The California Wildfire memes primarily evolved as a form of dark social commentary on the state's increasingly intense fire seasons. A major turning point for this meme occurred in 2020, when a 'gender reveal party' involving a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device accidentally ignited the El Dorado Fire. The internet responded with a wave of satirical images, often featuring 'It's a Boy!' or 'It's a Girl!' captions over photos of massive blazes and apocalyptic orange skies. These memes are used to mock reckless human behavior and the surreal, recurring nature of environmental disasters in the Western United States.