The fire was ignited on June 1 when lightning struck a spot on the northeast side of Kendrick Peak within the Coconino National Forest.

Wildfires are a natural part of the ecological cycle of the Southwestern United States,[1]: 3–6  but human-induced climate change has caused them to increase in number, destructiveness, duration, and frequency.

[10] The Boundary Fire was sparked when lightning struck the northeast slope of Kendrick Peak, within Coconino National Forest, at about 2:02 pm on June 1, 2017.

[30] The next day brought light rain, cloud cover, and a higher humidity, which caused the fire to burn lower to the ground and consume detritus rather than foliage.

[31] The visibility along US 180 had improved enough by June 21 to allow the Arizona Department of Transportation to reopen the road with reduced speed limits.

[32] On June 22, firefighters raised containment of the Boundary Fire to 42 percent despite high winds and temperatures that fanned it to 11,540 acres (4,670 ha).

[33] On June 23, the USFS stated that it believed the area closed by the fire could expand to 18,000 acres (7,300 ha),[34] but made progress in containing its spread.

[42]: 10 Trails on Kendrick Peak did not reopen until September 14, 2017, because of the potential for landslides caused by heavy rains brought by the North American monsoon.

[43] The Kaibab National Forest Supervisor stated that the closure was prolonged to "allow the landscape to stabilize during the immediate post-fire period", particularly with the added monsoon conditions.