SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, California – Justin Wayne Halstenberg was arrested on Tuesday under suspicion of starting the Line Fire that now burns at 34,659 acres. The fire began on September 5 in the area of Baseline Road and Aplin Street in the city of Highland.
According to Cal Fire, several areas, including Big Bear from the dam east to Wildrose Lane and the south shoreline south to Bluff Lake Basin near Big Bear Mountain Resort, have been forced to evacuate, while several other areas remain on evacuation warning. A full list of evacuation sites can be found here.
The fire currently sits at 14% contained, with 3,179 personnel assigned to the scene. 65,600 structures are currently threatened, while a Damage Inspection Team is working to determine what’s been damaged by the burn.
“In the overnight hours of the Line Fire Wednesday, fire activity was moderated due to smoke shading and cooler weather. However, the fire grew on the north and east sides due to slope and vegetation driven runs. Public safety power shutoffs occurred on one of the two main supply lines to Big Bear Valley including potential evacuation zones.” – U.S. Forest Service
Halstenberg was located and arrested on September 10. He was booked at the Central Detention Center for P.C. 451 – Arson, where he’s currently being held in lieu of $80,000 bail. Those who may have more information on the situation are asked to contact Detective Jake Hernandez of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department at (909) 425-9793.
The San Bernardino Mountains, where Big Bear Mountain Resort is located, are closed to the public at this time. As such, all operations at Big Bear, including Snow Valley, Snow Summit, and Bear Mountain Golf Course, have been suspended. Webcams at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain Gold Course show a significant amount of smoke, while webcams at Snow Valley appear to be down.