Winds and steep terrain were making it difficult for crews on the Line fire burning in the San Bernardino National Forest to get control of the blaze on Wednesday, Sept. 11.
Containment, however, was up to 14% from 5% the day before.
But the fire continued to spread, jumping to 34,659 acres burned — an increase of about 8,000 acres from the previous day.
“Near-vertical slopes make putting in control lines challenging,” fire officials said.
Late Tuesday, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department announced the arrest of a 34-year-old Norco resident. He was taken into custody on suspicion of arson of an inhabited dwelling, arson of forest land and possession of flammable material. He was being held in lieu of $80,000 bail at Central Detention Center in San Bernardino.
Halstenberg has no documented criminal record in San Bernardino County. He has a warrant out for his arrest in Riverside County after failing to show for a July 8 court date. He had been cited in April on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The fire on Tuesday burned the Keller Peak lookout tower, an active location east of Running Springs and south of Highway 18 that is popular with tourists. The tower has views of lakes Arrowhead, Gregory and Silverwood, according to the U.S. Forest Service. USFS spokesman Gus Behana said there are campgrounds nearby.
The fire also burned radio towers at Keller Peak that were being used to communicate during the Line fire. It was not immediately clear how the damage was affecting the firefight.
Power lines could be shut off because of the winds in the area, officials said.
There are 65,000 residences under evacuation orders or warnings from the fire that started Thursday in Highalnd. An order makes departing mandatory; a warning means residents should prepare to leave.
New orders Wednesday were Big Bear Dam east to Wildrose Lane and the south shoreline south to Bluff Lake Basin; and Green Valley Lake north of Highway 18.
New warnings Wednesday were Garnett Street east to Highway 38 and Mill Creek north to the foothills; and the area from Calle Del Rio to Highway 38, including Greenspot Road North.
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