Grand Canyon fire that was left to burn swells 50% after destroying historic lodge
A wildfire in tinder-dry forest on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon grew around 50% on Tuesday after it destroyed dozens of buildings, prompting public outrage that it was left to burn for a week before firefighters tried to fully extinguish it.
The so-called Dragon Bravo Fire swelled to 8,570 acres (3,468 hectares) after burning the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and 70 other structures, including tourist cabins and park staff housing over the weekend, a spokesperson for the incident team said.
Local media reported around 280 National Park Service workers lost their housing in the blaze sparked by lightning on July 4.
"It's just like perfect tinder-dry for a fire," said spokesperson Stefan La-Sky of record-low tree moisture in ponderosa pine and fir forest on the North Rim.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has demanded an independent investigation into why National Park Service staff let the fire burn during the driest time of the summer in a botched attempt to reduce wildfire risks and improve forest health.
The National Park Service said it initially treated the fire with a "confine and contain" strategy to allow for the natural role of fire to reduce fuel accumulations, stimulate new plant growth and help regulate insects and disease.
It switched to an "aggressive full suppression strategy" after strong northwest winds on July 11, uncommon to the area, drove the fire towards park buildings on the edge of the canyon, according to the InciWeb U.S. government wildfire site.
The blaze was the second so-called managed wildfire on the North Rim in as many decades to have raged out of control.
The Warm Fire in 2006 was allowed to burn for weeks following a lightning strike before high winds sent it out of control, briefly trapping hundreds of tourists and park workers before they were evacuated. It went on to burn 59,000 acres (24,000 hectares), much of it severely.
The North Rim of the park will remain closed for the rest of the 2025 season, which runs to October, and inner canyon trails and campgrounds are closed until further notice, the National Park Service said. The South Rim of the park, which attracts around 5 million visitors annually, remains open. —Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
Rains from Typhoon Wipha batter Hong Kong as it heads for mainland China
Collapsed bamboo scaffolds of a residential building are seen as Typhoon Wipha approaches, in Hong Kong, China, July 20, 2025. REUTERS/ Tyrone Siu HONG KONG — Rain pounded Hong Kong on Sunday as Typhoon Wipha skirted southwards, packing winds exceeding 167 kph (103 mph), disrupting 400 flights and public transport, felling hundreds of trees, and damaging a construction site. Just after 4 p.m. on Sunday, weather authorities lowered the typhoon signal in the Asian financial hub to 8 from the maximum of 10, which had been hoisted for nearly seven hours, while more than 110 mm (4 inches) of rain fell within three hours. Much of the rain concentrated on the northern region neighboring the mainland, the city's observatory said, warning of more to come. In a statement, the government said 26 people sought treatment in public hospitals, while 253 flocked to its shelters, and 471 fallen trees were reported. In North Point near the city's harbor, large swathes of scaffolding were swept off a residential building and onto the road. As Wipha tracks westward across the South China Sea it is expected to make landfall later on Sunday between Zhuhai and Zhanjiang in the southern province of Guangdong, state-run broadcaster CCTV said. Authorities in neighboring Macau, the world's biggest gambling hub, also downgraded the typhoon signal to 8 from 10, warning of flooding in its inner harbor area and urging residents to stay safe, public broadcaster TDM said. Hong Kong's airport authority said 80,000 travelers were hit by the rescheduling of 400 flights forced by the typhoon. Cathay Pacific Airways cancelled all flights with Hong Kong airport between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday. It waived ticket change fees and arranged for rebooking. Most public transport in Hong Kong was suspended, including ferries amid high sea swells. — Reuters
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
Death toll rises to 14 in South Korea as heavy rain triggers landslide and flooding
A damaged convenience store is seen in the aftermath of torrential rain in Gapyeong, South Korea, July 20, 2025. Yonhap/via REUTERS SEOUL - Two people have died and a further two were missing in the South Korean resort town of Gapyeong on Sunday, after a landslide engulfed houses and flooding swept away vehicles during a period of heavy rainfall. This brings the nationwide death toll to 14 with 12 people missing since the rain began on Wednesday. A view shows an area affected by a landslide caused by torrential rains, in Sancheong, South Korea, July 19, 2025. Yonhap via REUTERS The rainfall is likely to stop on Sunday and be followed by a heat wave, the government weather forecaster said on Sunday. The heavy rainfall, which had earlier lashed southern parts of South Korea, moved north overnight, it said. —Reuters
GMA Network
4 days ago
- GMA Network
Two dead, more than 1,000 evacuated as South Korea lashed by heavy rain
A vehicle is pictured on a flooded road, caused by torrential rain in Yesan, South Korea, July 17, 2025. Yonhap via REUTERS SEOUL - Two people died and more than 1,000 have been evacuated in South Korea after the country was lashed by torrential rain on Thursday, the safety ministry said. As of 11 a.m. (0200 GMT), some parts of the South Chungcheong region to the south of the capital Seoul had seen more than 400 millimeters (15.7 inches) of rain since Wednesday, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said. The downpours resulted in record rainfall in the area and more wet weather was forecast for Thursday night, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. Landslide alerts were raised to the highest level for several regions including Chungcheong as the heavy rains continued, according to the Korea Forest Service. In the city of Gwangju, some 267 kilometers (166 miles) south of Seoul, 87 roads and 38 buildings were submerged within about two hours after torrential rain warnings were issued, according to the Yonhap News Agency. Some 403 schools were closed and 166 reported property damage from the heavy rain, the Ministry of Education said. — Reuters
