A California man faces the possibility of spending life behind bars after being found guilty of deliberately sparking the Line Fire—a wildfire that scorched 44,000 acres and forced thousands to evacuate mountain villages and suburban neighborhoods across Southern California in September 2024.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday that Justin Halstenberg, a Norco resident, was convicted on seven counts related to the Line Fire, as well as two additional counts tied to a subsequent fire. Charges include aggravated arson of forest land and property, along with possession of flammable materials. Halstenberg now faces a potential life sentence.
The allegations surfaced shortly after the blaze erupted. According to the DA’s statement, Halstenberg made multiple attempts within a single hour to ignite a fire in the Highland hills near a residential neighborhood. Firefighters quickly extinguished his first attempt, while a bystander stepped in to put out the second. However, his third attempt on Highland’s Baseline Street successfully ignited what became the devastating Line Fire.
The wildfire forced mandatory evacuations across several mountain communities, including Running Springs, Forest Falls, Arrowbear Lake, Mountain Home Village, Angelus Oaks, and Seven Oaks, as well as parts of Highland and San Bernardino. As the flames rapidly spread, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County, citing the dangerously dry vegetation and soaring temperatures that fueled the blaze’s relentless advance.
“This verdict is a major victory for the City of Highland, our mountain residents, and all the brave firefighters who battled tirelessly to protect lives, homes, and property,” the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department posted on social media, honoring the heroic efforts behind the hard-fought battle against the fire.
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