Gender reveal party sparked new California wildfire raging across 7,000 acres

[Calista241]

Source: CNBC

A smoke generating pyrotechnic device used at a gender reveal party was the source of a wildfire in El Dorado, California, that has spread to 7,050 acres as of Sunday, according to California fire officials.

In a statement released Sunday, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the the fire began at 10:23 a.m. Saturday in the El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa, spreading to the north. As of Sunday, the fire was 5% contained, according to the Cal Fire website. The communities of Oak Glen, Yucaipa Ridge, Mountain Home Village and Forest Falls are under evacuation orders and an evacuation warning is in effect for the Yucaipa bench area. The Yucaipa Community Center is serving as a temporary evacuation facility, according to Cal Fire.

More than 500 personnel and 60 engines have been deployed to the site, according to the website.

The El Dorado fire adds to a series of dangerous wildfires that have cropped up in California as residents are already trying to fend off danger from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. On Sunday, California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in San Bernadino County due to the El Dorado fire as well as four other counties due to other fires.

Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/07/gender-reveal-party-sparked-el-dorado-california-wildfire.html

[IronLionZion]

1. Why do people keep doing this?

This has happened several times before.

[DENVERPOPS]

7. Hey, ILZ

Ignorance and Stupidity seems to be running un-contained across these United States.........
It has overwhelmed the entire country............

WASF

[forgotmylogin]

14. I guess because it's too hard to have fire extinguishers on hand...

when deploying pyrotechnics in a state known to be ravaged by dry brush wildfires?

[NurseJackie]

20. Yes... with deadly consequences. They are idiot trend-chasers!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_reveal_party

A gender-reveal party is an event or celebration had during pregnancy. The primary goal of this event is the eponymous "reveal" of the baby's sex to the expecting parents, family, and friends. The practice of gender-reveal parties was popularised due to social media and the antiquated importance of gender. Two massive fires[1][2] one death[3] and a plane crash[4] have been caused by gender reveal parties. Twentieth century medical advancement in early, reliable prenatal sex discernment has allowed the requisite information that underlies these events to develop.[5][6][7][8]

History and development

A modern creation, the gender reveal party's modern incarnation began in the late 2000s. One of the earliest notable examples was found in the 2008 posts of then-pregnant Jenna Karvunidis on her ChicagoNow blog High Gloss and Sauce announcing the sex of her baby via cake.[10] YouTube videos of the practice can be found as early as 2008 and 2009, becoming socially significant around 2011, after which the trend continued to grow through the 2010s.[7][6]

In 2019, Karvunidis later expressed regret at having helped start the gender reveal party trend, seeing how far some had taken the trend (see § Accidents and injuries below), learning how the LGBT and intersex communities feel, and finally revealing the daughter they announced back in 2008 to be a gender-nonconforming, tomboyish individual who wears suits while still identifying as female.[10]

Accidents and injuries

Some instances of attempted gender-reveals have caused injury, death, and even large-scale damage. The 2017 Sawmill Fire in Arizona was caused by a gender-reveal party that combined blue powder and an explosive. Other dangerous stunts have involved fireworks and alligators.[17] "Gender reveal burnouts", in which cars emit billowing clouds of pink or blue smoke, are a fad that became popular in Australia around 2018. The Queensland Police Service warns that this practice is dangerous, and that there have been a number of attempted "burnouts" that resulted in flaming vehicles and arrests.[18] In October 2019, an Iowa woman was killed by debris from the explosion of a homemade device meant to reveal her relative's gender.[19] In September 2020, a gender-reveal pyrotechnic device started the El Dorado Fire near Yucaipa, California, destroying homes, prompting evacuations, and burning thousands of acres.[20][21]

[alwaysinasnit]

25. Thanks for providing info on gender-reveals. I was clueless.

[IronLionZion]

26. People can have parties without pyrotechnics

especially in hot dry areas prone to wildfires

[NurseJackie]

27. Balloons, cakes, confetti... there are many ways for a somewhat dramatic and fun "reveal" moment.

People can have parties without pyrotechnics

Exactly.

[TexasBushwhacker]

56. They should be illegal - PERIOD

[JI7]

28. They want to show off to other people on social media

[IronLionZion]

45. I'm sure their fame is exploding right now

going viral even

[Skittles]

46. gender reveal parties?

I have no idea.

[IronLionZion]

47. It's very DU-ish to think of gender reveal parties and not the incendiary pyrotechnics

DUers will be DUers

It's not even exclusively American. A relative overseas had one for her baby but they used flavors hidden in cake rather than any fireworks or explosives. Marble chocolate chip for girl. I don't remember what the boy flavor was.

People can party if they want. I don't judge. Just don't start a wildfire.

[Skittles]

48. um, I'm joking

I'm well aware of the idiots accidentally starting fires.

the parties themselves seem ridiculous

[Calista241]

58. Yeah, my SIL had a cake made with blue food coloring for their gender reveal.

Rather harmless IMO.

[AllaN01Bear]

2. i hope they get hit with suppression costs .

