Historic gold rush town ravaged as lightning fueled wildfires tear through northern california-The Indian Express

A cluster of lightning-sparked wildfires swept across Tuolumne and Calaveras counties in Northern California, forcing evacuations and ravaging the historic Gold Rush town of Chinese Camp. Nearly two dozen blazes, ignited by a lightning storm, scorched more than 13,000 acres of dry vegetation. The fires destroyed dozens of homes and two historic buildings, including a stagecoach stop, while sparing a nearby 1854 church and other landmarks. Over 600 firefighters battled the TCU September Lightning Complex fires, the largest in the state Wednesday. Evacuation shelters opened for residents, pets, and livestock; no casualties were reported.