Governor Issues Emergency Proclamation For TCU Lightning Complex Fires
Sonora, CA – Governor Gavin Newsom has issued an emergency proclamation for Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties to assist in recovery from the recent TCU Lightning Complex Fires.
The blazes were started by lightning strikes, as thunderstorms rolled through the region on September 2, 2025. It consumed over 13,000 acres near the Don Pedro Reservoir in Tuolumne County and in Copperopolis and near Murphys in the Vallecito area of Calaveras County. The flames destroyed 95 structures and damaged 7 others, including 50 homes in the historic town of Chinese Camp in Tuolumne County. Hundreds of residents were evacuated due to the fires. One firefighter was injured in the fire, but no details were released about the injury or their condition. The last two blazes to be contained were the 6-5 (6,935 acres) and the 6-2 (1,025 acres) fires near Lake Don Pedro.
The proclamation will allow for additional state resources and funding to help the counties with the cleanup efforts of those fires under the California Disaster Assistance Act, among other provisions.
