Wildfires close Grand Canyon's North Rim 'until further notice'
The White Sage Fire started July 9 when lightning struck during a thunderstorm, according to the Bureau of Land Management. As of late July 11, it had burned 10,973 acres and was 0% contained. The fire is located 15 miles southeast of Fredonia, Arizona, and was moving toward Jacob Lake, officials said.
Authorities evacuated about 500 visitors from the Grand Canyon's North Rim on July 10 in response to the fast-growing fire, the National Park Service said. Evacuations were expanded on July 11 to include a vast chunk of land north of the Grand Canyon with the following boundaries: the Utah border in the north, Grand Canyon National Park in the south, House Rock Valley Road/Buffalo Ranch Road in the east, and Kaibab National Forest in the west, according to the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network. The area is in "go" status, meaning all residents and visitors should leave immediately.
"All visitors have left the area, and park employees and residents remain sheltering in place," the Grand Canyon NPS said.
Another fire burning on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, the Dragon Bravo Fire, burned 1,500 acres and was also 0% contained. It started July 4 as the result of another lightning strike, officials said. Evacuation orders were also issued to North Rim residents in the vicinity of the Dragon Bravo fire.
"The North Rim remains closed to all visitor use until further notice to support firefighting operations and ensure public safety for this fire and the nearby White Sage Fire," the National Park Service said in a July 11 statement.
Smoke can be seen from the South Rim of the park, and the National Park Service urged visitors to monitor air quality conditions.
Extreme fire weather was helping the White Sage Fire grow rapidly, officials said. The fire "made a significant run" the afternoon of July 10, with "erratic" winds of 15 to 20 mph and low humidity helping it spread. According to forecasters with the National Weather Service office in Flagstaff, "elevated fire danger will continue as long as hot and locally breezy conditions remain."
Contributing: Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic
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