Deputies said the July 4 fire followed threats involving a family dog.
CRESTLINE, Calif. — A 46-year-old Crestline man was arrested July 4 after deputies said he threatened a family dog, refused to leave a home and set fires that destroyed the residence.
San Bernardino County sheriff’s officials identified the suspect as Clifton Bedore. Deputies said the case began as a family disturbance in the 600 block of Arth Drive and quickly became an arson investigation. Bedore was booked on arson-related allegations and held on $1 million bail.
Deputies were called about 9 a.m. after a caller reported that his brother had made criminal threats involving the caller’s dog. Officers tried to get Bedore out of the home, but he did not leave, authorities said. Deputies entered and found a large fire burning in the living room. They put that fire out, then learned of a second fire at the rear of the home.
That second fire spread through the house and burned nearby vegetation before San Bernardino County firefighters arrived. Fire crews were taking part in Crestline’s Fourth of July events when the call came in. Fire officials said crews left the parade route with lights and sirens and headed to the burning home as smoke rose above the mountain community.
No deaths were reported. Authorities did not immediately release details on injuries, the dog’s condition or whether other family members were inside when the fires were set. Investigators said both fires appeared to have been intentionally started.
The incident drew attention because of its timing and location. Crestline sits in the San Bernardino Mountains, where dry summer conditions can make even a house fire a wider concern. Officials said flames reached some vegetation, but firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading into a larger wildland incident.
Bedore had drawn law enforcement attention before at the same Arth Drive area. In 2024, authorities said he was accused of assaulting his brother after an argument and threatening to burn the house during a barricade situation. That earlier case involved evacuations and threats involving an improvised incendiary device, according to prior sheriff’s information.
In the July 4 case, deputies arrested Bedore at the scene. Prosecutors were expected to review the case for possible charges tied to arson, threats and property damage. Court records and a next hearing date were not immediately available in the reports reviewed.
The home was left heavily damaged, and officials said the investigation remained active. The next step is a charging review by the San Bernardino County district attorney’s office.
Author note: Last updated July 9, 2026.