Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, has been arrested in connection with setting off three different fires in San Bernardino County, California last week. One of the fires, known as the Line Fire, has burned more than 37,000 acres. Halstenberg has been charged with nine felony counts related to the Line Fire, including aggravated arson, arson on structure or forest land, possession of material for arson, and arson resulting in bodily harm. If convicted on the aggravated arson charge, he could face 10 years to life in prison.
Officials believe Halstenberg intentionally set a fire that sparked the Line Fire using evidence gathered from an automatic license plate reader that flagged his vehicle near the area where the fire started. The Line Fire, along with two other major wildfires in Southern California – the Airport Fire and the Bride Fire – have prompted California Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency and authorize the National Guard to assist in firefighting efforts.
The Airport Fire in Orange County has seen some containment progress, reaching 5% containment and burning 23,410 acres. The Bridge Fire in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties has grown to 51,167 acres with 0% containment. Cooler weather moving into the region is expected to help firefighters in their efforts. No deaths have been reported in any of the fires, but homes have been destroyed.
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