ALTADENA, Calif. (KESQ) – Attorneys representing Altadena fire survivors filed a lawsuit today against Southern California Edison and Genasys Inc. over the death of a woman who died in the Eaton Fire, accusing the utility of igniting the blaze and Genasys of failing to issue evacuation warnings in her neighborhood. Â Â The lawsuit was filed
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PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. (KESQ) – Firefighters who were mopping up a New Year’s Day brush fire that authorities now say flared into the deadly Palisades Fire warned a battalion chief there were signs the blaze was still smoldering, but they were directed to leave the area anyway, it was reported today. Citing text messages among
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – The 29-year-old man accused of setting a New Year’s Day fire that prosecutors say smoldered for a week and grew into what became the deadly Palisades Fire pleaded not guilty today to a trio of federal charges. Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom to one
Continue Reading LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – A federal grand jury today indicted a 29-year-old former Pacific Palisades resident who is charged with allegedly intentionally sparking what eventually became the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history. Jonathan Rinderknecht, an Uber driver who most recently lived in Florida, is charged in the three-count
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ALTADENA, Calif. (KESQ) – As Southern California Edison finalizes a forthcoming claims program for eligible individuals and businesses impacted by the Eaton Fire, residents of Altadena who lost their homes and community urged the utility today to build a “fair, reasonable and fully funded” plan that helps survivors rebuild. According to a draft released by
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INDIO, Calif. – CAL FIRE is looking to bolster its ranks as the threat of wildfires in California continues to grow. To do so, a collaborative effort between CAL FIRE and the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) to show hundreds of high school seniors possible careers in firefighting is being made in Indio. The career
Continue Reading LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – A 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the devastating Palisades Fire that swept through Los Angeles in January 2025, claiming twelve lives and destroying thousands of homes and structures. Federal authorities identified the suspect as Jonathan Rinderknecht, a former resident of Pacific Palisades who had relocated to Florida after
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – On top of extreme weather conditions and dry vegetation that fueled the devastating Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and leveled much of the community, leadership and communication challenges, exacerbated by limited resources, impeded the Los Angeles Fire Department’s initial response to the conflagration, according to a city-commissioned review released today.
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ALTADENA, Calif. (KESQ) – Standing near the site of a destroyed home, a group of fire-impacted Altadenans and local organizations called on state Attorney General Rob Bonta today to investigate Los Angeles County’s response to January’s Eaton Fire, including delays in evacuation orders being issued to residents in the western Altadena area. The group,
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – A series of outdated policies, weaknesses and systemic vulnerabilities hampered the effectiveness of emergency notifications and evacuation orders during January’s devastating and deadly Eaton and Palisades wildfires, according to a county-commissioned independent review released today. Â Â The “Independent After-Action Report” was commissioned by the Board of Supervisors and produced by McChrystal
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JURUPA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Fire crews are battling a 500+ acre brush fire in Jurupa Valley this weekend. Cal Fire officials say the Pyrite Fire began Friday afternoon around 5 p.m. near Pyrite Street and Granite Hills Drive, spreading quickly in the hills above the 60 freeway. As of Saturday evening, the fire stands
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LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – The United States Attorney’s office announced two lawsuits against Southern California Edison Co., today, alleging that faulty transmission and power lines led to the devastating Eaton and Fairview fires. The filings cite “a troubling pattern of negligence,” and allege that the company’s negligence caused the deadly fires, which burned tens of
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THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Monsoonal thunderstorms have brought some summer rain to Riverside County’s local wildland, but fire officials say it has done little to curb the region’s high fire danger. Because of the lingering fire risk, firefighters with CAL FIRE caution outdoor restrictions for campfires, trails, and other activities will likely remain in
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PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – As the Rosa Fire continues to burn, Highway 74 remains closed. The closure began on Monday when the fire first ignited. According to the California Highway Patrol, the highway will remain closed at least through Saturday. Guardrails and road signs are scorched. Pink fire retardant has made portions of the
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ANZA, Calif. (KESQ) –Â CAL FIRE has mapped the Rosa Fire at over 1,500 acres. Teresa Turner, an evacuee from Pinyon Pines, said she’s staying in Palm Springs. “I just started grabbing stuff in garbage bags, anything I could get,” Turner said. “All my animals I got them in the car.” She said before she evacuated
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Hundreds of property owners in unincorporated portions of Riverside County will see fines attached to their tax bills for failing to pay for brush mitigation. The Riverside County Fire Department requested the Board of Supervisors to sign off on cost recovery for the department’s Fire Hazard Reduction Program. The program aims to
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THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – Days after the Shady Fire broke out in Thermal, some families in the community are still without utilities after the fire damaged their homes. One family whose home was damaged by the fire said they remained without power, water, and gas. According to the family, their landlord provided a $600 check
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THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – The Shady Fire in Thermal reached full containment over the weekend. But, in the aftermath of the 52-acre brush fire, residents are left wondering: what’s been burning on the land next to their homes? The Shady Fire left behind thick, dark smoke that was visible throughout the Coachella Valley when it
Continue Reading ALTADENA, Calif. (KESQ) – On the six-month anniversary of the wildfires that devastated parts of Los Angeles County, members of the Eaton Fire Survivors Network today urged state officials to hold insurance companies accountable for alleged mishandling of claims. At a news conference held at the Good Neighbor Bar in Altadena, the group called on
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2025 is off to a burning start across the state. The Los Angeles wildfires, back in January, are now projected to be one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. In an I-Team exclusive, CAL FIRE under pressure. News Channel 3’s Karen Devine watched as wildland-trained firefighters went through grueling exercises, being tested to
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