Schools close, and residents evacuate as the wildfire expands across Calaveras County, only 10% contained.
Aug 5, 2026
Updated 2:17 pm PT
A structure is engulfed in flames during the Gann Fire near Angels Camp in Calaveras County, California, on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
The Gann Fire raging east of Stockton has reached 9,363 acres as of Wednesday afternoon.
The fire has forced evacuation for 1,473 residents, according to a press release from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office. Another 1,400 are under evacuation warnings.
Fire crews have contained only 10% of the blaze, which ignited near Hogan Dam Road and Gann Road in Calaveras County on Monday evening.
Over 1,500 personnel are fighting the fire with helicopters, engines and dozers, according to Ricardo Coronado, a Cal Fire spokesperson. Coronado described the terrain as “steep and rugged,” surrounded by brush and woodlands, making it difficult to contain the fire.
Cal Fire hand crew members from the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit’s Castle Fire Center watch for spot fires while battling the Gann Fire near Angels Camp in Calaveras County, California, on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026.
“Aerial resources are very vital when it comes to responding to these fire incidents,” Coronado said.
Coronado said he believes more resources should be coming in from across the state as fire continues spreading northeast, with smoke settling near Valley Springs and Copperopolis in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
An evacuation shelter has been opened at Valley Springs Veterans Memorial. This shelter accepts small animals, with another animal shelter at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds.
Schools across the Calaveras Unified School District are closed Wednesday, according to the district’s Facebook page. This closure comes less than a week after schools opened for the 2026-27 school year.