• A wildfire known as the 6-5 Fire has scorched homes in the historic town of Chinese Camp, California.
• The fire was sparked by lightning during a storm that produced over 17,000 strikes, igniting multiple fires across the region.
• Evacuations have been ordered for Chinese Camp and surrounding areas as firefighters battle the flames, which have burned over 13,000 acres.

The historic California Gold Rush town of Chinese Camp, founded by Chinese miners in the 1850s, has been severely impacted by a wildfire known as the 6-5 Fire. This blaze, which ignited on Tuesday amid a storm that caused over 17,000 lightning strikes, has burned multiple structures and forced the evacuation of the entire town of fewer than 100 residents, according to Newsweek and ABC News.

Emergency teams are currently working to contain the fires that have consumed over 13,000 acres across Tuolumne, Calaveras, and Stanislaus counties. As of Wednesday night, the 6-5 Fire and others in the TCU September Lightning Complex were reported to be 0% contained, prompting significant firefighting efforts involving over 600 personnel, according to Los Angeles Times and Reuters.

Eyewitnesses describe the rapid devastation, with flames engulfing properties and historic buildings, including those integral to the once-thriving mining community. Randall Hoffman, a local resident, stated, “I think we lost 95% of the town,” illustrating the profound impact of this disaster, as reported by The Hill.

Efforts to extinguish the fire are ongoing, with local authorities urging residents to remain on high alert for further evacuation orders. Governor Gavin Newsom emphasized the state's commitment to securing resources to combat this growing wildfire threat, highlighting the scale of the response required to mitigate the damage from the recent storms, according to SFGATE and CBS News.