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yesterday

Uncontained North Rim Wildfire Rages On After Historic Lodge Destruction

A Complex Incident Management Team has taken command of fire suppression, keeping the North Rim closed for the season with evacuation orders still in place.

This photo provided by National Park Service shows the charred remains of a building at the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, in northern Arizona, on Sunday, July 13, 2025. (National Park Service via AP)
© Grand Canyon National Park
The Dragon Bravo Fire at Grand Canyon National Park on July 11, 2025. The fire is located on the North Rim of the park and is estimated at 1,500 acres.
This undated photo provided by the National Park Service shows Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim of Grand Canyon, Ariz.

Overview

  • As of July 15, the Dragon Bravo Fire has scorched more than 5,700 acres of the North Rim and remains at 0 percent containment despite aggressive suppression tactics.
  • The White Sage Fire has expanded to about 77 square miles north of the canyon and continues to spread at zero containment, triggering evacuations and the closure of Highway 89A at Fredonia and Bitter Springs.
  • The 1937 Grand Canyon Lodge and between 50 and 80 other park structures, including cabins and visitor facilities, were destroyed, though all staff, residents and guests were safely evacuated without injuries.
  • A chlorine gas leak from a burned water treatment plant forced firefighters to halt aerial retardant drops in critical areas, complicating containment efforts.
  • Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and congressional members have called for an independent federal investigation into the National Park Service’s initial confine-and-contain approach and overall wildfire response.