Suspect arrested in connection with deadly Palisades fire

Incident Summary - A 29-year-old, Jonathan Renderneck, was arrested for allegedly starting the Palisades fire [1] - The fire originated from the Lochman fire, allegedly started by Renderneck on New Year's Day [1] - The Lochman fire smoldered underground for about a week before heavy winds caused it to surface as the Palisades fire on January 7th [1] Investigation Details - Renderneck was an Uber driver on New Year's Eve and was described as agitated after his last ride at 11:34 p m [2] - Investigators believe the fire started near the Skull Rock trail head approximately 30 minutes after Renderneck hiked up the trail [2] - Renderneck allegedly tried calling 911 multiple times but couldn't get through [3] - The suspect prompted Chat GPT to create a dystopian painting showing a burning forest and a crowd fleeing from it [3] Community Impact - Fire victims expressed outrage and highlighted the suffering caused by the fire [4] - Rebuilding efforts are underway, with hundreds of permits issued, but thousands of homes were destroyed [5] Legal Proceedings - Renderneck appeared in court but did not enter a plea [5] - His attorney has not commented [5]