Latest news with #ArizonaGovernor
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- General
- Bloomberg
Grand Canyon Wildfire Still Burning
Aerial footage captured on July 14th shows the impact of the Dragon Bravo Fire in the Grand Canyon. A lighting strike started the fire on July 4. More than 100,000 acres and a historic lodge have been burned. Arizona's governor and members of the state's congressional delegation called for an investigation as the Park Service immediately came under scrutiny after the lodge and other historic buildings were destroyed. (Source: Bloomberg)
Gizmodo
14-07-2025
- General
- Gizmodo
Arizona Governor Chastises Federal Response to ‘Devastating' Wildfires
A pair of fast-moving wildfires burning near the Grand Canyon's North Rim destroyed a historic lodge, triggered evacuations, and forced officials to close this part of the national park for the remainder of the 2025 season on Sunday. Arizona's governor argues the federal government is largely to blame. The Grand Canyon Lodge—the only lodging within the park's North Rim—and a nearby water treatment facility are among 50 to 80 structures consumed by the Dragon Bravo fire, the National Park Service stated Sunday. The blaze, which resulted from a lightning strike on July 4, has consumed roughly 5,000 acres. On Sunday, it was 0% contained, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). Dragon Bravo is burning about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of the larger White Sage fire, which broke out after lightning struck Kaibab National Forest on July 9. As of Sunday, this fire had doubled in size overnight, consuming more than 40,000 acres. The blaze was 0% contained and 'experiencing rapid growth' to the north and east, the NIFC stated. Rather than working to immediately extinguish the Dragon Bravo fire, NPS responders attempted to manage it using a confine-and-contain strategy, which allows a fire to burn while limiting its growth. According to Arizona Republic, officials reasoned that this approach would reduce the accumulation of organic fire fuels and allow nutrient-rich ash to support new plant growth. Their efforts 'included multiple containment features to protect structures, facilities, and infrastructure,' the NIFC stated. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs believes this strategy ultimately exacerbated destruction of the North Rim and has called for an investigation into the federal government's management decisions. 'An incident of this magnitude demands intense oversight and scrutiny into the federal government's emergency response,' Hobbs said in an X post Sunday evening. '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.' Hobbs noted that the federal government chose to manage the Dragon Bravo fire 'as a controlled burn during the driest, hottest part of the Arizona summer' and demanded a 'comprehensive and independent' investigation into the management of this fire. In his own X post, Senator Ruben Gallego echoed Hobbs's statements. 'As Governor Hobbs has rightly called for, there must be a comprehensive, independent investigation into the handling of fire and the rationale for treating it as a controlled burn—especially as Arizona experiences the driest, hardest part of summer,' he said. 'I will do my part on the federal level to get answers.' Gizmodo reached out to Hobbs's office, the National Park Service, and the Department of Interior for comment. The agency refuted Hobbs's claim that responders treated the Dragon Bravo fire like a controlled burn. 'The allegation that this fire was managed as a controlled burn is not at all accurate and our wildland fire experts certainly know the difference,' a spokesperson told Gizmodo in an email. 'The Department of the Interior takes the threat of wildfires with the utmost seriousness and is committed to protecting lives, communities, and treasured public lands through science-driven fire management and rapid response.' Gizmodo did not receive a response from Hobbs's office or the NPS by the time of publication. On July 11, strong northwest wind gusts drove the Dragon Bravo fire to jump multiple containment features, according to the NIFC. As the blaze expanded, authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders for all remaining North Rim residents. By the evening of July 12, the fire exhibited 'extreme and volatile' behavior, resulting in a 500-acre expansion, the NPS stated in a July 13 update. As sustained winds of 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour) and gusts up to 40 miles per hour (64 kilometers per hour) drove the fire to rapidly intensify, firefighters made 'significant efforts' to slow its progress overnight, according to the update. This included aerial bucket drops near the Grand Canyon Lodge and Transept Canyon. In addition to decimating the Grand Canyon Lodge—which stood atop Bright Angel Point for nearly a century—the Dragon Bravo fire damaged a water treatment facility, triggering a chlorine gas leak in the afternoon of July 12. Exposure to this gas can damage the lungs and may be fatal in extreme cases. The leak forced authorities to evacuate firefighting personnel, preventing the NPS from using aerial retardant in this area. This situation is still unfolding, as is the White Sage fire. This massive blaze threatens communities north of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, particularly the Jacob Lake area. So far, no one has been injured or killed by either of these fires, but incidents like these underscore the danger of rapid wildfire intensification. As climate change pushes hot, dry regions to become hotter and drier, wildfires are becoming increasingly difficult to control. While it's worth asking whether federal responders could have done more to prevent the Dragon Bravo fire from spreading, perhaps a better question is: Will they be able to adapt to such extreme conditions?
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Biggs says he'll push for immediate changes on education, elections, and the border
The Brief The Republican race for governor is already up and running. Andy Biggs held a rally on May 31 at the Biltmore Resort in Phoenix. Republican challenger Karrin Taylor Robson leads Biggs in a latest poll among GOP voters. PHOENIX - MAGA supporters are getting behind Andy Biggs, who is running to be the Republican candidate for Arizona governor in 2026. On May 31, he held a town hall with Turning Point Action at the Arizona Biltmore Resort. What we know Biggs, who currently represents the state's 5th Congressional District, made his case to be Arizona's next governor and discussed pushing for immediate changes to education, elections, and the border. "I've already talked to somebody who I believe will be a great border czar. So Arizona will have the strongest border security in the nation. We're going to work with our sheriffs, our tribes, our local law enforcement officers, our magnificent DPS.. and we will prevent the cartels from their evil human child and drug trafficking, which is a destructive plague in Arizona," he said. Biggs already has a Republican challenger, Karrin Taylor Robson. Robson lost the 2022 Republican primary to Kari Lake. We spoke with Mike Noble of Noble Predictive Insights. Their latest survey shows Robson leading Biggs, with 24% of GOP voters choosing her, over 17% for Biggs. "Robson gained since our last poll three months ago. However, it looks like the momentum is in Biggs' favor because [Charlie] Kirk supporters look very similar to Biggs. And also, he may not be getting just an endorsement. He may be getting an army because he brings along a very young demographic and a very digital-savvy demographic," said Noble. Dig deeper But in a head-to-head matchup against Governor Katie Hobbs, both Republicans are still losing ground. Hobbs taking 41% of likely voters against Robson's 39% and 40% for Hobbs against Biggs' 38%. "Hobbs as an incumbent governor, she's definitely not built a fortress around her, but she's not in a bad position either. I'd say she's an above-average position." Noble expects this governor's race to be one of the most competitive races in the country.
