Quick-moving wildfire scorches historic California gold mining town,
burning multiple homes
[September 03, 2025]
TUOLUMNE COUNTY, Calif. (AP) — A quick-moving wildfire scorched
thousands of acres Tuesday and burned homes in a California Gold Rush
town settled around 1850 by Chinese miners who were driven out of a
nearby camp.
The fire rapidly grew to 6.25 square miles (16.1 square kilometers) in
size, forcing the evacuation of the Chinese Camp Town and surrounding
highways, according to CalFire, the state’s chief fire agency. There
were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths, but the fire remained
uncontained Tuesday night |
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, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah
Berger)
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At least five homes were burning in the rural town, which has a
mix of freestanding and mobile homes.
Outside one house on Tuesday evening, seven people quickly moved
large tree branches away from the structure and shoveled sand
onto the fire in a desperate attempt to keep the blaze from
spreading from the house next door. They worked for about 30
minutes until firefighters arrived. An RV on the property was
damaged by the fire.
Fire officials have requested additional resources such as fire
engines, dozers and an aircraft.
The blaze, known as the 6-5 Fire, was caused by lightning,
according to CalFire. It is one of more than a dozen blazes that
erupted Tuesday across California, according to CalFire.
Thousands of Chinese came to California during the Gold Rush and
faced persecution that included an exorbitant Foreign Miners Tax
designed to drive them away from mining.
Chinese Camp Town, about 57 miles (92 kilometers) east of
Stockton, was settled by Chinese miners after they were driven
out of a nearby camp, according to Visit Tuolumne County.
Originally called Camp Washington, its name was soon changed to
reflect the thousands of people from China who settled there.
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