The Boxcar Fire was a

wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire ...

one mile southeast of

Maupin, Oregon Maupin is a city in Wasco County, Oregon, United States. Located on the Deschutes River, much of the city's economy is related to the river through outdoor activities, such as fishing and rafting. The population was 418 at the 2010 census. Histo ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The fire started on June 21, 2018 due to a lightning strike and subsequently burned due to dry, windy conditions in Central Oregon. The fire was one of 70 wildfires started in Oregon due to lightning strikes over a two-day period. The Boxcar Fire was the largest out of three major fires burning in the region, which included the Jack Knife Fire and South Junction Fire. The fire was contained in late June.

Events

The Boxcar Fire was started by a lightning strike around 7:45 a.m. on June 21, 2018, one mile southeast of

during a heavy bout of lightning strikes that impacted Central Oregon of the course of two days, which caused almost 70 wildfires. Fueled by grass and brush, the fire has spread south and east due to gusty winds. By June 23, the fire had expanded to . Of the areas burned, were private land. Sections of

U.S. Route 197 U.S. Route 197 (US 197) is a north–south United States Highway, of which all but 2.76 miles of its 69.93 miles (4.44 of 112.54 km) are within the state of Oregon. The highway starts in rural Wasco County in Central Ore ...

were closed due to efforts by fire crews to contain the blaze. Bakeoven Road was closed for burnout operations. The fire merged into the South Junction Fire on June 24 and was at 47 percent containment. By the next evening, the fire had grown to . As of June 27, the fire had burned and was contained days later.

Impact

The Boxcar Fire impacted the community of Maupin and nearby traffic, causing areas of Highway 197 to be closed.

Tourism

Harpham Flat Campground was burned by the fire, as well as the accompanying day use area, even though it was reopened to the public with no structural damage. Access areas to the

Deschutes River Deschutes River may refer to: *Deschutes River (Oregon) The Deschutes River in central Oregon is a major tributary of the Columbia River. The river provides much of the drainage on the eastern side of the Cascade Range in Oregon, gathering many ...

were closed due to the fire, yet the river itself remained open for boating and recreation. Camping was discouraged by authorities in areas between Trout Creek and Maupin, impacting four campgrounds. Fourteen miles of camping areas along the John Day River were closed.

References

External links

* 2018 Oregon wildfires June 2018 events in the United States Wasco County, Oregon {{Wildfire-stub