Federal authorities announce arrest in Palisades Fire investigation

Federal and local authorities on Wednesday announced an arrest in the investigation of the Jan. 7 Palisades Fire, the deadly blaze that killed 12 people and razed thousands of homes and businesses in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. Officials said the arrest followed a multimonth criminal investigation and that a formal charging announcement would be filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell and the special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives addressed reporters at a morning briefing, officials said. Essayli said the person taken into custody was accused in a criminal complaint of starting a fire on New Year’s Day that investigators allege later rekindled and grew into the catastrophic Jan. 7 blaze. The suspect was arrested in Florida and is expected to appear in court there, officials said.

Investigators have been examining whether a small brush fire on Jan. 1 in the Palisades Highlands, which neighbors reported began after New Year’s fireworks, produced embers or unextinguished material that could have reignited during the high winds on Jan. 7. Officials said...