Grand Canyon Wildfire Becomes A 'Megafire'
The Dragon Bravo Fire has been burning since it was sparked by a lightning strike on July 4, in an update on Thursday morning, fire officials said the fire has grown to almost 165 square miles, or more than 105,000 acres. That also makes it the largest wildfire of the year so far in the U.S., according to InciWeb, a government site that tracks wildfires. The second largest is the Cram Fire, which burned more than 95,000 acres in Oregon.
Containment of the Grand Canyon fire, which had dropped from 26% to just 4% on Wednesday, rose slightly to 9%.
"The way we calculate containment in an active wildfire is it is a percent of the total fire perimeter that is out cold," Southwest Area Incident Management Team public information officer Lisa Jennings told KTAR News. "We actually have our firefighters going out there and making sure that those areas are contained, and so that feet of contained line continues to increase, but at the same time, the fire has seen a lot of growth."
(MORE: Jaw-Dropping Lightning Strike Caught On Video)
More Historic Structures Threatened
This wildfire has already claimed at least 70 buildings, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, and has shut down the North Rim for the remainder of the 2025 season, but now, more buildings are in its path. According to Fox 10 Phoenix, the historic Kaibab Lodge in Fredonia, which was built in 1926, is also being threatened by the fire.
(MORE: Lightning Is A Surprising Tree Killer)
The lodge sits just 9 miles from the North Rim Lookout Tower and has been spared so far, but it's one of the buildings that the 968 personnel assigned to the fire have been working tirelessly to protect from the flames.
"Just say a prayer," lodge owner Larry Innes told Fox 10 Phoenix. "I mean, it's kind of out of our hands. I mean, the things are working our way right now and let's hope it keeps going that way for the next few days."
Another Hot Day Ahead
Unfortunately, conditions are not getting more favorable for firefighters who are battling this massive inferno. And although the North Rim is now closed to visitors, anyone in the area will certainly feel the heat.
"Temperatures are not expected to change much through the end of the week. At the bottom of the canyon, highs will surpass 110 degrees each afternoon through at least Sunday," said weather.com digital meteorologist Jonathan Belles. "Conditions will be dangerous below 4,000 feet, or 1 1/2 miles from the upper trailhead, and hikers are asked to stay out of the canyon between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
(WATCH: Raging Floodwaters Tear Apart Mobile Home)
"This is an extremely dangerous heat that can lead to heat illness and even death," digital meteorologist Jennifer Gray added. "Take the alerts seriously, and make sure you stay hydrated if you are visiting the Grand Canyon."
And What About The Smoke?
"Unhealthy air quality will persist along the North Rim due to the Dragon Bravo Fire nearby," said Gray. "High winds and low humidity will continue to work against firefighters as they battle the flames."
If you're heading out to the Grand Canyon for outdoor activities, or anywhere else where wildfire smoke could be lingering in the air, it's important to know what it can do to your body.
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CNN
7 hours ago
- CNN
Fire cloud forms in Grand Canyon ‘Megafire'
Fire cloud forms in Grand Canyon 'Megafire' Firefighters have been fighting Dragon Bravo Fire at the Grand Canyon since July 4, but it has been intensifying due to unfavorable weather conditions. Lisa Jennings, a fire information officer with the Southwest Area Incident Management Team, explains how a fire cloud has formed in this 'megafire.' 01:08 - Source: CNN Vertical Top News 15 videos Fire cloud forms in Grand Canyon 'Megafire' Firefighters have been fighting Dragon Bravo Fire at the Grand Canyon since July 4, but it has been intensifying due to unfavorable weather conditions. Lisa Jennings, a fire information officer with the Southwest Area Incident Management Team, explains how a fire cloud has formed in this 'megafire.' 01:08 - Source: CNN GOP congressman met with boos and jeers at town hall Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE) was met with boos and jeers after his answer about funding for migrant detention facilities and ICE during a town hall in Lincoln, Nebraska. 01:43 - Source: CNN Tornado hits Inner Mongolia Footage shows a tornado hitting Inner Mongolia on Monday. No casualties were reported from the incident, according to a state media report. 00:29 - Source: CNN Firefighters battle California's Gifford Fire The Gifford Fire has now burned over 72,000 acres across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties in California. Containment is still at just 3% after five days. The fire is the second largest wildfire of the year in California so far. 00:56 - Source: CNN Arrest warrants issued for Texas Dems who fled state Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the state Department of Public Safety to conduct the civil arrest of dozens of State House Democrats who fled the state in a bid to block a partisan redrawing of the state's congressional map. CNN's Phil Mattingly spoke to Texas democratic state Rep. Linda Garcia, who fled to Chicago, about the warrants. 01:26 - Source: CNN Passengers rush to evacuate smoke-filled train Video shows passengers rushing to evacuate a smoke-filled PATH train in New Jersey. Thirteen people were treated for smoke inhalation and 9 were transported to the hospital, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. 00:24 - Source: CNN Trump calls Sweeney's American Eagle ad 'fantastic' President Donald Trump praised Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle jeans ad on Sunday, telling reporters that it is 'fantastic' after finding out that the actress was a registered Republican. Sweeney registered with the Republican Party in Florida on June 16, 2024, prior to November's presidential election, according to Florida voter registration records. 00:49 - Source: CNN AI puts pressure on recent college grads' first job search From resume bots to automated hiring systems, AI is complicating the job search for recent college grads. The Wall Street Journal's Lindsay Ellis tells CNN's Audie Cornish about the challenges young professionals are facing. 02:01 - Source: CNN Fact checking Trump's claims on the jobs report CNN's Matt Egan explains how President Trump's unprecedented decision to fire the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics is a 'shoot-the-messenger' approach that will cause doubts about future economic numbers. 01:57 - Source: CNN What Maxwell's unusual transfer to a lower security prison camp may mean Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, who had been serving a 20-year prison sentence in Florida, has been moved to a lower-security federal prison camp in Texas. 