Wildfire threatens Grand Canyon's North Rim
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As crews battled to contain two wildfires in northern Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park implemented Stage 2 fire restrictions on Thursday.
COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — Stage 2 fire restrictions will go into effect July 17 for Grand Canyon National Park due to the high threat of wildfire danger in the region. The U.S. Department of Interior said the restrictions will be applied to the South Rim and all other areas of the park.
The White Sage Fire was burning in Arizona bout 15 miles southeast of Fredonia in Coconino County and north of the Grand Canyon State Park.
Authorities maintained the evacuation zones for the White Sage Fire north of the Grand Canyon as the fire grew expectantly.
The destruction caused by this fire is a reminder of how vulnerable our national parks and residents nearby are to the impacts of a changing climate. NPCA stands ready to support efforts to rebuild and restore what’s been lost and ensure the National Park Service has the resources it needs to protect the Grand Canyon experience for the millions of visitors who travel there each year.
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The visitor center and a wastewater treatment plant were among the 50 to 80 structures lost, the park superintendent said. The area was evacuated Thursday.
Highway closures and evacuations remain in effect as a wildfire burns more than 49,000 acres in Coconino County. It is one of two blazes raging at or near the northern rim of the Grand Canyon.
Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) questioned the federal government’s handling of the fires burning the Grand Canyon, which have spread rapidly and destroyed dozens of buildings. Two wildfires, the White Sage Fire and the Dragon Bravo Fire,