[AlexSFCA]

3. insufficient legislation

violations like these should be treated as major felonies and come with mandatory jail sentences.

[Operaweeble]

4. People are f'in stupid.

I do hope that the wonderful citizens who caused this mess will be billed for it. If they cannot afford it, there is always community service until the bill is paid in full.

[thesquanderer]

5. Yes, they can rake the forests. ;-) n/t

[oldsoftie]

6. "gender reveal party". Another made-up reason to get more gifts.

We already had the baby shower. Now this nonsense has become the "thing".
Along with "barn weddings". GREAT idea; have a wedding in Georgia, in June, outdoors in a barn.
But I digress.

[hamsterjill]

8. I agree. I'm tired of rewarding breeding.

Yes, I’ll get flamed, I’m sure. But the “we’re pregnant” crap is really comical to me. There’s no “we’re” to it.

Baby showers used to just be for the first baby. Now the people having the fifth child expect one. They advertise their registry on social media. It’s ludicrous. The strain on the planet alone.

[irisblue]

10. Out door wedding in covid times is not a truly stupid idea

I do not think I'd go, but better then inside.

[whistler162]

9. Hope the kid is really smart or athletic 'cause

their parents won't be able to help with college

[NurseJackie]

11. All you need is a big box with a bouquet of helium balloons inside.

Open the box... balloons float up... mystery revealed. Pink balloons or blue balloons or mylar balloons with "It's a BOY" or "It's a GIRL" printed on the side.

For me, we just waited until the baby arrived to find out.

[ripcord]

23. Yep

I can remember when a gender reveal party was held in the delivery room.

[JI7]

29. or cut a cake or something like a pinata with blue or pink rose petals

the concept is already stupid but if people are going to do it there are many ideas without these type of risks.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

35. Or just inform the couple so they can buy paint for the kid's room, and ...

... get cheap cigars wrapped in the appropriate color paper.



Cigars used to be a thing.

[NurseJackie]

39. Remember these? (Hospital gift shops always had plenty of boxes of them on display.)

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

41. I figured that even fake cigars are now verboten.

zero-tolerance trigger thingies.

I'd love a good cigar, but it would just restart my habit, so I won't.

[csziggy]

49. Balloons are really bad for wildlife

Balloons pose a risk to wildlife & the environment

by Debra Duncan, ENC Intern

Balloons may look nice, but they have a number of environmental concerns associated with them.

What goes up must come down. Balloons are hazards when they enter the environment. All released balloons, whether they are released intentionally or not, return to Earth as ugly litter – including those marketed as “biodegradable latex”. Balloons kill countless animals and cause dangerous power outages. They can travel thousands of miles and pollute the most remote and pristine places.

Balloons return to the land and sea where they can be mistaken for food and eaten by animals. Sea turtles, dolphins, whales, fish and birds have been reported with balloons in their stomachs and ribbons and strings can lead to entanglement, causing death.

More, including suggestions for alternatives: https://encenter.org/visit-us/programs/birthday-parties/balloons/

[NurseJackie]

50. Don't release them.

All released balloons, whether they are released intentionally or not, return to Earth as ugly litter

Don't release them.

[csziggy]

51. Problem is they are usually released

Another point the article goes into is what a waste of helium balloons are - helium is a finite resource that is needed for a lot of uses and balloons are a really frivolous use. Some of their suggestions for alternate ideas - blowing bubbles, making tissue paper pom-poms, decorate with live plants that can be planted afterwards, and more ideas.

Mylar balloons do not degrade and can cause power outages if they contact power lines. And what do unreleased balloons become - more trash that does not easily degrade. I am not going to support the use of balloons as decorations, whether or not they are released at all.

[NurseJackie]

52. Yeah... that part is definitely worth considering.

[jmowreader]

55. There is a major helium shortage

Important applications for helium:

Coolling the magnets on MRI machines and particle accelerators
Welding aluminum
Deep-sea diving
Pressurizing rocket fuel tanks

Unimportant applications for helium:
Filling balloons

[BumRushDaShow]

12. It's the same generation

who are also spiking the COVID-19 infections (<40s).

More info -

Cal Fire: Family behind gender reveal that sparked El Dorado Fire cooperating with officials
Sherry Barkas
Palm Springs Desert Sun

The family that used a pyrotechnic device during a "gender reveal" — which officials say sparked the El Dorado Fire burning near Yucaipa — tried to extinguish the fire themselves, then called 911 and remained on scene until firefighters arrived, Cal Fire Capt. Bennet Milloy said. The family has “absolutely been cooperating” with officials, Milloy told The Desert Sun on Monday.

No arrests have been made in the ongoing investigation and it will be up to the district attorney whether any charges will be filed, he said. Possible charges also depend on whether any homes are lost or injuries sustained, Milloy said. So far, there have been no reports of either. “Those responsible for starting fires due to negligence or illegal activity can be held financially responsible and criminally responsible,” Cal Fire officials stated in a press release on Sunday.

