Grand Canyon fire leaves almost half of North Rim structures destroyed or damaged
A final damage assessment of the wrath the Dragon Bravo Fire unleashed inside the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is complete, and its numbers are grim: Nearly half the infrastructure in the North Rim was damaged or destroyed.
Among the 106 structures scorched or destroyed by flames were the Grand Canyon Lodge, the visitor’s center, and a wastewater treatment plant, according to the Department of Interior’s Burned Area Emergency Response Team.
The popular area inside the national park was home to 229 structures before the wildfire.
Crews will also need to clean up hazardous materials at three high-risk sites, including the wastewater treatment plant and areas adjacent to the lodge, the BAER team said.
In addition, about 1,000 feet of the 3,300-foot water pipeline within the burn area sustained damage.
The Dragon Bravo fire ignited by a lightning strike on July 4. A week later, strong winds raced through the area, and the fire exploded in size.
By Aug. 1, the fire crossed over 100,000 acres burned, reaching “mega fire” status.
The fire closed the Grand Canyon’s North Rim for the remainder of the 2025 season after causing significant damage.
As of Tuesday, the fire had consumed nearly 150,000 acres but is now 80% contained.
Credit to Nypost AND Peoples
