A Norco man has pleaded not guilty to starting a blaze that authorities said exploded into the massive Line Fire and forced the evacuation of thousands of homes.
Online court records show Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, entered the plea from jail in a video arraignment in Rancho Cucamonga. He was denied bail and appointed an attorney, the records show.
Halstenberg is charged with 11 arson-related crimes, the records show. Authorities said the delivery driver 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.
Authorities have said Halstenberg’s vehicle has been tied to areas where the fires were started on Sept. 5. His next court appearance is set for Monday.
The Line Fire threatened at least 65,000 homes and injured four firefighters. It is one of three wildfires that ravaged Southern California this month amid a triple-digit heat wave.
Associated Press contributed to this report.