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Lightning-Sparked TCU September Complex Surges Past 9,000 Acres, Forcing Evacuations in Sierra Foothills

Dry lightning over the Sierra foothills set off more than a dozen blazes that officials are managing as one complex.

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A building in Chinese Camp, a small settlement in Tuolumne County. The entire hamlet has been ordered to evacuate due to fire.
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Overview

  • Cal Fire reported the TCU September Lightning Complex at about 9,383 acres Tuesday night with no containment and several structures destroyed.
  • The 6-5 Fire near Old Don Pedro Road grew to roughly 2,956 acres by late afternoon and triggered mandatory evacuations for Chinese Camp, Keystone and surrounding areas.
  • Multiple homes burned in Chinese Camp as the 6-5 Fire advanced, with no injuries reported as of Tuesday night.
  • The 2-2 Fire near Highway 4 and Dutton exceeded 1,300 acres, briefly shut Highway 4, and saw evacuation orders later lifted for nearby zones including Diamond 20 Ranch Estates.
  • Authorities opened shelters in Angels Camp and Sonora, reported PG&E outages affecting more than 800 customers near Copperopolis, and cautioned that smoke was degrading air quality.