Man suspected of igniting the Line fire pleads not guilty to multiple counts of arson. The fire has scorched nearly 40,000 acres and is 49% contained.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (AP) — A California man has pleaded not guilty to starting a fire that authorities said ballooned into a massive wildfire and forced the evacuation of thousands of homes.

Justin Wayne Halstenberg, the man accused of intentionally starting the Line Fire in San Bernardino County, pleaded not guilty to arson charges on Tuesday.

A Norco man accused of deliberately igniting the 39,000-acre Line fire that forced thousands of residents of Highland and the San Bernardino Mountains to flee pleaded not guilty to nine felony arson counts on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

A Norco man accused of igniting the 39,000-acre Line Fire in San Bernardino County pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a list of eleven arson-related felony charges, officials said.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA — A California man has pleaded not guilty to starting a fire that authorities said ballooned into a massive wildfire and forced the evacuation of thousands of homes.

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,

Authorities said Justin Wayne Halstenberg attempted to start three fires within an hour — two that were extinguished by firefighters and a good Samaritan and a third that became the Line Fire, which has charred 61 square miles in the mountains east of Los Angeles.