Dragon Bravo Fire Batters U.S. Grand Canyon National Park

(MENAFN) Driven by powerful winds and parched vegetation, the Dragon Bravo Fire has rapidly expanded across the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, now covering approximately 472 square kilometers as of Sunday, according to the U.S. interagency wildfire website.

Initially sparked by a lightning strike on July 4 atop the park’s Walhalla Plateau, the fire remains just 12 percent contained, despite the nonstop efforts of 1,214 firefighters bolstered by helicopter crews and heavy air tankers.

Authorities have confirmed the safe evacuation of more than 900 individuals, 54 trail mules, and National Park staff. Since mid-July, containment strategies have included the use of graded forest roads, natural canyon barriers, and previously burned terrain.

Forecasters anticipate that monsoonal moisture will begin moving into northern Arizona by mid-week, potentially raising humidity levels and bringing scattered rain, according to the latest fire weather update.

Official data shows the blaze began as a slow-burning smolder on Independence Day, escalating swiftly in the days that followed. By July 10, growing danger prompted the evacuation of 500 park visitors.

Conditions reached a breaking point on July 12, when intense winds drove the flames through the lodge district. The U.S. National Park Service confirmed the next day that the historic Grand Canyon Lodge—originally constructed in the 1920s—was destroyed in under two hours, along with its stone dining hall, multiple pine-clad guest cabins, and essential utility structures.

As of July 31, the wildfire had surpassed 400 square kilometers in size, officially ranking among the ten largest wildfires in Arizona history.

Authorities warn that full containment could take several more weeks, contingent on shifts in weather patterns, fuel dryness, and the fire's progression.

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