GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, AZ (AP/AZFamily) ― A massive wildfire in northern Arizona has grown by thousands of acres over the weekend, as firefighters work to regain containment.
The Dragon Bravo Fire has scorched more than 55,000 acres as of July 28 and is only 13% contained.
An estimate early Monday stated that about 45,000 acres had been consumed, but it was later updated to include an additional 10,000 acres. The wildfire is expected to continue pushing northeast throughout the day. The weather forecast for the region is similar to Sunday’s, with hot, dry, and breezy conditions.
A historic lodge on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim is among more than 70 structures lost as a result of a fire that for weeks has continued to burn out of control.
On Sunday, crews had reported that the blaze was 26% contained, but this was later downgraded due to updated perimeter mapping and recent fire growth. There was a “significant push” three to four miles to the north, particularly on the western flanks.
Video captured on July 14 shows smoke from the Dragon Bravo Fire along the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Around the 30-second mark, you can see the retardant surrounding the lodge but not on it.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has called for an independent probe into the management of Dragon Bravo Fire because, she says, despite the blaze being lightning-caused, the federal government failed to manage it “during the driest, hardest part of the Arizona summer.”
“I am calling for the federal government to conduct a comprehensive, thorough, and independent investigation into the management of the Dragon Bravo Fire, and to produce a report detailing the decisions that led to this devastating outcome,” the governor said.
The National Park Service has confirmed that, as a result of the ongoing firefight and the destruction of key infrastructure, visitor access to that side of the canyon will remain closed for the remainder of the season.
Millions of people visit Grand Canyon National Park annually, with most going to the more popular South Rim. The North Rim typically opens seasonally.
“I share the same reaction that the rest of the Grand Canyon community does and that’s just devastation and especially for the people. The people who live there, the people who work there. You know it’s only open for five months out of the year and that’s a special time,” said The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude podcast host Brian Speciale.
Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keeble told park residents and staff that the Grand Canyon Lodge, the only lodging at the North Rim, was consumed by the flames. The visitor center, the gas station and a wastewater treatment plant were also lost.
“Because of the Dragon Bravo Fire, Arizona lost more than a historic lodge, it lost a piece of our state history,” said Sen. Ruben Gallego in a social media post.
The Grand Canyon Lodge first opened in 1928, before it burned down a few years later from a cigarette fire and a rebuild was completed in 1937.
“For over 90 years, this hotel that burned down (Saturday) night was serving guests. Only about 1 in 10 people who see the Grand Canyon see it from the North Rim. It’s at 1,000 feet higher elevation than the South Rim, so the trees are much larger and greener, and as everybody is trying to wrap their head around this, it’s obvious that it’s going to take a long, long time for this to even resemble, minimally, what it has been throughout its history,” said Grand Canyon Historical Society Board Member Wayne Ranney.
Park officials said numerous historic cabins, as well as employee housing and an administrative office, were among the buildings destroyed.
No injuries have been reported; all staff and residents were evacuated before the flames spread.
Two wildfires are burning at or near the North Rim, known as the White Sage Fire and the Dragon Bravo Fire. The latter is the one that impacted the lodge and other structures. The park initially managed it with a “confine and contain,” but then shifted to suppression as it rapidly grew, fire officials said.
Park officials say the blaze became extremely volatile due to windy conditions late Saturday, July 12, forcing it to grow by 500 acres overnight. Fire crews, however, weren’t able to use aerial retardant due to the chlorine gas leak at the water treatment plant.
The burning of the wastewater treatment plant resulted in the release of chlorine gas that prompted the evacuation of firefighters and hikers from the inner canyon, park officials said Sunday.
Residents of Marble Canyon, Lees Ferry, and a small area of the Navajo Nation are advised that they may experience a chlorine odor. The gas is heavier than air and can quickly settle into lower elevations such as the inner canyon, posing a health risk.
“Another tragic reminder why we must keep investing in wildfire resilience at the federal and state levels,” said Rep. Greg Stanton in a social media post.
“I am incredibly saddened by the destruction of the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, and my heart goes out to every person impacted by the Dragon Bravo Fire near the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. As someone who was born and raised in Arizona, I know what the Grand Canyon National Park means to so many people, not just in Arizona, but all over the world,” Gov. Hobbs said in part.
clarification: An earlier version of this story described the initial fire management strategy as a “controlled burn.” It has been updated to reflect the terminology used by the U.S. Department of the Interior, including “confine and contain,” to more accurately describe the response and avoid confusion about the fire’s origin, which was sparked by lightning.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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