---
title: "Grand Canyon fire that was left to burn swells 50% after destroying historic lodge"
description: "July 15 (Reuters) - A wildfire in tinder-dry forest on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon grew around 50% on Tuesday after it destroyed dozens of buildings, prompting public outrage that it was left to burn for a week before firefighters tried to fully extinguish it."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-07-15-grand-canyon-fire-that-was-left-to-burn-swells-50-after-destroying-historic-lodge/"
published: "2025-07-15T21:20:44"
updated: "2025-07-15T21:20:45"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 333
---

# Grand Canyon fire that was left to burn swells 50% after destroying historic lodge

> July 15 (Reuters) - A wildfire in tinder-dry forest on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon grew around 50% on Tuesday after it destroyed dozens of buildings, prompting public outrage that it was left to burn for a week before firefighters tried to fully extinguish it.

By Reuters · Published 15 July 2025, 23:20 SAST · Updated 15 July 2025, 23:20 SAST

## Key points
- In a fiery twist of irony, the Dragon Bravo Fire has not only incinerated the historic Grand Canyon Lodge but also singed the credibility of the National Park Service, prompting a call for an investigation into their "controlled chaos" approach to wildfire management during the driest season imaginable.
- The Dragon Bravo Fire has consumed 8,570 acres, destroying the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and over 70 structures, displacing around 280 National Park Service workers.
- Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has called for an independent investigation into the National Park Service's handling of the fire, which was ignited by lightning on July 4.
- Initially managed as a "confine and contain" fire, the strategy shifted to full suppression after strong winds threatened park infrastructure.
- The North Rim will remain closed for the rest of the 2025 season, while the South Rim continues to welcome visitors.

## Content

By Andrew Hay

The so-called Dragon Bravo Fire swelled to 8,570 acres (3,468 hectares) after burning the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and 70 other structures, including tourist cabins and park staff housing over the weekend, a spokesperson for the incident team said.

Local media reported around 280 National Park Service workers lost their housing in the blaze sparked by lightning on July 4.

"It's just like perfect tinder-dry for a fire," said spokesperson Stefan La-Sky of record-low tree moisture in ponderosa pine and fir forest on the North Rim.

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has demanded an independent investigation into why National Park Service staff let the fire burn during the driest time of the summer in a botched attempt to reduce wildfire risks and improve forest health.

The National Park Service said it initially treated the fire with a "confine and contain" strategy to allow for the natural role of fire to reduce fuel accumulations, stimulate new plant growth and help regulate insects and disease.

It switched to an "aggressive full suppression strategy" after strong northwest winds on July 11, uncommon to the area, drove the fire towards park buildings on the edge of the canyon, according to the InciWeb U.S. government wildfire site.

The blaze was the second so-called managed wildfire on the North Rim in as many decades to have raged out of control.

The Warm Fire in 2006 was allowed to burn for weeks following a lightning strike before high winds sent it out of control, briefly trapping hundreds of tourists and park workers before they were evacuated. It went on to burn 59,000 acres (24,000 hectares), much of it severely.

The North Rim of the park will remain closed for the rest of the 2025 season, which runs to October, and inner canyon trails and campgrounds are closed until further notice, the National Park Service said. The South Rim of the park, which attracts around 5 million visitors annually, remains open.

(Reporting By Andrew Hay; Editing by Aurora Ellis)