The bee smoker helps mask alarm pheromones that are released by bees. This helps beekeepers open and work inside the beehives while the colony's defensive response is interrupted.

The smoker includes a nozzle, billow and fire chamber. Once the device fell to the ground, it is possible the fire started around the vegetation surrounding the bee hives, police said in the news ...

The fire was believed to have been ignited by a faulty bee smoker, according to Jim Black, a battalion chief with the Modesto Fire Department.