Fire crews left holiday duties after a Crestline home erupted in flames.
CRESTLINE, Calif. — Firefighters assigned to Fourth of July events in Crestline were pulled from holiday duty after a family dispute ended with a home fire and an arson arrest, authorities said.
The fire broke out about 9 a.m. July 4 in the 600 block of Arth Drive, while the mountain community was marking the holiday. San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies said the call began as a disturbance involving brothers and a threat to harm a dog. It ended with Clifton Bedore, 46, in custody.
Deputies said they arrived after a 911 caller reported that Bedore had made criminal threats involving the caller’s dog. Officers tried to remove Bedore from the home, but he refused to leave. When deputies went inside, they found a large fire in the living room and put it out.
Authorities said deputies then learned of a second fire at the back of the residence. That fire spread through the structure and reached nearby vegetation. San Bernardino County Fire Department crews arrived and extinguished the flames before they became a larger threat in the wooded mountain area.
Fire officials said the response was complicated by the holiday event. Crews had to leave the parade route and move through crowds as people first appeared to think the lights and sirens were part of the celebration. The emergency response then shifted the scene from a holiday gathering to a working fire.
Neighbors told local reporters that the home had been the site of earlier arguments and concerns. Authorities also had prior contact with Bedore in 2024, when sheriff’s officials said he threatened to burn the home during a barricade incident after an argument with his brother.
The July 4 fire caused major damage to the house. Officials did not immediately report fatalities. The sheriff’s department said investigators determined the fires were intentionally set. Bedore was booked in connection with arson and held on $1 million bail.
The case now moves to prosecutors, who will decide what formal charges to file. Investigators have not publicly answered several questions, including the exact ignition source, the full amount of damage and whether the dog was harmed.
As of July 9, Bedore remained identified as the suspect in the Crestline arson investigation. The next milestone is the filing decision by San Bernardino County prosecutors.
Author note: Last updated July 9, 2026.