**Massive Wildfire in Grand Canyon National Park Destroys Historic Lodge**
An ongoing wildfire known as the “Dragon Bravo Fire” sparked by lightning in the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona has continued to rage, destroying dozens of buildings, including the nearly century-old “Grand Canyon Lodge,” prompting widespread questioning of the National Park Service’s fire management policies.
The fire broke out on July 4th, and initially, the National Park Service (NPS) adopted a “confine and contain” strategy, hoping to use natural wildfires to clear ground fuels and promote ecological regeneration. However, on July 11th, sudden strong winds exacerbated the fire, rapidly spreading flames to the historic buildings on the North Rim. As of Tuesday (July 15th), the Dragon Bravo Fire has consumed nearly 8,600 acres (about 34.8 square kilometers).
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs expressed shock at the wildfire getting out of control and called for an independent investigation, questioning NPS’s decision to adhere to a “let it burn” wildfire management strategy during the hot and dry season. Reportedly, around 280 NPS staff members have lost accommodation facilities as a result.
In response to criticism, the NPS issued a statement on July 15th, stating that they had implemented a “full suppression strategy” from the early stages of the fire and had established firebreaks and deployed defensive ignitions, refuting allegations of allowing the fire to spread unchecked.
Spokesperson Stefan La-Sky pointed out that the high wind speeds of up to 65 kilometers per hour that night, much higher than forecasted, coupled with extremely dry conditions, led to the fire quickly getting out of control.
The NPS emphasized that ensuring the safety of personnel remains the top priority: “Firefighters are responding to this wildfire in the safest manner possible, prioritizing the safety of civilians, visitors, and employees over structures.”
Despite facing criticism, the fire management policy at the Grand Canyon National Park has long been regarded as a model in the United States. Andi Thode, a fire ecology professor at Northern Arizona University, highlighted that the park management had created a heterogeneous landscape through prescribed burns multiple times, which had helped slow the spread of fires. For instance, when the Dragon Bravo Fire entered previously burned areas, the fire significantly weakened.
Thode emphasized, “Using fires to shape the forest landscape in extreme weather conditions and dry fuel is an essential tool for future wildfire management.”
According to the 2025 fire management plan for the park, as a World Heritage Site, the Grand Canyon must balance cultural and natural resources, spiritual values, and recreational opportunities. The plan stipulates that in densely built-up areas like the North Rim, fire management should prioritize life and property protection rather than ecological benefits. Currently, over 370 buildings within the park are deemed high risk, with an additional 238 classified as moderate risk, including the Grand Canyon Lodge and surrounding cabins falling into the high-risk category.
Apart from the Dragon Bravo Fire, another wildfire named the “White Sage Fire” is burning further north in the North Rim, with both fires collectively consuming over 233 square kilometers of land.
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is now entirely closed off, all trails and campsites are temporarily shut, and it is unlikely that tourism season until October 2025 will resume. The relatively popular South Rim, which attracts about 5 million visitors annually, remains open, but smoke haze is affecting visibility.
This is the second time the North Rim of the Grand Canyon has transitioned from a “managed wildfire” to a major uncontrolled fire since the “Warm Fire” in 2006. That incident similarly saw the fire spreading due to strong winds, resulting in hundreds of visitors and staff being evacuated, ultimately consuming nearly 60,000 acres (over 24,000 hectares) of forest land.
As of now, the Dragon Bravo Fire remains uncontained, with firefighters working tirelessly to prevent further destruction of buildings and facilities on the North Rim.
* (This article referenced relevant reports from the Associated Press)