The Boles 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 combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identi ...

that burned in

Siskiyou County Siskiyou County (, ) is a county in the northernmost part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 44,076. Its county seat is Yreka and its highest point is Mount Shasta. It falls within the Cascadia bioregion ...

during mid-September 2014. On September 15, at 1:38 p.m. PDT, the Boles Fire ignited near

Weed, California Weed is a city in Siskiyou County, California, United States. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a total population of 2,862, down from 2,967 in 2010. There are several unincorporated communities adjacent to, or just outside, Weed proper, incl ...

. Later on the same day, at 10:30 p.m. PDT, the Boles Fire was reported at 350 acres and 15% containment. Over 100 structures were reported damaged or destroyed on that day. Later that day, the wildfire was reported at nearly 100% containment; however, this report turned out to be erroneous. On September 16, the Boles Fire had burned 375 acres (152 ha) and was only 20% contained. It also destroyed 150 residences and forced the evacuation of 1,500 people in Weed and

. During the next couple of days, the Boles Fire increased to , before finally being fully contained on September 20. The wildfire also caused 1 injury. The Boles Fire destroyed a total of 150 residential structures and 8 nonresidential commercial properties, while damaging 4 single residences and 3 nonresidential commercial properties. , the damage caused by the Boles Fire is unknown. The cause of the wildfire was reported as "under investigation" in 2015. As of December 5, 2014, Ronald Beau Marshall was subject to a preliminary hearing after being charged with arson in the Boles Fire case. In 2015, he was sentenced to three years in prison for recklessly starting the fire; he was released from prison in 2016.

References

{{California wildfires 2014 California wildfires Wildfires in Siskiyou County, California