California Line Fire Update: Man Arrested for Allegedly Starting Blaze

A man has been arrested on suspicion of sparking the Line Fire in Southern California, which has already burned thousands of acres.
Justin Wayne Halstenberg, from Norco, has been arrested following an investigation by California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) and detectives from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
The 34-year-old was booked for arson, detectives have confirmed. How the fire was started has not yet been revealed.
According to a release issued by San Bernardino Police, Halstenberg was arrested on Tuesday evening. He remains in police custody at Highland Station in lieu of an $80,000 bail after being booked for arson.
Anyone who may know more about the cause of the fire is urged to contact investigators at (909) 425-9793.
The Line Fire began on Baseline Road and Alpin Street in the city of Highland on September 5, and is located on the north-east threshold of the city of San Bernardino, which is about 60 miles east of Los Angeles.
While officials in California previously said the cause of the fire was unknown, it is now believed to have been man-made. The FBI defines arson as “any willful or malicious burning or attempting to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc.”
The Line Fire is 14 percent contained as of a 10:38 p.m. update from Cal Fire on September 9, and has burned nearly 35,000 acres of land in San Bernardino County. More than 2,684 personnel across 52 fire crews are currently battling to extinguish the blaze. Three firefighters have been injured.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in the county. “I thank President Biden for his swift approval of support for the work of our firefighters and first responders battling this fire and protecting local communities. It’s critical that residents in the impacted areas remain vigilant and prepare to evacuate immediately if called for by local authorities,” he said in a statement.
Across California, there are currently 17 active fire incidents. Some of these are almost completely contained, whereas some, including the Line Fire, are still raging.
Along with the Line Fire, there are currently two other major fires burning in California. The Bridge Fire in Angeles National Forest has erupted to a massive 34,000 acres on Tuesday, leading to mandatory evacuations in several communities.
The Airport Fire has ravaged nearly 20,000 acres between Orange and Riverside Counties while also causing damage to multiple homes. Both are currently zero percent contained.