Blanco Fracture Zone

The Blanco Fracture Zone or Blanco Fault Zone (BFZ) is a transform fault zone running northeast off the coast of Oregon in the Pacific Northwest of the United States which runs between the Gorda Ridge to the south and the Juan de Fuca Ridge to the north. The principal feature of the Blanco zone is the Blanco Ridge, a right lateral-moving fault which also incorporates some compression, thus accounting for the uplift expressed in the ridge. The ridge is not an oceanic spreading center, despite its name, whereas the Juan de Fuca and Gorda Ridges to which it is connected are. Similarly confusing, the portion of the Blanco Fracture Zone which lies east of the rift zone spreading center is not technically a true fracture zone, but a transform fault zone.