As new details emerge about the 34-year-old man from Riverside County accused of starting the now 36,500-acre Line Fire, as well as how he came to the attention of authorities, neighbors of Justin Wayne Halstenberg expressed their shock and dismay at his arrest.
Halstenberg, who lives nearly 50 miles away from where the Line Fire started, in Norco, was arrested on Sept. 9 for arson.
Investigators said they were able to use license plate readers and other means that put the 34-year-old in the vicinity of where the fire started in Highland on Sept. 5 and added that that they have surveillance footage among other evidence collected during the investigation.
“We were able to look at several different videos and determine who the suspect was,” San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Lt. Kari Klaus said.
In a Wednesday press conference, authorities said that they believe Halstenberg started the fire intentionally and may be responsible for others.
Detectives also said that a search of his home in the quiet community of Norco revealed evidence relating to the investigation.
-
Pickup allegedly driven by Justin Wayne Halstenberg, suspected of starting the Line Fire on Sept. 5, 2024. (SBSD) -
A water dropping helicopter flies into thick smoke to drop water on the approaching Line fire which engulfed a home on Pine Cove Drive Sept. 10, 2024 in Running Springs, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) -
Firefighters on the scene of a home burning in the area of Pine Cone Drive in Runnings Springs amid the Line Fire on Sept. 10, 2024. (RMG News)
Patrick Raahauge, who went to high school, Halstenberg told KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw that he was surprised to hear the news of his arrest.
“That shocks me. I never thought he would be the one that started the fire,” he said. “Calm, quiet guy. Nobody ever thought he’d do anything like that.”
Another woman, who spoke to KTLA off camera and said she’s known Halstenberg his entire life, expressed her dismay at Halstenberg’s arrest, saying she doesn’t believe he’s responsible for the fire.
Brooke Pelanchar, whose family lost their forever home on Pine Cove Drive in Running Springs to the raging wildfire said she’s devastated and heartbroken at the loss.
“It’s just really surreal. It happened really fast,” she told KTLA. “We weren’t able to grab much. We have like three Tupperware’s left of our lives. It’s horrifically sad.”
Norco resident Bernadette Staples, who has been directly impacted by another fire burning to the west, said she’s been agonizing over whether Halstenberg could have started that fire too.
“Why would they do that?” she asked. “Did they ever have any clue what impact it would have on so many lives, homes and jobs?”
As of the most recent update by officials at Cal Fire, the massive blaze has scorched 36,481 acres and is 18% contained.
More than 65,000 homes are under direct threat with evacuation orders all the way to Big Bear and many other communities under evacuation warnings.
The latest updates on the Line Fire can be found by following this link.