A Real Housewives star’s son has been accused of starting a huge fire in Southern California earlier this month.
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In a statement on Instagram, Jennifer Pedranti confirmed that her son was involved in starting the Ladera Ranch fire on July 7.
“He and others were involved,” she wrote, per TMZ. “My ex husband and myself take this very serious. This behavior is unacceptable, and we are deeply sorry to our community. This is a tough learning moment for our son and our family.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County personality also wrote, “We were so thankful there was no property damage, and nobody was hurt. The fire[fighters] and police were absolutely amazing and gave these boys a lesson they will never forget.”
Pendranti confirmed that no arrests were made. However, she stated that consequences for her son’s actions are being “put in place.”
“He will be taking a fire safety course to make sure a mistake like this never happens again,” she noted. “There are consequences within our family, and we will make sure he learns from this accident.”
Law enforcement sources further told TMZ that it was “pretty standard” for minors who set fires that do not cause property damage to not receive criminal charges. Instead, they are put through fire safety courses.
The reality TV star did not reveal which one of her four sons was involved in the fire. She and her ex, Will Pendranti, share five children: sons Harrison, Dawson, Greyson and Dominic, and daughter Everleigh.
The Fire Broke Out In the Backyard Hills of Ladera Ranch
According to Reuters, the brush fire broke out in the backyard hills of Ladera Ranch.
Officials from the Orange County Fire Authority deployed an aircraft that dropped fire retardant on the fire, which was named the Narrow Fire due to its proximity to Narrow Canyon Road.
The fire was first reported at around 4:45 p.m. on July 7 and quickly grew to approximately five acres before firefighters got it under control. Officials stated that the blaze was not a threat to nearby homes.
The brush fire occurred a little more than a year after multiple blazes went rampant in areas near Los Angeles.