On July 4 of this year, the Dragon Bravo fire started. It caught immediately in the dry, high-elevation forest of the Kaibab Plateau in northern Arizona. A lightning strike was to blame for the fire. It quickly grew to become much worse, shocking the surrounding communities and even national park leaders. The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is located at an elevation of 8,000 feet. This remote section attracts just over 10% of the park’s annual visitors, providing a peaceful retreat from the rush of humanity.
Where foot traffic is scarce, the North Rim possesses spectacular resources that are both natural and manmade, and must be proactively protected. Unfortunately, the fire has severely threatened these assets, prompting urgent discussions about fire management policies and resource protection in national parks. The unique and daunting speed of the fire’s rapid escalation pushed crews to face never before seen challenges as they fought to contain the raging inferno.
Rapid Escalation and Destruction
By July 11th, barely a week after starting, the Dragon Bravo fire had crossed over its established containment lines and exploded in every direction. In 24 hours, the fire raced to a million and a half acres. They overtook the area, outgrowing their home from 120 acres to a jaw-dropping 1,200 acres.
Firefighters recounted the scene’s pandemonium as fire bore down on them at astonishing rates of speed. As one firefighter described the scene, “The fire was roaring like a freight train headed right at us.” Small reminder, their judgement was clouded particularly because of the propane tanks that began exploding from surrounding buildings. This resulted in a dramatic increase in concerns over personal safety. Another firefighter expressed their fear: “We thought we were going to die. Our homes and our friend’s homes were burning and there was nothing we could do.”
As of July 12, the fire had burned almost 12,000 acres and was just 2% contained. Firefighters fought the fire valiantly, confronting dangerous logistical impediments. As if their task wasn’t hard enough, they were down two fire engines and a bulldozer. There was no aerial suppression support until July 12, making it more difficult for crews to contain the quickly-growing wildfire.
Loss of Historic Structures
The calamity caused by the Dragon Bravo fire has left a trail of devastation. In all, more than 70 buildings inside the park were lost, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, which had been there since 1936. This celebrated structure has a magnificent example of “national park rustic” style. It is characterized by rock walls made with Kaibab limestone and it has roofs supported by prominent exposed ponderosa pine trusses.
A longtime Grand Canyon North Rim park employee lamented the loss of this beloved landmark: “It’s hard to put into words how devastating the loss of the Grand Canyon Lodge is.” The emotional toll hits hard with those who have long considered this park home. As this employee said, with great emotion, “The Lodge and North Rim were not just buildings and trails. Those places were home to us, and now it’s all gone. What we’ve yet to fully process is that it feels like a profound piece of who we are has burned along with it.”
Leonard, another park employee, underscored the irreplaceable nature of these historic structures. He stated, “Historic resources are non-renewable, and the craftsmanship in the cabin and lodge interiors cannot be reproduced.”
Fire Management Policies Under Scrutiny
The aftermath of the Dragon Bravo fire begs important questions about the policies that govern fire management in our national parks. Throughout much of the 20th century, federal policies aimed to extinguish fires in these fire-adapted ecosystems. But as scientists and foresters have pointed out, this kind of suppression only makes our forests unhealthy and more fire-prone.
The ponderosa pine forest ecosystem of the Kaibab Plateau is dependent on frequent low-intensity fires to maintain health and promote regeneration. Rachel Pawlitz, a spokesperson with the incident management team that oversaw the fire, stressed the fairly monumental feat of controlling the blaze. “We lost these buildings but saved hundreds of lives,” she said.
Pawlitz highlighted that firefighters did not place themselves or others at risk during the initial firefight despite facing strong winds that caused the fire to jump multiple containment features. “The firefighters did not put themselves or others at risk when they managed the initial firefight,” she said.
As discussions about future fire management strategies unfold, it remains essential to balance protecting human life with preserving natural resources.