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.

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 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.

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.

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. Online court records show Justin Wayne Halstenberg,