Video shows fire started with gender reveal party

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZ. >> A video released by the U.S. Forest Service shows how a gender reveal event led to a costly wildfire in southern Arizona that forced about 200 people out of their homes.

The information gleaned from the video isn’t new, but it’s the first public visual of how quickly the tall, dry grass on state land near Green Valley went up in flames after an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent fired a rifle at a homemade target. The rectangular target with a diamond checkered design marked with “boy” or “girl” explodes, sending a blue substance in to the air.

A person whose identity was blacked out in the 49-second video moves toward the flames after a few seconds as embers and debris rise above the mesquite and acacia trees then backs up, and another unidentified person moves across the screen from right to left.

A male voice in a panicked voice twice shouts “Start packing up!”

The Arizona Daily Star first reported on the video it obtained Monday through a public records request, and it was shared widely on social media. The Associated Press received the video from the Forest Service on Tuesday.

Agent Dennis Dickey told authorities he constructed the target with a substance known as Tannerite that detonates when hit by a bullet from a high-velocity firearm, according to court documents. He reported the fire immediately to law enforcement on April 23, 2017, and was cooperative in the Forest Service investigation, authorities said.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday that Dickey still is employed with the agency’s Tucson sector.