El Dorado 7,000 Acre Wildfire Sparked by Gender Reveal Party

News By TooFab Staff |
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The family could now be held financially — and criminally — responsible.

The wildfire currently decimating Yucaipa in California was sparked by a gender reveal party, investigators have claimed.

The blaze broke out on Saturday morning in the El Dorado Ranch Park, and has devoured more than 7,000 acres.

More than 500 personnel from ten different fire crews are currently battling the flames; as of Monday morning it was barely 7 percent contained.

On Sunday firefighters in San Bernardino County claimed they had determined the cause of the fire: a smoke generating-device used by an expectant family.

"CAL FIRE Law Enforcement has determined the El Dorado Fire, burning near Oak Glen in San Bernardino County, was caused by a smoke generating pyrotechnic device, used during a gender reveal party," it wrote on social media.

It said the fire began at 10:23 am on September 5, 2020 in the El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa; it then spread from the park to the north on to Yucaipa Ridge that separates Mountain Home Village and Forest Falls from the City of Yucaipa.

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It added: "Cal Fire reminds the public that with the dry conditions and critical fire weather, it doesn't take much to start a wildfire."

"Those responsible for starting fires due to negligence or illegal activity can be held financially and criminally responsible."

The device involved is designed to emit either blue or pink smoke, depending on the baby's gender.

Investigators did not name the family involved; however they would likely be identified should charges be filed.

On Sunday, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency, as record temperatures of 121 degrees increased the risks of wildfires, as well as power blackouts across California.

Saturday's mishap wouldn't be the first gender reveal gone tragically wrong in recent years.

In September, two Texans narrowly escaped with their lives when the plane they were using to dump 350 gallons of pink water stalled and crashed.

The following month a 56-year-old grandmother was killed by shrapnel at a gender reveal party when the family inadvertently built a pipe bomb.

In 2017, an off-duty border patrol agent accidentally started a 47,000 acre fire that cost more than $8million in damage when he shot an explosive canister filled with blue powder.

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