Firefighters are battling a fast-moving wildfire that has engulfed the historic California town of Chinese Camp, a Gold Rush landmark. Sparked by lightning Tuesday, the “6-5 Fire” has already scorched more than 6,400 acres with 0% containment, according to Cal Fire.
The blaze forced evacuations as it spread at an alarming pace — the equivalent of eight football fields per minute in its first ten hours. At least five homes were destroyed, and the town’s 1854 stone-and-brick post office, a registered state landmark, was reduced to rubble. No deaths or injuries have been reported so far.
Massive wildfire in California Gold Rush community devours land https://t.co/ptaNYwSOeO pic.twitter.com/XxzsPFqsHN
— New York Post (@nypost) September 3, 2025
Chinese Camp, founded by Chinese miners in 1849, holds a significant place in American history. Its dry vegetation and abandoned structures have only fueled the flames.
The 6-5 Fire is part of the “September Lightning Complex,” which includes nine separate blazes sparked by thousands of lightning strikes during dry thunderstorms. Over 400 firefighters are working under dangerous, hot, and windy conditions.
NEW: A quick-moving wildfire burned homes in a historic Northern California Gold Rush town, and the blaze has grown to more than 12,400 acres without containment. https://t.co/znWhnump4C pic.twitter.com/XvHLt56Y1V
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) September 3, 2025
