According to the National Park Service, the Dragon Bravo Fire has continued to balloon in size, and is now contained at only 13%. The fires have already burned down a National Historic Landmark including the cabins at the Grand Canyon Lodge. Intense, dry heat is making the fire increasingly difficult for wildlands firefighters to contain, and the fire has burned nearly 123,000 acres since igniting on July 4. It is considered one of the largest fires in Arizona’s history.
Before August 6 the fire was 26% contained, however the blaze doubled in size overnight. The fire has now surpassed the 100,000 acre mark, giving it its megafire demarkation from the Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Currently, the main areas of concern are along the fire’s northern edge and a portion in the southwest, where it is still spreading.
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This particular fire is difficult for teams to fight because the Grand Canyon itself is funneling already strong winds, creates even stronger gusts and pushing them into a localized area. It’s incredibly rugged country to traverse, let alone battle a fire in mid-summer. In fact, the fire is now creating its own weather patterns, creating what are known as pyrocumulous clouds.
“These clouds can be incredibly powerful. In some cases, they’re known to generate storms, producing lightning, or even tornadoes,” the team said in the video it shared on the Bravo Dragon Fire Facebook page dedicated to updates.
“It will be another challenging day for firefighters,” said Section Chief Craig Daugherty, who is doing daily updates on the permitters and containment on the aforementioned Facebook page.
Live updates and maps can be viewed here and on the Watch Duty app, which was instrumental in alerting citizens in the Palisades and Eaton Fires, as well as the wildfires in Sonoma.
The North Rim will remain closed to tourists through the end of the month. Trail closures of North Kaibab Trail, South Kaibab Trail , Phantom Ranch, and Bright Angel Trail below Havasupai Gardens are also still in effect. For regular updates, check in with the National Park Service website.
