Police in California have detained a guy on suspicion of igniting the Line Fire, a massive wildfire that has destroyed over 34,000 acres in the state. Justin Wayne Halstenberg, a 34-year-old Norco, California resident, was arrested on Tuesday for arson and is being held without bail, according to officials. The Line Fire is one of three large wildfires that erupted in southern California last week, putting firefighter resources under strain and endangering thousands of homes. On Wednesday morning, the Line Fire was 14% controlled. Police did not say how Mr Halstenberg allegedly started the large fire in San Bernardino County, roughly 60 miles east of Los Angeles.
Thousands of people have been forced to flee the area, and the fire threatens more than 65,000 structures. CalFire officials said the flame is still growing in steep terrain, making access difficult, particularly near Big Bear. Strong winds and dry conditions have fueled the fire, but firefighters are hoping that colder weather expected for later this week would help their efforts. The structures under threat, both residential and commercial, comprise around 13,300 in regions currently under evacuation orders. Blaine Bacher, an evacuee, claimed the first thing he grabbed from his home near Arrowbear Lake was his mother’s ashes.
Mr Bacher told the BBC on Wednesday that he had no idea whether his home is still standing. “This home is more than just walls and a roof,” he told me. “My mother passed away at the house. I held her hand as she took her final breath in the house. She and my stepfather built the house where I and my sister grew up. It is beyond priceless.” There have been no reports of fatalities or structural damage as a result of the Line Fire thus far. However, photographs from the Los Angeles Times appear to show that at least one building in Running Springs, a town in the San Bernardino Mountains, has been damaged.
Approximately 2,000 firemen are battling the blaze. The California National Guard is also assisting with firefighting efforts, providing crews and aircraft, including helicopters for water bucket drops. Another fire, the Bridge Fire, is burning in the Angeles National Forest. It began on September 8th and has now expanded to 46,700 acres. The reason is being investigated, according to CalFire. Footage circulating on social media shows the fire devouring ski lifts at California’s Mountain High Ski Resort. The Airport Fire, a third wildfire, broke out on Monday. It is blazing in an area spanning Orange and Riverside counties and covers 22,300 acres. The Airport Fire apparently destroyed numerous homes, although officials have yet to release specifics.
The blaze produced enormous clouds of smoke that could be seen as far as the Los Angeles airport. According to the Los Angeles Times, which cited officials within the Orange County Fire Authority, the fire was likely sparked by a spark from heavy equipment used by local road workers. As of Wednesday morning, the Bridge and Airport fires were 0% contained. The flames developed during a Southern California heatwave that broke previous temperature records, with temperatures reaching 111 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) in some regions in recent days. However, temperatures are expected to fall for the rest of the week.
