Gender reveal parties have become very popular--and very creative--in recent years, making use of cakes, balloons, and colored lights to announce whether a couple's anticipated bundle of joy is going to be a boy or a girl. However, a border patrol agent from Arizona named Dennis Dickey decided that colored smoke was the way to go. He filled a target with colored powder, which he would then shoot to produce either pink or blue smoke.

The target contained Tannerite, a substance that's highly explosive but also legal to use. When he fired at the target, the charge caused some nearby brush to catch fire. The fire was exacerbated by a combination of higher than average winds and not a lot of rainfall. It took over a week to fully contain the blaze, during which time it caused $8 million in damages.

Dickey reported the fire immediately and fully owned up to starting it. A system of monthly payments has been set up for him so that he can pay for the damages.

So, what was the baby's gender? We still don't know--neither Dickey nor his attorney could be reached to confirm. Maybe it's time to go back to the simple "It's a _______!" banners.

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