Palisades Fire: Brevard County native recounts horror of California wildfire, reacts to suspect's arrest

Brevard County native recounts horror of California wildfire

The man accused of starting one of California?s deadliest wildfires is scheduled to make a second federal court appearance on Thursday in Orlando. Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was taken into custody on Wednesday. When the Palisades Fire tore through Southern California neighborhoods earlier this year, Julia Frohlich watched her community burn to the ground.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. - A man accused of starting one of California’s deadliest wildfires was arrested this week in Brevard County after months on the run, authorities said.

Federal agents and West Melbourne police took 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht into custody Wednesday in a quiet neighborhood where he had been staying. 

What we know:

Federal authorities arrested 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht in West Melbourne, Florida, in connection with the Palisades Fire — one of California’s deadliest wildfires this year. 

Investigators say he previously lived and worked in California and was captured on surveillance footage near the fire’s ignition point minutes before it began. Rinderknecht allegedly called 911 to report the fire before leaving the scene. 

The blaze killed 12 people, destroyed more than 6,000 structures, and burned 23,000 acres before being contained on Jan. 31.

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When the Palisades Fire tore through Southern California neighborhoods, Julia Frohlich watched her community burn to the ground. Originally from Cocoa Beach, she moved to Los Angeles after graduating from the University of Florida to pursue her career. 

When she learned the suspect accused of starting the Palisades Fire had been arrested in her home county of Brevard, Frohlich said she was stunned.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the fire or what may have led Rinderknecht to allegedly start it. It’s also unclear how long he had been staying in Florida or whether anyone in the area knew about his connection to the California investigation.

The backstory:

The Palisades Fire erupted on Dec. 31, devastating Southern California neighborhoods as residents fled through thick smoke and walls of flames. 

The fire burned for weeks, becoming one of the most destructive wildfires in state history. 

Rinderknecht was identified as a suspect months later after investigators analyzed surveillance footage and 911 records. His arrest Tuesday in Brevard County ended a months-long nationwide manhunt.

What they're saying:

A former Brevard County resident, Frohlich, who now lives in Los Angeles, said the devastation still haunts her. 

"It was really just a very scary and tough situation," Froehlich said. "The consequences of that decision impacted a tremendous amount of people — economically and emotionally."

"Things are just completely gone and there’s no remnants of what was your community," she said. "I spent a lot of time hiking in the Palisades, and even for weeks after the fires happened, you couldn’t really go there."

Frohlich said she was shocked to learn the suspect had been captured in her home county. 

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"I texted my friends immediately — two of them also from Brevard County," she said. "It was the strangest thing. Everything just kind of followed me."

What's next:

Rinderknecht is scheduled to make a second federal court appearance Thursday in Orlando. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is leading the investigation with assistance from local police and the FBI.