TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Dennis Dickey, 37, of Tucson, Ariz., pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor violation of U.S. Forest Service regulations for igniting the Sawmill Fire, which caused more than $8 million worth of damage in April 2017. The Court scheduled a sentencing hearing for October 9, 2018. 
 
 On April 23, 2017, near Green Valley, Ariz., U.S. Border Patrol Agent Dickey, who was off-duty at the time, ignited a fire that spread to Coronado National Forest, federal land administered by the U.S. Forest Service. This fire was referred to as the “Sawmill Fire.” Dickey started the fire by shooting a rifle at a target. Dickey had placed Tannerite, a highly explosive substance, inside the target, intending for it to detonate when shot by a high-velocity firearm bullet. Dickey fired shots at the Tannerite target, ultimately causing an explosion that started a fire that spread and resulted in damage to more than 45,000 acres of land managed by the State of Arizona, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and various private landholders. Dickey immediately reported the fire to law enforcement, cooperated, and admitted that he started the fire. The total losses attributable to the fire, including suppression costs and damage to land and landholdings, totaled more than $8 million. 
 
 In his plea agreement, Dickey agreed to a sentence of five years’ probation, and to make a public service announcement with the U.S. Forest Service concerning the cause of the Sawmill fire. Dickey agreed to pay restitution totaling $8,188,069. Dickey also agreed to make an initial payment of $100,000 toward the restitution judgment and monthly payments thereafter. 
 
 The investigation in this case was conducted by the U.S. Forest Service. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Tucson. 
 
 CASE NUMBER: 18-MJ-03295-DTF 
 
 RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-123_Dickey 
 
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 For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az ||||| Hashtags can be used to brand and promote your business. By using a hashtag that is unique to your business, such as your business name or tagline, you will extend your reach simply by getting your customers to use the hashtag when commenting on social media. For example, KitKat uses #HaveAB…
– An Arizona man just wanted to reveal to the world the gender of his wife's soon-to-be-born baby. Instead, he set off a 47,000-acre wildfire that cost $8 million, reports the Arizona Daily Star. As a result, Dennis Dickey is now on the hook for $220,000 in penalties. Last year, the off-duty Border Patrol agent shot a target filled with the explosive Tannerite and colored powder—blue for boy, pink for girl—on a dry and windy day in Green Valley, Ariz. The ensuing blast started a brush fire that quickly spiraled out of control into what became known as the Sawmill Fire, according to a release from the US Attorney's Office in Arizona. It took about 800 firefighters close to a week to finally control it. "I feel absolutely horrible about it," the 37-year-old Dickey said in court last week. "It was probably one of the worst days of my life." Because it was an accident, Dickey wasn't charged with arson, and he is expected to keep his Border Control job. Luckily, the fire caused no injuries. Dickey had to immediately dip into his retirement fund to hand over $100,000, and he will make monthly payments of $500 for 20 years, reports the Sahuarita Sun. Dickey also will make a public-service announcement, presumably to warn other excited dads-to-be to skip the Tannerite. And, no, the coverage doesn't mention whether the Dickeys were having a boy or a girl. (This gender-reveal party didn't end so well, either.)