A "smoke generating pyrotechnic device" used during a gender reveal party in California has ignited a massive wildfire that has grown larger than 7,000 acres (roughly 28 square kilometres) within two days.

Gender reveal party sparks massive wildfire

Gender reveal parties have been largely popular in the United States (U.S.) and increasingly around the world as an elaborate manner by expectant parents to announce the gender of their developing fetuses.

However, over-the-top renditions of such parties have occasionally caused significant damage, such as sparking wildfires.

The fire, which started on Saturday (Sep. 5), spread rapidly within two days, with around 3,000 residents needing to evacuate from their homes, reported The Guardian.

According to CNN, more than 500 personnel, 60 engines and four helicopters have been deployed to quell the fire.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reminded the public in a press statement that it "doesn't take much to start a wildfire" with the current dry conditions and critical fire weather in the region.

#ElDoradoFire | SAN BERNARDINO/ INYO/ MONO UNIT |
El Dorado Fire Cause pic.twitter.com/PNBQWMXMwK

— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) September 7, 2020

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

No charges regarding the fire has been announced yet.

Fatal gender reveal parties

Such accidents at gender reveal parties have been reported in the media in recent years.

In 2017, an off-duty border patrol agent in the U.S. had caused US$8 million (S$10.9 million) worth of damage to forested areas in Arizona after he fired his gun at a target full of coloured powder and tannerite, a highly explosive substance, causing an explosion.

The fire damaged almost 47,000 acres of land.

In 2019, a 56-year-old woman was killed instantly at a gender reveal party in the U.S. when a homemade device meant to discharge coloured powder ended up exploding like a pipe bomb, reported The Guardian.

Top image via The Guardian/YouTube, Lacey Kopera/Flickr