Juan de Fuca Plate

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The Juan de Fuca Plate, named after the explorer, is a tectonic plate arising from the Juan de Fuca Ridge, and subducting under the northerly portion of the western side of the North American Plate. It is bounded on the south by the Blanco Fracture Zone, on the north by the Nootka Fault, and along the west by the Pacific Plate. The Juan de Fuca Plate was originally part of the once-vast Farallon Plate, now largely subducted under the North American Plate, and has since fractured into three pieces. The central piece retains the Juan de Fuca name, whereas the piece to the south is known as the Gorda Plate and the piece to the north is known as the Explorer Plate.

Cutaway of the Juan de Fuca Plate. USGS image

This subducting plate system has formed the volcanic Cascade Range, which is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, along the west coast of North America from southern British Columbia to northern California.

The last major earthquake on the Juan de Fuca was the magnitude nine Cascadia Earthquake. From Japanese records, it happened the evening of Tuesday, January 26, 1700.