October 17, 2025 - LOS ANGELES — The man arrested on suspicion of deliberately setting the blaze that would spark one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history was indicted on three arson-related charges on Wednesday, adding two felonies to the criminal case he already faced in federal court

October 2, 2025 - Justin Halstenberg of Norco was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison on Wednesday for igniting the Line fire in Highland in 2024, which led to six firefighter injuries and 44,000 acres of San Bernardino County mountains being scorched.

This is consistent with our expectations, as wildfires can · reduce landscape fuels, providing the prospective arsonists

Wildfires in California which were caused by arson.

January 10, 2025 - California State Parks announced today the arrest of a suspect on a charge of felony arson related to a brush fire that ignited on Jan. 8 near Leo Carrillo State Park (SP) in Los Angeles County. The region has been under a red flag warning, with severe fire danger intensified by powerful Santa Ana winds, which have fueled multiple destructive wildfires across Southern California.

April 24, 2025 - Joseph Kling, 19, of Ocean Township, New Jersey, is charged with aggravated arson and arson in connection to the massive Jones Road wildfire.

Wildfires caused by arson.

January 27, 2025 - While "copycat arson" is a known phenomenon and experts admit arsonists may have begun smaller fires that followed the Palisades blaze and the similarly destructive Eaton Fire (now 98% contained) in Pasadena, people are probably not responsible for the initial conflagrations.

October 24, 2025 - Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, accused of starting devastating fire that destroyed more than 6,800 structures

October 9, 2025 - Nine months after a raging inferno decimated the Los Angeles area, claiming the lives of a dozen people and burning down thousands of homes and businesses, officials have arrested a suspect in Florida on suspicion of arson.

January 17, 2025 - Without answers, some in fire-prone California are filling in the gaps themselves. Fingers have been pointed at arsonists, power company utilities or even a blaze days prior in the Pacific Palisades that was snuffed out but may have re-ignited in the face of Santa Ana winds blowing at 80-100mph (128-160 kmph) last week.

May 3, 2025 - The first suspect, 19-year-old Joseph Kling, was arrested on April 23 in connection with the Jones Road Wildfire, which ignited in Ocean Township on April 22, prosecutors said.

April 24, 2025 - Investigators say Joseph Kling set wooden pallets on fire and left them unattended.

January 15, 2025 - The man was allegedly chased and apprehended by residents of Woodland Hills after they saw him setting fire to old Christmas trees and debris with what one resident described as a “flamethrower” soon after the massive wildfire began Thursday, the New York Post reported.

September 18, 2024 - Halstenberg’s mother, Connie Halstenberg, told the Los Angeles Times on Saturday that there were things that her son has done that she does not approve of but said that “he is not an arsonist”. Prosecutors said additional charges may be filed for any further structure damage or injuries as the fire continues. Authorities have said Halstenberg’s vehicle has been tied to areas where the fires were started on 5 September. The Line fire has threatened more than 65,000 homes and injured four firefighters. It is one of three wildfires that exploded across southern California this month following a triple-digit heatwave.

April 25, 2025 - Joseph Kling, 19, is charged with arson in the Ocean County, N.J.​ wildfire that has scorched more than 15,000 acres.

August 23, 2024 - California’s Park Fire is now the fifth-largest wildfire in the state’s history, and a man accused of starting the destructive flames appeared in court Monday. At the same time, dozens of other fires continue to rage in the Western United States and Canada and thousands have been forced to evacuate.

Bureau of Land Management law enforcement rangers recently caught an arsonist who ignited a small wildfire earlier this month.