The man accused of starting a fire that eventually became the deadly blaze that devastated the Palisades area of Los Angeles earlier this year has been indicted by a federal grand jury, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, was charged in a three-count indictment with one count 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.

He faces up to 45 years in federal prison.

Rinderknecht, a former L.A. resident living in Florida, was arrested Oct. 7 — several months after the Palisades fire leveled neighborhoods in Los Angeles County and left 12 people dead.

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