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A wildfire tore through the Grand Canyon’s North Rim on Sunday, destroying the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and dozens of other structures, and forcing officials to close the area for the season.
Flames from the Dragon Bravo Fire engulfed the lodge, visitor center, gas station, wastewater treatment plant, administrative offices, and employee housing, according to park Superintendent Ed Keable. The National Park Service (NPS) estimates between 50 and 80 structures were lost.
No injuries were reported. All staff and residents cleared the area before the fire advanced, NPS said.
Lightning sparked the Dragon Bravo Fire on July 4. Authorities initially managed the fire with a “confine and contain” strategy. A week later, amid scorching heat, low humidity, and high winds, officials shifted to full suppression as the growing blaze scorched 7.8 square miles.
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The Grand Canyon Lodge, the only lodging on the North Rim, was a landmark known for its sloped roof, massive ponderosa beams, and limestone facade — the first sight for many visitors approaching the canyon.
Aramark, the company that operated the lodge, said all employees and guests were safely evacuated.
“As stewards of some of our country’s most beloved national treasures, we are devastated by the loss,” said spokesperson Debbie Albert.
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Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs called on the federal government late Sunday to investigate the NPS’s response to the wildfire and deliver a report “detailing the decisions that led to this devastating outcome.”
“They must first take aggressive action to end the wildfire and prevent further damage,” she said in a post on X. “But Arizonans deserve answers for how this fire was allowed to decimate the Grand Canyon National Park.”
Meanwhile, firefighters made progress on a second blaze north of the canyon. Containment lines held on the White Sage Fire, which had forced evacuations at the North Rim and the community of Jacob Lake. By Sunday afternoon, it had burned 63 square miles.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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