A California man pleaded not guilty to starting a wildfire that led to mass evacuations and burned thousands of acres.
Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, entered his plea during a video arraignment from jail, according to San Bernardino County court records. He remains held without bail.
Authorities allege Halstenberg, a delivery driver from Norco, attempted to ignite three fires in one hour, two of which were extinguished by firefighters and a passerby. The third blaze, called the Line Fire, has consumed 61 square miles in the San Bernardino Mountains.
The wildfire, which began on September 5, threatened more than 65,000 homes and injured four firefighters. Halstenberg is charged with 11 arson-related crimes, and investigators have tied his vehicle to the areas where the fires were sparked.
Cal Fire said in an update on Tuesday morning for the Line Fire that “Below average temperatures and moderate relative humidity minimized Line Fire behavior …