Arson arrest made in 34,000-acre Line Fire in San Bernardino County

This story will no longer be updated, for the latest information on the Line Fire, click here.

A man was arrested on suspicion of starting a fire that spread wildly to the more than 34,000-acre Line Fire that prompted several evacuations in San Bernardino County.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said law enforcement arrested 34-year-old Justin Wayne Halstenberg of Norco in connection with the massive blaze. Officials accuse the man of starting the fire in the area of Baseline Road and Alpin Street in Highland.

Halstenberg was arrested Tuesday and booked into the Central Detention Center. He is being held on $80,000 bail.

The blaze began in the City of Highland on Thursday and has since exploded to more than 34,000 acres as it continues to rip through the San Bernardino National Forest. Triple-digit weather brought to the Southland thanks to a heat wave created challenging conditions for crews combating the fire. Now, firefighters are concerned that incoming winds anticipated Tuesday night could make humidity levels drop and help the fire spread.

For a map of where major wildfires in Southern California are burning, click here.

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The hot weather, coupled with steep terrain in remote areas, has proved to be a challenge for crews working tirelessly to upend the blaze. At least three firefighters have been hurt in the fire.

As of Tuesday, roughly 2,100 personnel were working to combat the fire, which threatened 65,000 structures. The danger the blaze brings prompted several evacuation orders and warnings:

Evacuation orders

• CA-38 and Middle Control Rd, Angelus Oaks
• Garnett Street east to the 138 and Mill Creek north to the foothills
• The area from Calle Del Rio to Hwy 38, including Greenspot Road North
• All underdeveloped land east of Highway 330 to Summertrail Place and north of Highland Avenue
• The areas of Running Spring east of Highway 330 and south of Highway 18 
• The communities of Running Springs and Arrowbear Lake 
• The area east of Orchard Road to Cloverhill from Highland Avenue north to the foothills
• North of Highland Avenue and East of Palm Avenue to Highway 330
• Garnett Street east to 38 and Mill Creek north to the foothills 
• Forest Falls
• Mountain Home Village

Evacuation warnings

• From Calle Del Rio east to Highway 38 and from Greenspot Road north to the foothills
• From 210 freeway east to the foothills and from Greenspot road north to the foothills
• The community of Green Valley Lake north from Highway 18 along Green Valley Lake Road
• The communities of Cedar Glen, Lake Arrowhead, Twin Peaks, Crestline, and Valley of Enchantment
• The area from Garnet Street east to Bryant Street and Carter Street north to Mill Creek
• The area of Big Bear Valley from the dam to Cactus Road
• Garnett Street east to Highway 38 and Mill Creek north to the foothills

Road closures

• Highway 18 is closed going northbound (inbound) from Kuffle Canyon to Running Springs. Only southbound (outbound) traffic is allowed.
• Highway 18 is closed from Running Springs to Highway 38 (Big Bear Dam).
• Highway 330 is closed from Highland Ave to Highway 18 in Running Springs.

Evacuation shelters

• San Bernardino County Fairgrounds, Building 6 -- 14800 7th St., Victorville, CA 92395
• Jesse Turner Community Center -- 15556 Summit Ave., Fontana, CA 92336
• Devore Animal Shelter (Large and Small Animals) -- 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino, CA 92407

One method crews are using in their effort is fighting the fire with fire.

“With the steep terrain up here and the vegetation and the way it’s burning, what we do is we put a little bit of fire on the ground up here on our road that we’re trying to hold and burn slowly downhill toward on our main fire, close that down a little bit and what that creates is called a black line," said Capt. John Clingingsmith Jr., Riverside County Fire PIO. "It’s basically everything that’s burnt up and slows the fire down and helps us get a containment line."

Due to the intensity of the fire, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency to provide state resources to assist in the firefight. On Monday, the California National Guard arrived in San Bernardino County to help evacuation areas.