- A wildfire continues to rage through Grand Canyon National Park
- Initial assessments estimate that 50 to 80 buildings have been lost, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge at the park’s North Rim
- No injuries or deaths have been reported, and all staff and visitors at the lodge were evacuated before conditions worsened
A wildfire raged through Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim on Sunday night, burning dozens of buildings to the ground. The structures lost include the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.
“As stewards of some [of] our country’s most beloved national treasures, we are devastated by the loss of the Grand Canyon Lodge and numerous other historic buildings at the Grand Canyon’s North Rim,” a spokesperson for Aramark, the company which operates the lodge, shared in a statement with PEOPLE.
“We are grateful that all of our employees and guests have been safely evacuated, and we join the National Park Service in mourning the loss of these iconic and beloved structures,” the statement added.
A firefighter stands near debris and flames at the remains of the Grand Canyon Lodge on July 13. Grand Canyon National Park via Getty
The Dragon Bravo Fire reached volatile and extreme conditions the evening of July 12 with a 500-acre expansion. At approximately 10:30 p.m., conditions quickly intensified due to sustained winds of 20 mph and gusts of up to 40 mph, according to the National Park Service (NPS).
Firefighters worked overnight to slow the fire’s progression. This included aerial bucket drops to slow the fire’s movement near the Grand Canyon Lodge and Transept Canyon. However, a chlorine gas leak at a water treatment facility required crews to evacuate, rendering aerial retardant efforts no longer feasible.
Initial assessment of the damage estimates that 50 to 80 structures were lost, including NPS administrative buildings and visitor facilities. Thus, the park has closed its North Rim for the rest of the 2025 season.
Along with the Dragon Bravo Fire, another wildfire, the White Sage Fire, started on July 9 and is also burning through the park’s North Rim.
No injuries or deaths have been reported in connection with the fires. All staff and guests of the Grand Canyon Lodge were successfully evacuated before the fire escalated.
As of July 13, the Dragon Bravo Fire reached 5,000 acres in size, according to the Incident Information System. A Complex Incident Management Team has been ordered to assume command of the Dragon Bravo Fire.
Firefighters stand in front of the Dragon Bravo Fire at Grand Canyon National Park on July 10. Grand Canyon National Park via Getty
The Dragon Bravo Fire began on July 4, after a lightning strike within the park. The fire was initially confined and contained, with multiple strategies employed to protect structures, facilities, and infrastructure.
The Grand Canyon Lodge at Grand Canyon National Park. Getty
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs took to X to address the fire: “I am incredibly saddened by the destruction of the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, and my heart goes out to every person impacted,” Hobbs wrote on July 13.
“While the flame was started with a lightning strike, the federal government chose to manage that fire as a controlled burn,” she later posted. “I am calling on the federal government for a comprehensive and independent investigation into the management of the fire and a report detailing the decisions that led to this devastating outcome.”
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Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego joined Hobbs’ push for an investigation.
“There must be a comprehensive, independent investigation into the handling of [the] fire and the rationale for treating it as a controlled burn especially as Arizona experiences the driest, hardest part of summer,” he wrote on X on July 13. “I will do my part on the federal level to get answers.”
Efforts to contain the fire are still ongoing.
