A suspected California arsonist was arrested days after he allegedly started the San Bernardino Line Fire, which has burned across thousands of acres of forest, east of Los Angeles.
Justin Wayne Halstenberg was charged on Tuesday following a San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department investigation into the wildfire that burned over 34,000 acres since it first sparked last week.
“Highland Station detectives, in collaboration with Cal Fire investigators, identified Justin Wayne Halstenberg as the suspect who started a fire in the area of Baseline Road and Alpin Street in the city of Highland, also known as the Line Fire, on September 5, 2024,” the sheriff’s office said.
The 34-year-old suspect was slapped with Arson of an inhabited structure, Arson of forest land and Possession of flammable material DVC Arson, jail records viewed by The Post showed.
He is being held at San Bernardino’s Central Detention Center on a $80,000 bail.
Police did not reveal how Halstenberg allegedly started the inferno.
He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 12 at 12:30 p.m.
The Line Fire started around 6:33 p.m. on Sept. 5 and has destroyed 34,289 acres inside the San Bernardino National Forest. The blaze is only 14 percent contained as of Wednesday morning, according to the California Fire website.
Residents along the southern edge of Big Bear Lake were told to leave the area, a popular destination for anglers, bikers and hikers.
The blaze had charred more than 51 square miles of grass and brush and blanketed the area with a thick cloud of dark smoke.
The acrid air prompted several districts in the area to close schools through the end of the week because of safety concerns.
Three firefighters have been injured since the blaze was reported Thursday, state fire managers said.
Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for areas north and east of the fire including popular ski town Bear Bear.
Evacuation warnings were given to the communities directly south of the national forest which included parts of the city of Highland.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday and deployed the National Guard to assist in the evacuations.
Over 2,800 personnel have been allocated to fighting the fire as 65,600 structures are threatened.
Wildfires have broken out across the Golden State sprung to life during a triple-digit heat wave that finally broke Wednesday.
Officials hope cooler temperatures expected for later in the week will moderate the fire activity.
Just over 30 miles west on the San Bernardino-Los Angeles County line, the Bridge Fire has burned 46,727 acres.
The intercounty blaze started on Sept. 8 and has
With Post wires
