Man accused of starting sprawling California wildfire

Authorities arrested Justin Wayne Halstenberg on Tuesday and charged him with arson in connection with a massive southern California wildfire, according to a news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities say on Sept. 5, Halstenberg started a fire in the city of Highland. That fire eventually grew to become the Line Fire, one of three ongoing Los Angeles-area wildfires.

How did authorities apprehend Halstenberg? Investigators linked Halstenberg and his vehicle to the fire, Detective Jake Hernandez of the sheriff’s department told reporters Wednesday. They detained him and searched his home Tuesday night, Hernandez said. After seizing evidence at two locations, law enforcement arrested Halstenberg, charging him with arson. He is assumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus believes Halstenberg set the fires intentionally. He declined to tell reporters how Halstenberg allegedly started the fire. Police hope to use technology, including smart phones, to determine if Halstenberg was involved in starting other fires.

Have there been any other arrests? Authorities arrested two people suspected of burglarizing homes evacuated as a result of the wildfire, Dicus said.

How much damage has been done by the Line Fire? Three wildfires have devoured more than 100,000 acres in southern California in recent days. The Line Fire alone has affected more than 35,000 acres and as of Wednesday afternoon was 14 percent contained, Dicus said. He said the Line Fire had burned about 73,000 structures, affecting roughly 100,000 citizens. As of Wednesday, no one had died as a result of the Line Fire.

Dig deeper: Listen to Bonnie Pritchett’s report for The WORLD and Everything in It on how a new meteorological system helped firefighters save lives in the Texas Panhandle fires earlier this year.