Credit: Reuters
A wildfire on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim has spread rapidly, destroying at least 50 buildings in the area.
Firefighters are working to contain the blaze, which broke out on July 4 and has so far destroyed a historic lodge and visitor centre.
Amidst the wildfire, access to the North Rim has been restricted. The area of the park, which is more isolated and attracts less visitors, will remain closed for the rest of the year.
The Grand Canyon Lodge, the only place of residence inside the park’s North Rim, was levelled in the fire. The historic building operated as a hotel and cabins complex.
The building is well known for its historic limestone facade, wooden beams, and sweeping views of the canyon.
A number of cabins, employee housing and a waste water treatment plant were also razed, Ed Keable, a park superintendent, said on Sunday.
Plumes of black smoke were pictured rising over the walls of the canyon, which is one of seven wonders of the world.
Firefighters and hikers in the area were forced to evacuate briefly over fears of potential exposure to chlorine gas after the treatment plant set alight.
The initial blaze was sparked by lightning on July 4, but rapidly grew to 7.8 square miles (20 square kilometers) because of hot temperatures, low humidity and strong wind gusts, fire officials said.
Katie Hobbs, the governor of Arizona, has called for a federal investigation into the National Park Service’s decision not to tackle the fire aggressively when it first broke out.
“Arizonans deserve answers for how this fire was allowed to decimate the Grand Canyon National Park,” the governor said.
No injuries have been reported but 50 to 80 structures have been lost, the park superintendent said.
Nearly five million people visited the Grand Canyon in 2024, however most people tour the national park’s South Rim.
