Firefighters in Arizona were trying to contain a pair of fast-moving wildfires thatdestroyed a historic lodge in Grand Canyon National Park, closed a section of the park for the rest of the season and promptedcalls for an investigationinto federal authorities' wildfire response. The two wildfires burning at or near the park's North Rim include the White Sage Fire and theDragon Bravo Fire. The blazes have consumed about 45,000 acres of land as of July 14, an area about the size of Washington, D.C. Park officials said the Dragon Bravo Fire, which has burned 5,000 acres within the park, destroyed dozens of structures, including the Grand Canyon Lodge, theonly hotel inside the national park at the North Rim. About 35 miles north, the White Sage Fire has torched about 62 square miles of land and triggered evacuations across communities near the Utah border and the Grand Canyon's North Rim. Lightning strikes ignited both fires, and a combination of strong winds, low humidity and high daily temperatures fueled their rapid expansion, officials said. Here's what we know about the wildfires. The National Weather Service issued an "extreme heat warning" for the Grand Canyon Village and the park's North Rim on July 14. Such warnings are reserved for the hottest days of the year and are issued only when "extremely dangerous heat conditions are expected or ongoing," according to the weather service. Daytime temperatures in the area could reach 106 to 115 degrees. The scorching heat has hampered firefighters' ability to battle the blaze on the ground in the daytime, officials said. North of the Grand Canyon, the White Sage Fire was first reported July 9 and has grown steadily, leading to evacuation orders over a vast area, from the Kaibab Plateau to the Utah-Arizona line and the North Rim. As of July 14, the wildfire had destroyed 40,186 acres of land and remains 0% contained, according to InciWeb, a federal government wildfire tracker. No injuries or damaged structures have been reported. Fire officials said they made progress over the weekend. Containment lines near the White Sage community held as firefighters suppressed growth on the fire's southern edge, according to InciWeb. To the north, however, "the fire is experiencing rapid growth," particularly in the footprint of a 2020 wildfire that temporarily closed the North Rim, officials said. "Hot, dry, and windy conditions continue to challenge firefighting efforts," InciWeb said. The Dragon Bravo Fire was ignited by a lightning strike July 4. Initially, fire officials sought to manage the blaze by setting up containment lines and halting its growth. But over the weekend, powerful wind gusts up to 40 mph led the fire to expand 500 acres overnight, swallowing dozens of structures, including historic cabins. It also threatened a water treatment facility, leading officials to evacuate some firefighting personnel and halt aerial operations because of a possible chlorine leak. No injuries or deaths were reported as staff and hikers were evacuated from the North Rim area before the blaze exploded in size. Park officials said the North Rim will remain closed for the rest of the season, which runs from May 15 to Oct. 15. Visitors to the more popular South Rim, which is open all year, were advised to stay updated on possible air quality alerts. "The fire is being managed with an aggressive full suppression strategy," the National Park Service said. "Fire behavior is still very active." The Grand Canyon Lodge sat perched on the canyon's edge and offered guests panoramic views of the natural wonder. The lodge opened in 1937 after the original building burned to the ground in a wildfire in September 1932. The new property was made up of the main lodge building, 23 deluxe cabins and more than 90 regular cabins, the park service said. The lodge building was made of a limestone facade that was sourced nearby, and massive ponderosa pine trees were turned into support beams for a sloped roof capable of withstanding heavy loads of snow. "We are devastated by the loss of Grand Canyon Lodge and historic buildings on the North Rim," read a statement from the National Park Service. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Arizona, said onsocial mediathat the lodge's destruction was "heartbreaking news for Arizona & everyone who loves this special place." Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs questioned the federal government's handling of theDragon Bravo Fire, which destroyed numerous structureson the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. Hobbs, a Democrat, said in a post on X that after a lightning strike started the fire, the federal government "chose to manage that fire as a controlled burn during the driest, hottest part of the Arizona summer." "I am calling on the federal government for a comprehensive and independent investigation into the management of the Fire and a report detailing the decisions that led to this devastating outcome," she wrote. "As someone who was born and raised in Arizona, I know what the Grand Canyon National Park means to so many people, not just in Arizona, but all over the world, and how devastating it is to see this damage done to one of Arizona's most cherished landmarks." Contributing: Gabe Hauari; Rey Covarrubias Jr. and Perry Vandell, Arizona Republic This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Grand Canyon wildfire: Historic lodge, cabins destroyed; evacuations
