's arrest, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) released its long-awaited investigation report into the Palisades fire, detailing the first 36 hours of firefighters' efforts. The report's purpose was to "learn lessons from the incident and improve preparedness and response to future wildfires."

The document noted that firefighters lacked sufficient resources to cope with the adverse weather conditions and hurricane-force winds that fanned the flames. The LAFD listed nearly 100 challenges faced by firefighters in the Palisades. The blaze lasted 25 days, with many responders working around the clock.

"Firefighters had to contend with the inevitable consequences of a 'perfect storm': dry vegetation, sustained high winds, a large spark distribution area, a landscape covered in dead wood, large, fire-vulnerable structures, dwindling water supplies, and loss of air support," the report said.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants, and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New Y

Furthermore, firefighters failed to pinpoint the exact location of the fire or call for backup in time, while unit leaders with limited experience were unable to cope with a fire of this scale. Delays in issuing evacuation orders, problems with evacuation organization, and traffic control created additional difficulties.

Acting Los Angeles Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva said he hopes the report "will strengthen public confidence in the Los Angeles Fire Department's preparedness to respond to any future wildfires." He said the department has implemented several new measures to protect the city since the January fires, including upgrading its communications technology.

Read also on ForumDaily:

What to do in case of a flood: advice from experts

Conspiracy theorists accuse US government of 'weather manipulation' and believe Texas flood was no accident

Los Angeles Fires Destroy Celebrity Homes

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.