Tens of thousands of acres of the San Bernardino Mountains were scorched, and thousands of residents were forced from their homes in September 2024 after two wildfires erupted in the region. The massive “Line Fire” alone consumed nearly 44,000 acres, damaged multiple structures, and prompted evacuations that required the deployment of the National Guard.

On Wednesday, Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 35, of Norco, was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison for igniting the Line Fire as well as the smaller Bacon Fire.

Halstenberg was first arrested just four days after the Line Fire erupted on Sept. 5, 2024. Investigators used license plate readers, surveillance footage, and other evidence to place him near the fire’s origin in Highland, officials said. Incendiary devices, described as legal pa

See Full Page