A particularly destructive wildfire has recently destroyed the National Park Service’s historic Grand Canyon Lodge. This stunning edifice was located on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. Sparked by lightning on July 4, the fire quickly escalated, fueled by extreme weather conditions and inadequate initial response, resulting in significant loss and disruption.
The wildfire, caused by a downed power line that sparked on the park’s south rim, quickly grew to almost eight square miles. High temperatures, low humidity and strong gusts of winds helped to spread it rapidly. As the emergency deepened, park officials first pursued a “confine and contain” approach. With fire growth accelerating, they decided to go to a more punitive suppression stance.
The out-of-control blaze destroyed the 50 to 80 buildings. It engulfed the Grand Canyon Lodge, a number of historic cabins on the South Rim, employee housing and a wastewater treatment plant. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported. The Grand Canyon Lodge was particularly notable, having opened in 1937 with original stonework from a previous lodge that burned down in 1932. With only one lodging option for the entire North Rim area, losing that option is a huge hit. This loss strikes deep at both the park’s infrastructure and its historical legacy.
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon draws just a fraction of the visitors to its South Rim counterpart. In fact, it currently attracts just over 10% of the park’s annual visitors. So far the fire has produced catastrophic damage. Consequently, park officials shared that access to the North Rim will be closed through the end of the year. This ruling will have serious implications for an industry that typically runs from May to mid-October. Furthermore, roads to the North Rim are closed in winter months, limiting access even further.
Shortly after midnight on Saturday night, the situation took a turn for the worse as the fire revived and intensified, fanned by strong winds that worsened the spread. The incident required rescues for hikers in the area and those paddling on the Colorado River. As firefighters scrambled to get the rapidly spreading blaze under control, questions were raised about how the fire was being handled.
Fortunately, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs is already acting to address this developing crisis. She has called for a federal investigation into the National Park Service’s response to the fire.
“Arizonans deserve answers for how this fire was allowed to decimate the Grand Canyon National Park,” – Katie Hobbs
The environmental landscape of the region is growing more difficult with effects of climate change. As a consequence, wildfires across the country have become more frequent and intense.
Federal, state, and local officials remain busy trying to control the fire and determine its effects. They are equally intent on creating recovery plans for the damaged structures and the surrounding natural landscape. The loss of the lodge makes visitor lodging impossible. In addition, it shatters the local tourism and economic engine tied to this natural wonder.