A wildfire that destroyed historic Grand Canyon Lodge spread after being allowed to burn for days

FLAGSTAFF Ariz AP A wildfire raging along the Grand Canyon s North Rim that leveled a historic lodge erupted over the weekend after burning for more than a week raising scrutiny over the National Park Facility s decision not to aggressively attack the fire right away Arizona Gov Katie Hobbs called for a federal analysis into the Park Organization s handling of the fire which was sparked by lightning July Arizonans deserve answers for how this fire was allowed to decimate the Grand Canyon National Park the governor mentioned in a social media post Sunday The federal regime chose to manage that fire as a controlled burn during the driest hottest part of the Arizona summer Government first used a confine and contain strategy by clearing fuel sources but shifted to aggressive suppression as the fire rapidly grew to nearly square miles square kilometers because of hot temperatures low humidity and strong wind gusts fire executives mentioned The fire destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge the only lodging inside the park s North Rim along with cabins employee housing and a waste water therapy plant park Superintendent Ed Keable stated Sunday Park agents have closed access for the rest of the year to the North Rim a less popular and more isolated area of the park that draws only about of the Grand Canyon s millions of annual visitors Hikers in the area were evacuated and rafters on the Colorado River which snakes through the canyon were notified to avoid Phantom Ranch an outpost of cabins and dormitories No injuries have been informed but to structures have been lost the park superintendent mentioned From the air plumes of black smoke could be seen rising above the canyon walls The fire flared up Saturday night fueled by high winds Firefighters managed to make progress using aerial fire retardant drops near the lodge before they had to pull back because of a chlorine gas leak at the water restoration plant the park system stated Others fires burning Across the West about three dozen fires are burning uncontained and another fires are being managed to clear out vegetation that has clogged the landscape according to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise Idaho So far this year nearly million acres have burned That s slightly below the -year average according to the center Near the Grand Canyon s North Rim there were two wildfires burning the Dragon Bravo Fire that destroyed the lodge and other buildings and the White Sage Fire which by Sunday afternoon had charred square miles square kilometers of terrain Agents informed progress in battling the White Sage Fire Nearly million people visited the Grand Canyon last year with most of sticking to the South Rim Roads in the North Rim are closed to vehicles in the winter and the lodge opens in May through mid-October History of the Grand Canyon Lodge The Grand Canyon Lodge known for its huge ponderosa beams massive limestone facade and a bronze statue of a donkey named Brighty the Burro was perched on the edge of the North Rim and offered sweeping views of the canyon Caren Carney was staying at the lodge last week with her husband parents and -year-old son when a park ranger knocked on their door Thursday and narrated them to evacuate She was heartbroken Sunday to hear that such a magical place had burned down After evacuating the family from Georgia went to the South Rim and could see the blaze from across the canyon I m so glad we got to have one final look at it in the present before it was lost Carney mentioned Aramark the company that operated the lodge stated all employees and guests were safely evacuated An original lodge burned down from a kitchen fire in four years after construction was completed according to the Grand Canyon Historical Society The redesigned lodge using the original stonework opened in Elsewhere a wildfire burning in southwestern Colorado closed Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and forced the evacuation of homes near the park and has burned about square miles square kilometers as of Monday The fire was started by lightning Thursday on the south rim of the park a dramatic deep gorge carved by the Gunnison River Fire bureaucrats say the brush and trees it has been burning in are very dry and there s only a minimal chance for rain in the coming days The park has been closed because of the fire Colorado Gov Jared Polis issued a accident declaration Sunday because of it and other fires burning in western Colorado