米加州南部の山火事、原因は「赤ちゃんの性別発表花火」

【ロサンゼルスＡＦＰ＝時事】米カリフォルニア州南部で5日、山火事が発生し、これまでに約2800ヘクタールが焼け、多くの住民が避難を余儀なくされている。この火事について同州の消防当局は6日、原因は赤ちゃんの性別発表パーティーでの花火だったと発表した。（写真は米カリフォルニア州で、山火事の「極度の危険」を示す掲示板）
　カリフォルニア州森林保護・防火局によると、５日朝にサンバーナーディーノの東に位置するエルドラドで発生した山火事には、消防隊員５００人超とヘリコプター４機が消火に当たっているという。
　同局はこの火事が「性別発表パーティーで使われた発煙花火装置によって引き起こされた」と明かすとともに、「過失または違法行為による出火の責任者らは、経済的責任と刑事責任を負う可能性がある」と警告した。
　性別発表パーティーは、妊娠中に胎児の性別を知らせるために催されるもので、ピンクや青の煙が出る花火が使われることもある。
　高温で乾燥した天候が続くカリフォルニア州では、今年は特に火災発生件数が多く、これまでに６５万ヘクタールを焼失。うち３件が、同州史上最大規模の火災に数えられている。
　先週末以降、同州北部も山火事に見舞われている。火の手の急速な拡大により、フレズノの北東部に位置するマンモスプール貯水池付近に追い詰められた２００人以上が、ヘリコプターで救出された。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/09/08-12:47）

A firework at a gender reveal party triggered a wildfire in southern California that has destroyed 7,000 acres (2,800 hectares) and forced many residents to flee their homes, the fire department said Sunday.
More than 500 firefighters and four helicopters were battling the El Dorado blaze east of San Bernardino, which started Saturday morning, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said.
Residents of several communities in the area have been ordered to evacuate.
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, Cal Fire said on Twitter.
Those responsible for starting fires due to negligence or illegal activity can be held financially and criminally responsible, it warned.
Gender reveal parties are held during pregnancy to unveil the sex of the expected child, sometimes announced by pink or blue smoke fireworks.
With hot and dry conditions, California has suffered a particularly busy fire season this year, with more than 1.6 million acres destroyed so far, including in three of the biggest blazes in the state's history.
In northern California, more than 200 people had to be airlifted to safety over the weekend after a fast-moving wildfire trapped them near the Mammoth Pool Reservoir northeast of Fresno.
The Creek Fire, which started on Friday in steep and rugged terrain, has so far spread to 45,500 acres, according to the US Forest Service, making it one of the largest blazes.
A rapidly-spreading fire near San Diego, Valley Fire, has so far spread to 10,000 acres and destroyed 11 structures, Cal Fire said.
Record temperatures over the three-day Labor Day weekend have aggravated already dangerous fire conditions and further stressed exhausted California firefighters.
Temperatures reaching more than 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) were forecast for the Los Angeles area on Monday.