India, Oct. 8 -- Jonathan Rinderknecht has been identified as the person arrested for allegedly sparking the deadly Palisades fire back in January. Rinderknecht is 29 years old, officials revealed. Acting US Attorney Bill Essayli identified the suspect, accusing him of 'maliciously' igniting the blaze that ultimately became the massive Palisades Fire.

Investigators believe Rinderknecht first started a smaller fire, known as the Lachman Fire, in Pacific Palisades on January 1. That blaze scorched roughly eight acres and initially caused no major damage. However, officials said powerful Santa Ana winds likely reignited embers from that fire days later, sparking the inferno that devastated large swaths of the region.

The Palisades Fire bur...