Thousands of dry lightning strikes generated by thunderstorms struck the state of California on Tuesday, sparking a new wave of wildfires in the peak fire season as emergency crews struggle to contain the blaze.
The multiple fires were numbered and grouped under the name TCU September Lightning by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection(Cal Fire).
“The TCU September Lightning complex is burning in multiple fires, totaling approximately 11,900 acres (4,800 hectares),” Cal Fire said Wednesday.
One of them is affecting the historic community of Chinese Camp, located in Tuolumne County, a key site during the California Gold Rush, which is now under threat from advancing flames.
The fire destroyed the city’s historic post office building, built in 1854, KCRA Channel reported Wednesday.
Calaveras County is also one of the most affected by this fire outbreak, while others are located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
California has experienced lightning-caused fires in the past, including the LNU lightning complex, which burned nearly 1,500 buildings across the North Bay in 2020, according to information from EFE.
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