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San Francisco, Sep 19 (IANS) A firefighter died while battling a massive wildfire that was sparked by a gender reveal party two weeks ago in Southern California, bringing the total number of fatalities to 26 so far this year across the US state, authorities said.
On Friday, the San Bernardino National Forest Service officials confirmed the death of the firefighter due to the El Dorado Fire, which is currently estimated at 21,678 acres with 66 per cent containment, reports Xinhua news agency.
The blaze was caused by a smoke generating pyrotechnic device used during a celebration to reveal the gender of a baby in San Bernardino County on September 5.
The name of the firefighter is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, the San Bernardino National Forest Service said.
"Our deepest sympathies are with the family, friends and fellow firefighters during this time," tweeted the San Bernardino National Forest Service, adding that the cause is under investigation.
The El Dorado Fire is one of the major wildfires burning around California.
Over 18,500 firefighters remain on the frontlines fighting wildfires in the state as of Friday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The total number of fatalities in California is 23 civilians and three firefighters.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been over 7,900 wildfires that have burned over 3.4 million acres in California.
Since August 15, when California's fire activity elevated, more than 5,500 structures have been destroyed, the department said in its daily wildfire report.
According to Cal Fire, five of the top 20 largest fires in California's history have occurred in 2020.
California's peak fire season usually runs until October, but can continue until further in the year.
--IANS
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