Free Republic

“The alleged pyromaniac accused of igniting the deadly Palisades Fire – Los Angeles’ most destructive wildfire – chipped in a tiny donation to Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, records show. Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, shelled out $2 to hybrid PAC ActBlue on two separate occasions just days apart in 2020 – $1 on Sept. 4 and another buck on Sept. 11, according to the Federal Election Commission. Records also show the alleged arsonist — born in France — was registered to vote in Florida, though he never declared a political party.”

Police are searching for a killer who stabbed a beloved California fire captain to death, just weeks after she battled the devastating Eaton Fire. Cal Fire Captain Rebecca Marodi, 49, was found with multiple stab wounds inside her Ramona home around 8:58 p.m. PT on Monday. First responders administered life-saving measures, but Marodi succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives believe Marodi was killed by someone she knew, but they have not identified a suspect.

A new UCLA study found that the Eaton fire disproportionally impacted Altadena’s Black community and that systemic inequality and redlining contributed to fire vulnerability.

New video evidence appears to show the devastating Eaton Fire, which destroyed most of Altadena and parts of northern Pasadena, may have originated with Southern California Edison (SCE) transmission towers in the San Gabriel Mountains. The Eaton Fire destroyed nearly 9,500 structures, displacing thousands of people, causing an estimated $10 billion in loses while severely damaging the local economy. Since the fire erupted on January 7, lawsuits have been filed against SCE in an attempt hold the company liable for allegedly failing to shut off the power grid despite heavy winds approaching 100mph. While SCE maintains it followed procedure, residents...

Domestic workers in Los Angeles say they're struggling to make ends meet after the houses they worked in burned down in the deadly wildfires. The Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire in Altadena forced thousands of people to evacuate. The fires destroyed more than 12,000 structures and 27 deaths have been confirmed by officials. According to Flor Martinez Zaragoza, founder and CEO of Celebration Nation, a non-profit organization that provides support and resources for the Indigenous and Latino community, many domestic workers now face a dire financial hardship because of their employment in areas where structures...

A group of California firefighters stopped a looter from robbing a burned-down house and jetting off with an Emmy Award that had miraculously survived the fiery carnage of the Eaton Fire. Smoke eaters with the Los Angeles County Fire Department were working in a burned-down Altadena neighborhood on Thursday when they came across two suspicious people who were leaving one of the properties. One of the firefighters confronted a woman – wearing a dark sweatshirt and skirt over sweatpants – carrying possessions from the home including the prestigious award. ... No way, you are not doing this,” the first responder...

A NASA airborne instrument captured images of the fire’s aftermath in and around Altadena on January 11, 2025. NASA’s AVIRIS-3 instrument captured striking false-color images of the Eaton fire in Los Angeles, providing a unique perspective on the devastation across Altadena, Pasadena, and surrounding areas. These images assist in assessing damage and analyzing environmental changes due to the fire. As the fire’s containment progresses, NASA continues to support local emergency services with data essential for recovery and planning. NASA’s AVIRIS-3 Wildfire Surveillance On the afternoon of January 11, 2025, NASA’s AVIRIS-3 (Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer-3), mounted on a B200 aircraft,...

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass claims that her $17.5 million cut to the LA Fire Department budget did not impact the department’s ability to prevent or fight fires. But the LA Fire Chief told CNN that “the $17 million budget cut… did absolutely negatively impact” the Department’s ability to respond to the fires...

California police arrested a man on suspicion of arson on Sunday after firefighters saw him lighting fires about 12 miles south east of the Eaton fire—the deadliest blaze, as of Monday morning, in fires raging across the Los Angeles area. Ruben Montes, 29, of Baldwin Park, was detained and arrested after firefighters from the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to a small brush fire in Irwindale, near Rivergrade Road and the 605 Freeway at about 12:30 p.m. local time. "While on scene, LACOFD personnel observed a suspect actively lighting