GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, AZ — A wildfire that leveled a historic lodge and a visitors center on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim grew rapidly more than a week after it began, as firefighters pushed ahead with efforts to slow its spread.
As of Tuesday morning, the Dragon Bravo Fire, burning south of the White Sage Fire, has burned more than 8,500 acres with 0% containment, data shows.
Park officials have closed access for the rest of the year to the North Rim, a less popular and more isolated area of the park that draws only about 10% of the Grand Canyon's millions of annual visitors.
The fire destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge, the only lodging inside the park's North Rim, along with cabins, employee housing, and a wastewater treatment plant, park Superintendent Ed Keable said Sunday.
From the air, plumes of black smoke could be seen rising above the canyon walls.
Firefighters at the North Rim and hikers in the inner canyon were evacuated during the weekend over concerns about the fire and potential exposure to chlorine gas after a treatment plant burned.
Rafters on the Colorado River, which snakes through the Grand Canyon, were told to bypass Phantom Ranch, an outpost of cabins and dormitories at the bottom of the canyon.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Sunday called for a federal investigation into the National Park Service’s decision not to first aggressively attack the fire, which was sparked by lightning on July 4.
Authorities first used a “confine and contain” strategy by clearing fuel sources, but shifted to aggressive suppression a week later as the fire rapidly grew to 7.8 square miles because of hot temperatures, low humidity, and strong wind gusts, fire officials said.
“Arizonans deserve answers for how this fire was allowed to decimate the Grand Canyon National Park,” the governor said 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, and how devastating it is to see this damage done to one of Arizona’s most cherished landmarks. I thank every firefighter and first responder for their unwavering commitment in taking action to combat the flames, and the state will continue to support and aid in suppressing the fire and protecting Arizonans.
An incident of this magnitude demands intense oversight and scrutiny into the federal government’s emergency response. They must first take aggressive action to end the wildfire and prevent further damage. But Arizonans deserve answers for how this fire was allowed to decimate the Grand Canyon National Park. While the flame was started with a lightning strike, the federal government chose to manage that fire as a controlled burn during the driest, hottest 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. As wildfires become more frequent and more intense, Arizona deserves nothing less than an aggressive and proactive emergency response from federal partners to ensure Arizonans’ lives, homes, businesses and natural resources are preserved.”
No injuries have been reported, but more than 70 structures have been lost, the park superintendent said.
On Monday, both of Arizona's senators, Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, demanded answers from Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum regarding his Department’s handling of the Drago Bravo fire.
“There are many questions over the initial decision to treat this fire as a controlled burn and subsequent decisions on how to respond […] We cannot allow these decisions to damage thousands of acres in northern Arizona, risk the health and safety of residents, and destroy landmarks like the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, which was lost to the Dragon Bravo fire,” the Senators wrote.
There are two wildfires burning near the North Rim — the Dragon Bravo Fire that destroyed the lodge and other buildings, and the White Sage Fire, which by Sunday afternoon had charred 63 square miles of terrain.
On Tuesday, Representative Mae Peshlakai, who represents the Grand Canyon and surrounding communities, released the following statement in response to the Dragon Bravo wildfire:
"I am in mourning as one of our beautiful Wonders of the World goes up in flames. As Indigenous people, we just don’t just see the Grand Canyon as a place to go and enjoy the scenery; we hold it as one of our sacred sites. We hold it as a healing place to go to be in solitude and be one with the Holy People, a place where we have gathered herbs since time immemorial to be one with the Earth.
The development there -- the lodge, campgrounds and tourist attractions -- provided seasonal jobs for our Navajo people and other surrounding tribal nations. People from all over the world have come to enjoy the beauty of the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon. As they travel through our tribal nations, our people make a living selling their crafts in the gift shops and along the roadside stands, which allows us to share our craftsmanship and culture with the world.
Thank you to all the brave men and women firefighters who prevented any loss of life. I look forward to working to help our communities heal, restore and rebuild what has been lost."
Nearly 5 million people visited the Grand Canyon last year, with most sticking to the South Rim. Roads in the North Rim are closed to vehicles in the winter and the lodge opens in May through mid-October.
On Sunday, the National Park Service announced the North Rim will remain closed to all visitor access for the remainder of 2025.
The Grand Canyon Lodge, known for its huge ponderosa beams, massive limestone facade and a bronze statue of a donkey named “Brighty the Burro,” was perched on the edge of the North Rim and offered sweeping views of the canyon.
Caren Carney was staying at the lodge last week with her husband, parents and 12-year-old son when a park ranger knocked on their door Thursday and told them to evacuate.
She was heartbroken Sunday to hear that such a “magical place” had burned down. After evacuating, the family from Georgia went to the South Rim and could see the blaze from across the canyon.
“I’m so glad we got to have one final look at it in the present before it was lost,” Carney said.
Aramark, the company that operated the lodge, said all employees and guests were safely evacuated.
An original lodge burned down from a kitchen fire in 1932, four years after construction was completed, according to the Grand Canyon Historical Society. The redesigned lodge, using the original stonework, opened in 1937.
Elsewhere, a wildfire burning in southwestern Colorado closed Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and forced the evacuation of homes near the park. The fire was started by lightning on Thursday on the south rim of the park, a dramatic, deep gorge carved by the Gunnison River.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis issued a disaster declaration Sunday because of it and other fires burning in western Colorado.
