"Megablaze" devastates Chinese Camp, CA
Last edited Wed Sep 3, 2025, 06:21 PM - Edit history (1)
CHINESE CAMP (Tuolumne County) — The storm that charged up the middle of California on Tuesday unleashed wave after wave of lightning strikes on the state’s Gold Country foothills, leaving behind at least 22 wildfires that raced through more than 12,400 acres prompting evacuations and devastating the historic Tuolumne County town of Chinese Camp.
The several blazes, treated as a single, large wildfire called the TCU September Lightning Complex, ignited in multiple locations across Calaveras and Tuolumne counties Tuesday, with 0% containment as of Wednesday morning, according to Cal Fire.
The monsoon-fueled storm unleashed more than 10,000 lightning bolts across the sky — the equivalent of 3 trillion volts of electricity — from Santa Barbara to Sacramento, with little to no rainfall. The Central Valley foothills bore the brunt with more than 6,200 strikes hitting the ground. The dry lightning came in waves over several hours, each interval offering a display of bright bolts and booms nearly nonstop.
SNIP
The first fires were detected shortly before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, with smoke visible on weather radar above Chinese Camp not long after that.
Link (paywall): https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/tcu-september-lightning-complex-chinese-camp-21028551.php
Check out China Camp on Google Maps. Lot of overgrown brush and trees and some failing, dry-rotted structures. I'm sorry for folks who lost their homes and businesses, but "fire-wise" recommendations are there for a reason. I was forced to spend over $6000.00 last year on order of the insurance company. Basically, they said to "cut down the overgrowth or we won't renew you."
I try to fill my yard waste bin every week with dead leaves and grasses and trimmings from trees and bushes. Pain in the butt, though I sleep better at night.
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As of this morning.
Info is updated at the links.
https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2025/9/2/tcu-september-lightning-complex
Latest status report (top one listed here as of September 3, 2025 at 9:09 AM )
https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2025/9/2/tcu-september-lightning-complex/updates
This series of fires within CAL FIRE/Tuloumne-Calaveras Unit contains 22 distinct fires that occurred around the time of a lightning storm that passed through the area. Multiple ground and air resources have arrived, totaling 634 personnel. Additional ground and air resources are on order and will be engaged on the fire lines as soon as they arrive. The fire has exhibited active runs in critically dry tall grass, brush, and timber fuels. The terrain is challenging to access, requiring fire crews to hike in by foot to many remote locations. A number of structures have been damaged or destroyed, and a Damage Inspection Team is on order. Weather conditions continue to be a challenge to crews as gusty winds remain in the area from nearby thunderstorm cells.
Multiple communities continue to be at risk, including ancestral tribal lands, and evacuation orders and warnings remain in place. Type 1 CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 6 has been ordered, with transition of command expected later today (9/3/2025).
The TCU September Lighting Complex consists of:
1-2 Fire: 20 acres
2-2 Fire: 3,463 acres / Visit the 2-2 Fire information page
2-3 Fire: 150 acres / Copper Cove Ct at Obyrnes Ferry Rd, Copperopolis
2-5 Fire: 5 acres
2-6 Fire: 5 acres
2-7 Fire: 458 acres / Visit the 2-7 Fire information page
2-8 Fire: 499 acres / Visit the 2-8 Fire information page
4-5 Fire: 3.25 acres / McCormick Meadows, South of Arnold
5-2 Fire: 15 acres / Lyons Bald Mountain Rd, Sonora
6-2 Fire: 884 acres / Old Don Pedro Rd, West of Jamestown
6-3 Fire: 5 acres
6-5 Fire: 6,473 acres / Visit the 6-5 Fire information page
From the incident map
https://www.fire.ca.gov/
PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW
https://readyforwildfire.org/
Wildfires Don’t Wait!
Get your GO BAG ready now. And when it’s time to evacuate, go right away.
Getting loose ends ready in case of fire nearby.