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Officials Release Video Of Gender Reveal Party That Led To Wildfire

An off-duty border patrol agent pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for starting the nearly 47,000-acre Sawmill Fire.
Posted at 3:30 PM, Nov 28, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-28 15:30:09-05

The U.S. Forest Service just released video of an Arizona gender reveal party that led to the nearly 47,000-acre Sawmill wildfire last year.

"Explosion."

The video shows off-duty border patrol agent Dennis Dickey shooting a target that explodes in a cloud of blue smoke. The resulting brushfire grew and spread to Coronado National Forest. Dickey said it was "a complete accident," and he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in September.

Dickey was ordered to pay $8 million in restitution and appear in a public service announcement with the Forest Service.

Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.