HIGHLAND, Calif. (KABC) — The arson suspect in connection with the massive fire in San Bernardino County is scheduled to appear in court Thursday as firefighters continue to battle the massive blaze.

Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, of Norco, was being held without bail on charges of intentionally setting the fire Sept. 5 near Baseline Road in Highland.

He was arrested Tuesday after authorities obtained a search warrant for him, authorities said at a news conference Wednesday.

“While we are still in the preliminary stages of the investigation, we believe this was intentional,” Sheriff Shannon Dicus told reporters. The motive for the alleged arson was still under investigation. Officials did not specify what was used to start the fire.

Dicus and county prosecutors are expected to provide additional details about the charges and the investigation when they brief the media at 11 a.m.

Part of Big Bear was evacuated Tuesday as the fire continued to spread.

According to the sheriff’s department, residents in the area of ​​the Big Bear Dam east of Wildrose Lane and the southern shoreline south of Bluff Lake Basin were told to leave. An evacuation order was also issued for communities including Running Springs, Forest Falls, Angelus Oaks and Wrightwood.

The fire blanketed the area in a thick cloud of dark smoke, providing shade for firefighters trying to beat gusts of wind expected later Wednesday, said Fabian Herrera, a spokesman for the Line Fire, which was 14% contained after 147 square kilometers (57 square miles) burned.

Two of the main routes into and out of Big Bear – Highway 18 from the west and Highway 38 from the east – were both closed.

Firefighters battling the Line Fire and two other major wildfires took advantage of cooler weather Wednesday and slowly gained the upper hand. But first, dozens of homes were destroyed and thousands of people were forced to evacuate.

California is only in the middle of its wildfire season, but it has already burned nearly three times as much land as it will in all of 2023. The wildfires have threatened tens of thousands of homes and other buildings in Southern California after they gathered momentum over the weekend amid a heat wave that saw temperatures soar above 90 degrees.

No deaths have been reported, but at least a dozen people, mostly firefighters, have been treated for injuries, mostly caused by the heat, authorities said.

Cal Fire Interactive Map

This interactive map from Cal Fire shows the latest evacuation orders and warnings, plus road closures and detours:

This 3D map, also from Cal Fire, shows the width of the fire area and also shows the most recent acreage.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.