A lightning-sparked wildfire tore through Chinese Camp, a historic California Gold Rush town settled by Chinese miners in 1850, burning homes and forcing evacuations, CalFire reports.
1 / 8Wildfire Ravages Town: A wildfire swept through a historic California Gold Rush town on Tuesday, burning thousands of acres. The town, Chinese Camp, was settled around 1850 by Chinese miners who faced persecution. (AP photo)
2 / 8Fire Grows Rapidly: The blaze, named the 6-5 Fire, expanded to 6.25 square miles (16.1 square kilometres), according to CalFire. It forced the evacuation of Chinese Camp Town and nearby highways. (AP photo)
3 / 8Homes Burn Down: At least five homes in the rural town caught fire. The area includes a mix of freestanding houses and mobile homes. (AP photo)
4 / 8Residents Battle Flames: Seven residents worked to protect a home by clearing large tree branches and shovelling sand onto the fire. They laboured for about 30 minutes until firefighters arrived. (AP photo)
5 / 8Property Damage Reported: The fire damaged an RV on one property. Nearby structures were at risk as the blaze spread quickly. (AP photo)
6 / 8More Resources Needed: CalFire requested additional support, including fire engines, bulldozers, and an aircraft. The fire remained uncontained as of Tuesday night. (AP photo)
7 / 8Lightning Ignites Blaze: The 6-5 Fire was sparked by lightning, CalFire reported. It was one of more than a dozen wildfires that started across California on Tuesday. (AP photo)
8 / 8Town’s Historic Roots: Chinese Camp, located 57 miles (92 kilometres) east of Stockton, was founded by Chinese miners driven from a nearby camp. Originally called Camp Washington, it was renamed for its Chinese settlers, who faced a harsh Foreign Miners’ Tax. (AP photo)
