On Sunday, a wildfire broke out in the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, which destroyed a lot of property. The fire destroyed a historical lodge and many other structures present in the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, due to which the area is prohibited from entry by the authorities. According to the officials, the Grand Canyon Lodge was the only one present in the park at the location. The lodge turned into ashes due to the wildfire, as mentioned by the North Rim Park Superintendent Ed Keabal. Apart from that, a water treatment plant, a gas station, a visitor center, some employee houses, and an administrative building were consumed by the fast-paced wildfire. In total, about 50 to 80 properties were burned to ashes due to the natural calamity.
Magnitude of the Wildfire at North Rim
The Grand Canyon’s North Rim is not only affected by a single wildfire. It is a prey of two wildfires, both at or near it. These wildfires are named ‘The White Sage Fire’ and ‘The Dragon Bravo Fire’, which covered the sky with black smoke. According to the information, the Grand Canyon Lodge was a victim of the Dragan Bravo Fire, which turned it into ash powder.
On 4 July, the Dragon Bravo Fire started spreading after a lightning strike in one of the forest areas. Initially, the authorities used the ‘confine and contain’ method to slow it down until they could clear the fuel reserves. After a week, the fire was still at its peak and covered about 7.8 square miles with its rapid flames. They tried to suppress the fire that spread rapidly because of the strong wind, low humidity, and high temperature. As of now, no injuries have been reported from the wildfire by the officials.
Actions taken to ensure public safety from the Wildfire
On Sunday, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs contacted the federal government to observe the actions taken by the National Park Service. She has been voicing her concern about the wildfire and the safety of the Arizonians from the natural calamity. According to her, strict and immediate actions must be taken to extinguish the wildfire. Additionally, she is demanding answers on how the fire was allowed to destroy the Grand Canyon Lodge and its surroundings without any prevention.
The park is a popular tourist destination in Arizona, where the South Rim attracts most of the tourists. The North Rim of the park opens seasonally for the public, just like this time. On 10 July, the wildfire affected the regions of the North Rim, due to which the public was evacuated. Moreover, this region will not be opened for this season due to the loss of property and destruction. All the firefighters and the hikers were also evacuated, as the wildfire is not the only concern. Due to the effect of fire on the treatment plant, there is a release of excess chlorine gas in the area. Therefore, to avoid its inhalation, all the people at the site are evacuated, including the firefighters.
Additionally, the river rafters along the Colorado River are also sent to Phantom Ranch, as it has facilities for a stay.
The historic Grand Canyon Lodge burned to the ground.
The Grand Canyon Lodge was the first attraction most people visit while up for the Canyon tour. Moreover, the lodge provided the first glimpse of the Canyon from its popular ‘Sun Room’. It was a beauty with sloped roofs, huge, strong beams, and a large limestone facade, which attracted the tourists. The experience was unforgettable, and you felt peace while slipping your hands around its beam walls. Furthermore, the North Rim didn’t have much of tourists and thus, was a place of solitude. It was a perfect place for camping and hiking for the tourists from the way up to the Canyon.
A family was staying at the lodge when the fire started to spread towards the North Rim. Caren Carney came to the place in her childhood and has now revisited the place after years with her 12-year-old son. However, the fire broke out during their stay, and they had to relocate to the South Rim for their protection. She has expressed how she could feel her childhood shattering, while the Canyon burned to the ground. However, all the people at North Rim were evacuated on time with proper safety measures.
Second Wildfire around the Grand Canyon
While the first wildfire had already burned the forest to ashes, a second wildfire is approaching from the north. The White Sage Fire has fumed the North Rim once again, forcing evacuations in the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Other than that, evacuations have been done in the communities of Jacob Lake as well. On Sunday, about 63 square miles of terrain turned into ashes at the North Rim. Now, the fire is approaching the Vermilion Cliffs at a fast pace. The crew is trying to create buffer zones to slow down the fire from spreading any further. This way, they’ll get some time to extinguish the majority of the fire in the woods.
Conclusion
Wildfires are a natural calamity, but often cause drastic damage to the natural resources and lives around them. They can take down anything that comes in contact with them and become fierce with a touch of wind. Thus, preventing them from spreading to a vast area is the best you can do, as playing with fire is no joke.
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