A Gender Reveal Party Started a Massive Wildfire in California
A recent gender reveal party sparked one of the wildfires currently devastating California.
According to a press release from the Cal Fire San Bernardino unit, a “smoke-generating pyrotechnic device” triggered a fire at the El Dorado Ranch Park on September 5. The piece of equipment, which was reportedly being used for a gender reveal party, started the burning at 10:23 a.m. PT.
As of Monday, September 7, the Cal Fire incident website reports that the fire has grown across 7,386 acres and is just 7% contained. The status of the fire is currently active with over 527 personnel on hand so far.
The fire has forced multiple communities, including Oak Glen, Yucaipa Ridge, Mountain Home Village, and Forest Falls, to evacuate. Additional evacuation warnings for the Yucaipa bench area are in effect.
On September 7, the San Bernardino National Forest Service warned that the area’s elevated temperature and humidity combined with winds will “result in continued active fire behavior throughout the night.”
No charges over the incident have been announced, per CNN. However, Cal Fire officials announced that “those responsible for starting fires due to negligence or illegal activity can be held financially or criminally responsible.”
This is not the first time a gender reveal party has ended in a raging wildfire. In 2018 a video shared by the U.S. Forest Service went viral, depicting a blue-tinted explosion in Arizona that burned across 47,000 acres and resulted in over $8 million in damage, according to CNN.
Now, social media users are sharing this news as another example of reasons to end the trend of gender reveal parties altogether, which many believe reinforce harmful gender constructs.
“That’s a series wrap on gender reveal parties!” Schitt’s Creek creator Dan Levy tweeted on September 7.
In the Cal Fire press release, officials urged the public to remember that “it doesn't take much to start a wildfire.”
Originally Appeared on Glamour
