21st CENTURY HEADLINES: El Dorado blaze sparked during gender reveal party at park, fire officials say.
The El Dorado Fire near Yucaipa that has burned 7,050 acres in Southern California was caused by a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device used during a gender reveal party Saturday morning, according to a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection press release. The devices are sometimes used to release blue or pink smoke to announce the gender of an expected baby.
The blaze, which started Saturday about 10:20 a.m. at the El Dorado Ranch Park, is 5% contained.
“CAL FIRE reminds the public that with the dry conditions and critical fire weather, it doesn’t take much to start a wildfire,” the press release stated. “Those responsible for starting fires due to negligence or illegal activity can be held financially responsible and criminally responsible.”
As with the recent BLM/Antifa riots, is a gender-reveal party high enough on the woke-ometer to avoid facing charges in California?