Wildfire destroys historic Grand Canyon Lodge, North Rim closes for the season
Two wildfires are burning near the Grand Canyon in Arizona, including one blaze that destroyed dozens of structures, among them the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, the National Park Service said.
The fires -- dubbed the White Sage Fire and the Dragon Bravo Fire -- are about 35 miles apart and are both 0% contained. Both were started by lightning and are being driven by the inaccessible terrain and winds, officials said.
No injuries have been reported, officials said.
The Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge, which sits on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The lodge, which first opened in 1937 and is listed as a National Historic Landmark, is the only in-park lodging option in that region of the national park.
The lodge is one of at least 70 structures destroyed, including the National Park Service's administrative building and visitor facilities.
NPS officials said aerial bucket drops were conducted to slow fire movement near the lodge, however, a chlorine gas leak at the nearby water treatment facility prompted the evacuation of firefighting personnel from critical zones. Chlorine gas can quickly settle into lower elevations such as the inner canyon, posing a health risk, officials added.
The White Sage Fire is also threatening the Grand Canyon's North Rim, according to NPS.
The North Rim will remain closed to all visitor access for the remainder of the 2025 season, according to NPS.
The White Sage Fire has burned nearly 50,000 acres and the Dragon Bravo Fire has burned 5,700 acres.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said in a statement Sunday that she's "incredibly saddened by the destruction of the historic Grand Canyon Lodge," calling it "devastating ... to see this damage done to one of Arizona’s most cherished landmarks."
Hobbs also called for "scrutiny" into the federal government’s emergency response to the fires.
"They must first take aggressive action to end the wildfire and prevent further damage," Hobbs said.
