A historic California Gold Rush-era town lay in ruins Wednesday after lightning storms sparked almost two dozen wildfires.

The storied settlement of Chinese Camp was badly hit when flames roared through on Tuesday, with photographs showing the smoldering shells of 19th century buildings.

Other structures appear to have been reduced to ashes.

Around 12,000 acres (5,000 hectares) have been charred by 22 separate blazes raging around 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of San Francisco, officials said.

The series of fires -- dubbed the TCU September Lightning Complex -- erupted after a storm passed through the area, with lightning strikes igniting the dry vegetation.

Hundreds of firefighters were tackling the blazes, some of which were in remote and inaccessible areas and involved crews hiki

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