01:24 - Source: CNN Young Americans flock to the Vatican for the Youth Jubilee Pope Leo made a surprise appearance during the Vatican's Youth Jubilee event. Young people from around the world showed up to see the Pontiff, including Gen Z'ers from his hometown of Chicago. 02:16 - Source: CNN Storms drop dangerous, flooding rain Dangerous torrential rainfall and flash flooding are underway in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast Thursday with millions at risk along the Interstate 95 corridor, with video already showing cars stranded submerged under water along the Clearview Expressway in Queens. 00:37 - Source: CNN US diminished a key weapons stockpile fighting Iran The US used about a quarter of its supply of high-end missile interceptors during the Israel-Iran war, exposing a gap in supplies, and raising concerns about US global security posture. CNN's Tamara Qiblawi reports. 01:35 - Source: CNN Pilot safe after navy fighter jet crash A US Navy F-35 fighter jet crashed in central California, according to the Navy. The pilot ejected safely, and the cause of the crash is under investigation. 00:41 - Source: CNN
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Grand Canyon fire rages, one month on
A month after a wildfire erupted at the edge of the Grand Canyon, US firefighters were struggling Monday to bring the blaze under control. A lightning strike on July 4 -- Independence Day in the United States -- sparked a fire that spread rapidly on the northern rim of the canyon, a major draw for domestic and international tourists. The Dragon Bravo Fire -- named after the Dragon rock formation near the conflagration's start -- was initially allowed to burn unabated as part of a natural cycle that thins vegetation and renews the landscape. But a week later, strong winds whipped through Arizona and fanned the fire, pushing it through a major hotel, as well as the North Rim Visitor Center and some guest cabins. A nearby water treatment plant was also damaged, venting chlorine gas into the environment. The blaze, which now stands at over 123,000 acres (50,000 hectares), is being actively fought with more than 1,000 personnel on site, battling the flames from the air and from the ground. "Yesterday, crews patrolled and monitored the east and west flanks of the fire," said a Monday update from incident commanders. "Despite relative humidities as low as four percent they were able to hold the fire's growth to a minimum. "In the southwest part of the fire, crews were able to go direct on the fire. Last night they walked sections of the perimeter searching for signs of heat, a process required before lines can be declared contained." The level of containment -- the amount of the perimeter where firefighters have completely stopped the fire's progress -- stood at 13 percent on Monday. Operations throughout the day looked set to be helped by the local topography along the northern part of the fire, despite continued critical fire weather, the update said. "The pinon-juniper fuels in the area will assist since they do not carry the fire as effectively as mixed conifer or ponderosa stands," it continued, in reference to the vegetation growing in the vicinity. Humidity remains low in the region, with a disappointing seasonal monsoon bringing rain far below expected levels. Scores of wildfires burn across North America every year, many of them started by lightning. Those that do not threaten population centers are now frequently left to burn by forest managers who understand the need for the kind of woodland renewal such blazes bring. The policy contrasts with what was previously in effect for much of the last 150 years, where managers took an aggressive firefighting stance. Doing so had the unintended effect of leaving some areas overstocked with fuel and liable to burn much hotter and faster when they did catch fire. While wildfire is a natural phenomenon, human activity -- specifically the unchecked use of fossil fuels -- is changing the climate, often making blazes more likely and more destructive. hg/jgc


Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
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Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Dozens of wildfires are burning across the United States, with several threatening national parks and forests and forcing partial closures and restricted access to popular natural landmarks. Newsweek has reached out to the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Forest Service for comment via email on Sunday morning. Why It Matters There have been hundreds of fires across the U.S. this year, with over 3,290,000 acres burned, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Wildfires endanger lives not only through the immediate threat of flames that scorch homes, roads, and infrastructure, but also through lingering hazards like smoke and fine particulate matter PM2.5, which can severely degrade air quality and pose health risks. 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Joe Rondone/The Arizona Republic via AP A more recent blaze, the Gifford fire which broke out in California on Friday, has led to evacuations in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. The fire has grown into the state's second-biggest this year behind the Madre fire, which also burned in San Luis Obispo County. The Gifford fire is only 5 percent contained, as of Sunday morning, having burned nearly 40,000 acres. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and over 561 personnel are working to contain the fire. Earlier in July, the South Rim fire in Colorado, which is unaffiliated with the fire in the Grand Canyon, was ignited by lightning strikes and has closed the South Rim part of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The North Rim portion of the park recently reopened. As of Sunday, the fire is 52 percent contained, with an estimated containment date of August 10. The fire has burned over 4,000 acres. The Billy fire, also caused by lightning, located in the Tonto National Forest has led to closures of parts of the forest as nearly 2,500 acres have been scorched. The fire is currently 65 percent contained. Further north, the Bear Gulch fire has closed parts of the Olympic National Park, including some trials and picnic areas, until October. The fire was started by an individual on July 6 and has burned over 4,700 acres. The Laguna fire, which has burned over 17,000 acres, has closed portions of the Santa Fe National Forest since July 18. There have been several other fires that have closed portions of national parks and forests this summer, including the Rush fire in the Payette National Forest, however the trail closure order was terminated on August 2. What People Are Saying Grand Canyon National Park Service wrote in an X post on Saturday: "Good morning from Grand Canyon National Park on Saturday August 2, 2025. 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