A man has been arrested on suspicion of starting a fire that quickly spread to the 34,000-acre Line Fire, prompting multiple evacuations in San Bernardino County.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said police have arrested Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, of Norco, in connection with the massive fire. 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 fire started Thursday in the town of Highland and has since exploded to more than 34,000 acres as it rages through the San Bernardino National Forest. Triple-digit weather brought to the Southland by a heat wave created challenging conditions for crews battling the blaze. Now, firefighters are worried that incoming winds expected Tuesday night could drop humidity and help the fire spread.

Click here for a map of the areas where major wildfires are raging in Southern California.

The hot weather, combined with steep terrain in remote areas, has proven challenging for crews working tirelessly to extinguish the fire. At least three firefighters have been injured in the blaze.

On Tuesday, about 2,100 people were battling the fire, which threatened 65,000 buildings. The danger posed by the fire led to several evacuation orders and warnings:

The California National Guard arrived in San Bernardino County to assist authorities battling the massive Line Fire. Darsha Philips reports for NBC4 News at 11 p.m. Monday, September 9, 2024.

Evacuation orders

• CA-38 and Middle Control Rd, Angelus Oaks
• Garnett Street east to 138 and Mill Creek north to the foothills
• The area from Calle Del Rio to Hwy 38, including Greenspot Road North
• All undeveloped 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 38th and Mill Creek north to the foothills
• Forest waterfalls
• Mountain House Village

Evacuation warnings

• From Calle Del Rio east to Highway 38 and from Greenspot Road north to the foothills
• From Highway 210 east to the foothills and from Greenspot Road north to the foothills
• The community of Green Valley Lake north of 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 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 of the methods the firefighters use to fight the fire is by using fire.

“Given the steep terrain up here and the vegetation and the way it’s burning, here’s what we do: We put a little fire on the ground up here in our path, try to hold it and let it burn slowly downhill toward 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 burned down and it 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 support firefighting efforts. On Monday, the California National Guard arrived in San Bernardino County to assist with evacuation areas.