The Bootleg Fire is now the third largest wildfire in Oregon since the year 1900. And with containment at 38% on the lightning-caused fire first detected July 6, the blaze could still climb to the top of that list. The fire has burned 399,359 acres as of Thursday and now ranks third largest in terms of acreage after overtaking the Buzzard Complex (2014, 395,747 acres), the Holloway (2012, 245,000 acres) and Bandon (1936, 287,000 acres) fires. Only the Long Draw (2012, 558,198 acres) and Biscuit (2002, 500,000 acres) fires have burned more acres.
And the Long Draw was a range fire in southeastern Oregon, so in terms of forest fires the Biscuit and Bootleg are the biggest in modern Oregon history. The Biscuit burned in southwest Oregon; no other fire in modern times has burned so many acres in the southcentral Oregon region. But is this really one of the biggest fires ever?
An expert at Oregon State University says no.