Wildfire scorches historic California Gold Rush town
Cal Fire said the fire was sparked by lightning and is one of more than a dozen wildfires that ignited across California this week during a burst of storm activity.
Residents work to stop flames from a burning home from spreading to a neighboring house as the 6-5 Fire burns through the Chinese Camp community of Tuolumne County, California, on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
A fast-moving wildfire tore through a historic Gold Rush community in Tuolumne County, California, on Tuesday, forcing evacuations and destroying homes, according to Cal Fire.
The blaze, known as the 6-5 Fire, grew quickly and has now burned 7,000 acres and is not contained. Officials reported no injuries or fatalities, but at least five homes in the small town of Chinese Camp were burning, the Associated Press reported. The community, about 57 miles east of Stockton, dates back to the 1850s and was originally settled by Chinese miners who had been forced out of a nearby camp. It’s not known if the town’s Gold Rush era structures, including an old post office built in 1854, were damaged in the fire.
"If they get those messages to evacuate, they need to evacuate now," Cal OES fire chief Brian Marshall said. "Don't wait and get out. It could mean the difference between life or death."
Layne Smith, left, clears vegetation to stop flames from spreading to his home as the 6-5 Fire burns through the Chinese Camp community of Tuolumne County, California, on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Witnesses described residents working frantically to protect homes ahead of arriving fire crews, using sand and tree branches in an attempt to stop the flames from spreading. An RV parked near one home was heavily damaged.
One resident described the scene in Chinese Camp to ABC News as “armageddon” and said mos tof the town has been lost.
“To watch it come over the ridge the way it did and as fast as it did, that is absolutely fear,” said resident Pete Tomaino who was forced to evacuate.
The 6-5 Fire is part of nine fires burning in the September Lightning Complex fires, which have burned more than a combined 9,368 acres. Stacy Nolan with Cal Fire said none of the fires have been contained.
Cal Fire said the fire was sparked by lightning and is one of more than a dozen wildfires that ignited across California this week during a burst of storm activity. Crews have requested reinforcements, including bulldozers, fire engines and aircraft, to help battle the flames.
Chinese Camp, originally called Camp Washington, was renamed after thousands of immigrants from China settled there during the Gold Rush. The town’s history is marked by both opportunity and persecution, including the imposition of the Foreign Miners Tax that targeted non-European miners.
Report a Typo
