Where There's Smoke: Uncovering The Origin Of The Palisades Fire

Last October, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed a stunning accusation — alleging that a young Uber driver from Florida caused the death and destruction in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu. It's theory rested on belief that the Palisades Fire was a rekindling of a week old fire, the Lachman Fire, that this man, Jonathan Rinderknecht, had, allegedly, intentionally started with a flick of a lighter on New Year's Day.

LA city firefighters said they believed that first fire had been put out. Federal investigators stressed that it burned so deep underground it could not be detected. But then evidence began to emerge that told a different narrative. The question: did concerns the fire was still smoldering go ignored?

This episode examines what we know about what happened between the Lachman Fire and the Palisades Fire, and the missteps and miscommunication that may have led to one of California's most destructive fires in history.

GUEST: Arlene Tchekmedyian, LA Times Investigative Reporter

Links:

LAFD After-Action Report - Drafts and Final: https://lafd.org/news/palisades-afteraction-review-report-drafts-and-final

3 critical days, many ignored warnings: How the LAFD failed to prevent the Palisades inferno: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-11/lafd-testimony-details-missed-chances-to-fully-put-out-lachman-fire

Who made the call to leave the Lachman fire? In sworn testimony, LAFD officials pass the buck: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-01/who-made-call-to-leave-lachman-fire-in-sworn-testimony-lafd-officials-pass-buck

L.A. firefighter testifies that Lachman fire was not fully put out. ‘I saw ... red hot coals’: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-02-26/la-firefighter-testifies-that-lachman-fire-was-not-fully-put-out-when-crews-were-ordered-to-leave.

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass directed Palisades fire damage control, email shows: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-02-13/mayor-karen-bass-directed-palisades-fire-damage-control-emails-show

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