Authorities in San Bernardino County have arrested a 34-year-old man on suspicion of arson in connection with the Line Fire, which has burned 34,659 acres and is 14% contained as of Sept. 11.
Justin Wayne Halstenberg, a resident of Norco, was arrested for arson on Tuesday, Sept. 10, and booked at the Central Detention Center. He is being held on without bail.
Justin Wayne Halstenberg, a resident of Norco, was arrested for arson on Tuesday, Sept. 10. (Photo: Courtesy of San Bernardino County Sheriff)
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said Halstenberg is accused of starting the fire on Sept. 5 in the area of Baseline Road and Alpin Street in Highland.
Highland Station detectives worked with Cal Fire investigators to identify Halstenberg as the suspect.
Sheriff Shannon Dicus speaks during press briefing Wednesday.
"It's my belief that as time goes on and we allow them to do the critical work that they're doing, that we will actually find out the suspect may have been responsible for other fires," said Sheriff Shannon Dicus during a press briefing on Wednesday.
The Line Fire continues to threaten 75,600 structures, though none have been destroyed so far.
While authorities have not released details about how the fire was started, they believe it was intentional. The investigation is utilizing various technologies, including camera systems and cell phone data, to track the suspect's involvement.
"We are working on really collating all of that type of evidence right now and those types of technologies are what's helping us to really track, in this case, the suspect's involvement," Dicus explained.
The wildfire has caused significant displacement, with no reported loss of life but damage to structures. Fire behavior has been described as erratic and atypical, presenting challenges for firefighters and law enforcement.
Over 150 law enforcement officers and approximately 120 National Guard members are working to secure evacuated areas and protect properties from potential burglaries.
Evacuation orders remain in place for several mountain communities, including Running Springs, Arrowbear Lake, Forest Falls, Mountain Home Village and parts of Big Bear.
This article was originally published on 09/11/24 at 10:47 am. Updated 09/12/24 at 9:23pm.
