Wildfire that destroyed Grand Canyon Lodge was 'expertly handled,' Park Service says

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7 days ago

The lightning-caused wildfire that burned for days near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon before it became uncontrollable and destroyed roughly 70 structures, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, was "expertly handled," according to the National Park Service.
Arizona officials began questioning the management of the Dragon Bravo Fire on July 13, after news broke that the lodge, which opened in 1937, had been lost to the flames.
Rachel Pawlitz, a National Park Service spokesperson, defended the fire management strategy in a statement to The Arizona Republic on July 14.
"The National Park Service and our interagency partners actively fought the Dragon Bravo fire employing tactics that met the suppression objectives and mitigated risk," Pawlitz said. "Firefighters had constructed containment lines and were prepared to conduct a defensive firing operation before conditions rapidly changed."
The fire, which began July 4, had reached 5,700 acres and was 0% contained as of July 14, according to InciWeb, a federal wildfire tracker. Park officials said 295 fire personnel were assigned to the fire, a significant escalation in human resources from the day before, when 70 people were said to be working the fire.
Grand Canyon National Park on July 9 posted on its Facebook page that fire officials were using a "confine/contain" strategy that allowed the wildfire to "fulfill its natural role within a defined area." The post noted that such fires reduce the accumulation of fuel and transform dead wood into nutrient-rich ash that promotes new plant growth.
The fire grew slowly at first. It was only 10 acres by July 7 and 27 acres by July 8, according to Grand Canyon National Park social media posts. On July 10, it was 120 acres, a post said, and it was still being managed under a "confine and contain strategy." Then, on July 11, the wind picked up and the fire spread beyond containment lines. By 8:45 p.m. that day, it was estimated to be 1,500 acres. Evacuations were ordered, and the North Rim was closed to visitors.
Pawlitz said the agency's response to the fire prioritized saving human lives and mitigating risk to firefighter safety.
"We've lost buildings, but hundreds of lives were saved due to the fact this fire was expertly handled. The park was quickly and effectively evacuated before any impacts," Pawlitz said. "The firefighters did not put themselves or others at risk when they managed the initial response to this fire. The winds shifted unexpectedly during the firefight, pushing historic wind gusts that caused the fire to jump multiple containment features and move toward facilities instead."
No one died, and buildings can be rebuilt, Pawlick said.
"The safety of the public and firefighters come first," Pawlick said. "We may be saddened by the loss of buildings, but those can be re-built. Firefighters are continuing to respond to this fire in the safest way possible putting their lives and the lives of the community, park visitors, and park employees ahead of buildings."
Arizona officials on both sides of the aisle have called for an investigation into how the U.S. Department of the Interior, the parent agency for the National Park Service, handled the wildfire.
Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego pressed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in a joint letter on why the fire was initially treated as a controlled burn until 'strong winds allowed the fire to jump multiple containment features.'
'The Grand Canyon is Arizona's crown jewel," Kelly and Gallego wrote in a July 14 letter. "The Dragon Bravo fire has already devastated this natural and cultural treasure, and the fire continues to spread. As the Department of Interior is poised to take on even more wildfire response responsibility under President Trump's wildfire consolidation executive order, our constituents deserve to know that the best wildfire response decisions are being made.'
Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Arizona, said he'll use his spot on two key committees to call for an investigation.
'The Congressman is both sickened and troubled by the fire. As the dean of the Arizona congressional delegation and as member of both the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee he will be calling for a full and complete investigation. More details very soon,' Gosar spokesperson Anthony Foti said in an email.
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Stephanie Murray contributed reporting.
Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at [e-mail] or 602-444-2474. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Fire that burned Grand Canyon Lodge 'expertly handled': Park Service