Multiple wildfires that have been dubbed the TCU September Lightning Complex in Northern California have consumed nearly 12,000 acres as of the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 3 after the state experienced thousands of lightning strikes.
Emily Kilgore, a spokesperson with the Calaveras and Tuolumne County Cal Fire unit, told the Desert Sun that the TCU September Lightning Complex fire contains 22 identified fires — some smaller and some larger — with staffing of “some form” on every blaze. In a Cal Fire incident update, the fires occurred “around the time of a lightning storm that passed through the area.” The National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area reported that the Central Valley experienced thousands of lightning strikes during the early hours of Tuesday, Sept. 2.
The TCU September Lightning Complex has prompted evacuation orders and reportedly caused damage to a historic Gold Rush-era town, Chinese Camp.
Here’s an overview of several of the fires part of the TCU September Lightning Complex.
6-5 Fire in Tuolumne County
The 6-5 Fire is at 6,473 acres with 0% containment, according to a Cal Fire incident update as of early Wednesday morning. Located north of the Don Pedro Overlook Trail, the blaze has prompted evacuation orders including for the historic Gold Rush-era Chinese Camp in Tuolumne County.
2-2 Fire in Calaveras, Stanislaus counties
The 2-2 Fire is at 3,462 acres with 0% containment, according to a Cal Fire incident update as of late Tuesday. The blaze is located along a stretch of Highway 4 and west of Telegraph City, according to a Cal Fire map.
2-7 Fire in Calaveras County
The 2-7 Fire burned 585 acres and is 0% contained, according to a Cal Fire incident update late Tuesday. The blaze, northeast of Angels Camp, prompted evacuation orders and warnings
The press office of Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Sept. 2 that the state had secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to “help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the 2-7 fire within the TCU September Lightning Complex Fire.”
The grant assists local, state and tribal agencies responding to the fire “to apply for 75% reimbursement of their eligible fire suppression costs.”
2-8 Fire in Calaveras County
The 2-8 Fire, near Copperopolis, is at 910 acres with 0% containment, according to a Cal Fire incident update as of Wednesday morning.
What is Chinese Camp, and what is going on there?
Buildings in this historic town have reportedly been destroyed due to the TCU September Lightning Complex, according to the San Francisco Chronicle and KTVU Fox 2. Chinese Camp was reportedly founded in about 1849 by a group of Englishmen who employed Chinese miners, according to the California State Parks. Located east of Stockton, Chinese Camp is a state historical landmark, according to the Sierra Nevada Geotourism site.
See fires in California right now: Map
Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Fires in Northern California: TCU September Lightning Complex updates today
Reporting by Paris Barraza, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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