A federal grand jury Wednesday indicted the Florida man accused of causing the Palisades Fire by starting a smaller blaze a few days prior before it blew up to become one of the deadliest wildfires in California history.

Jonathan Rinderknecht , a former resident of the Pacific Palisades, was charged in the three-count indictment with one county of destruction of property by means of fire, one count of arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and one count of timber set afire.

Stream Los Angeles News for free, 24/7, wherever you are. WATCH HERE

Rinderknecht, 29, will likely make his first appearance in Los Angeles federal court in the next few weeks.

Prosecutors allege Rinderknecht ignited a New Year's Day fire, now known as the Lachman Fire, that smoldered for days in

See Full Page