Milloy said the mechanism used in the reveal is being tested to determine if it is considered as "safe and sane" firework. In Yucaipa, safe and sane fireworks are illegal, Milloy said. He also clarified that the gender reveal was not a "party" but just the immediate family gathering at El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa for a "selfie" as the device discharged to reveal the gender of the baby the couple is expecting.

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/local/2020/09/07/officials-family-behind-gender-reveal-sparked-el-dorado-fire-cooperating/5737882002/

[NurseJackie]

31. I blame youth soccer.

[BumRushDaShow]

34. I blame social media

with "instagramming" and "snapchatting" the "big event".

[NurseJackie]

40. That makes more sense. That's how all of this got started, after all.

A modern creation, the gender reveal party's modern incarnation began in the late 2000s. One of the earliest notable examples was found in the 2008 posts of then-pregnant Jenna Karvunidis on her ChicagoNow blog High Gloss and Sauce announcing the sex of her baby via cake.[10] YouTube videos of the practice can be found as early as 2008 and 2009, becoming socially significant around 2011, after which the trend continued to grow through the 2010s.[7][6]

In 2019, Karvunidis later expressed regret at having helped start the gender reveal party trend, seeing how far some had taken the trend (see § Accidents and injuries below), learning how the LGBT and intersex communities feel, and finally revealing the daughter they announced back in 2008 to be a gender-nonconforming, tomboyish individual who wears suits while still identifying as female.[10]

[BumRushDaShow]

42. It's become an "industry" now

($$$$$$$)

[NurseJackie]

43. Heaven help us...

https://www.google.com/search?q=gender%20reveal%20party%20planners

[lonely bird]

53. I blame humans

People are idiots. Not all the time but enough of the time

[BumRushDaShow]

54. Well the ability to show how idiotic one can be

has now been amplified 100 fold, which encourages others to do the same (including those who might not have "thought of it" had it not been for that great "amplifier" ).

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

13. Other than starting a costly wildfire, how was the party?

The article wasn't clear: which gender was revealed?

What was served for lunch? What was the mother wearing?

Will charges be leveled against the parents? Will the child be born in prison?

And, will there be good contact tracing for the inevitable Covid spread?

[yaesu]

17. good questions, I wish I could send all our rain to CA, getting another 1.7" overnight. nt

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

18. We got a bunch of rain before dawn today.

But, there was a constant flashing of lightning. They probably don't need that in CA.

[JI7]

30. It happened in Arizona and I think the father was fined 8 million dollars

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

33. Wasn't he a Border Patrol agent? Or Homeland Security? Something like that.

8 million? Phht, just declare bankruptcy and walk away. Or, negotiate for a realistic settlement. 8 million is ridiculous on an officer's salary.

[JI7]

38. I didn't know that but see he was border patrol.

[Auggie]

15. Ban all fireworks in California, even the absurd classification called "safe and sane"

Harsh felonies for manufacturing, importing, distribution, procession and use of ANY KIND.

Includes polluting July 4th shows and ballpark/stadium celebrations. Period.

[ripcord]

22. It is ridiculous

Any drunk can set off fireworks but to fly rockets off a dry lakebed I needed a pyrotechnic operators license.

[JI7]

32. agree

[yaesu]

16. twitter is reporting it as an explosive device, confusing until this news. nt

[BamaRefugee]

19. Wonder if masks were being worn at the party?

[redstatebluegirl]

21. Those things are just stupid, and the rush to get them on Youtube makes them even

more stupid and dangerous. I have been to one of these, and I had to really stop myself from laughing out loud at how self absorbed the whole things was. If they started this fire, they should face the consequences.

[JI7]

36. It's something that could be cute if it was more of a smaller thing

not a party but may be just with the partner and maybe the couples parents or something and do the reveal through a cake or just biting into one cupcake.

Nothing big . Just something you might do after your regular meal.

[LiberalFighter]

24. Gender reveal parties are plain stupid!

[Locrian]

37. agreed - they have to be one of the 7 signs for sure! - n/t

[Lasher]

44. How stupid do you have to be to ignite a smoke generating pyrotechnic device under these conditions?

In California, in a field of four foot tall fucking dry grass? No clue that this might be an idiotic move? They need to come down hard on these dumbasses, and enact meaningful legislation to prevent such behavior in the future.

[Bayard]

57. Ummmm.....

I didn't even connect a, "gender reveal party", with a baby. I honestly thought it must be about someone coming out of the closet.



Still a really stupid reason to burn up 7,000 acres.

[EllieBC]

59. Can't people have boring baby showers with

horribly cringey games like they used to? And if you really don’t want everything in yellow and green you causally mention the sex if you know it?

So they really need these stupid things that cause fires??? Because this isn’t the first time.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

60. I think these are IN ADDITION to baby showers.

As if there aren't enough pointless self-aggrandizing events associated with spawning.

These "reveal" parties are to celebrate the existence or lack of an extra bit in the ultrasound portrait of the fetus.

Now, if it's just another reason to gather together and get drunk, I'm all for them.