“Real Housewives of Orange County” star Jennifer Pedranti is speaking out about a brush fire that scorched seven acres of Southern California hills — admitting her son was among a group of minors involved in sparking the blaze.
Pedranti, 49, addressed the incident in a statement posted to her Instagram Story on Thursday after what she called “rumblings” about her family’s connection to Tuesday’s fire in Ladera Ranch.
“He and others were involved,” Pedranti wrote, without identifying which of her four sons was among the minors.
“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 blaze erupted around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday near Narrow Canyon Road and Acaster Way in Ladera Ranch, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. Fueled by dry vegetation, it quickly spread across roughly seven acres before firefighters on the ground and in the air brought it under control.
Authorities said the fire never reached nearby homes, and no injuries or significant property damage were reported.
“We were so thankful there was no property damage and nobody was hurt. The fire and police were absolutely amazing and gave these boys a lesson they will never forget,” Pedranti wrote.
The Orange County Fire Authority said several minors were interviewed at the scene, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. No arrests have been made.
Law enforcement sources told TMZ that’s standard procedure in cases where minors accidentally start fires that don’t cause property damage. Rather than pursuing criminal charges, authorities typically require them to complete fire safety education.
Pedranti said her son will be required to take a fire safety course and also face punishment at home.
“There were no arrests made, but consequences for actions are being put into place. He will be taking a fire safety course to make sure a mistake like this never happens again,” she wrote.
“There are consequences within our family and we will make sure our son learns from this accident.”
Pedranti shares five children with ex-husband William Pedranti — sons Harrison, 22, Dawson, 19, Greyson, 16, and Dominic, 12, along with daughter Everleigh, 14. She did not reveal which son was involved.
According to TMZ, Pedranti and her children previously lived in the Ladera Ranch neighborhood but moved about a year ago.
The incident comes as Pedranti prepares to return as a full-time cast member for Season 20 of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” which premieres Thursday. She joined the long-running reality series in 2023 and is now engaged to fiancé Ryan Boyajian.
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