A wildfire on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon has expanded by roughly 50%, after being left to burn for a week before full firefighting efforts began.
The Dragon Bravo Fire began on 4 July due to a lightning strike and has now grown to 8,570 acres (3,468 hectares), destroying the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and about 70 other structures, including staff housing and tourist cabins, according to fire officials.
Local media reports indicate that around 280 National Park Service employees have lost their homes in the fire.
The dry conditions, especially low moisture levels in the area’s ponderosa pine and fir forests, created ideal conditions for the blaze according to officials.
"It's just like perfect tinder-dry for a fire", said incident spokesperson Stefan La-Sky.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has called for an independent inquiry into why park officials allowed the fire to continue burning during the driest period of the year.
The National Park Service had initially implemented a "confine and contain" approach to reduce fuel loads and promote ecosystem health. However, after strong northwest winds on 11 July pushed the flames toward critical infrastructure, the strategy shifted to full suppression, according to the InciWeb wildfire database.
This marks the second time in two decades that a managed fire on the North Rim has spiralled out of control. In 2006, the Warm Fire also started by lightning was permitted to burn for weeks before winds caused it to surge, forcing evacuations of people from the area and ultimately burning 59,000 acres.
The North Rim will now remain closed for the rest of the 2025 season, with inner canyon trails and campgrounds also shut indefinitely.
However, the South Rim, which receives about five million visitors each year, remains open to the public.
The United Arab Emirate said it was dealing with missile and drone attacks from Iran for the second day in...
A blast at a fireworks factory in China's Hunan province has killed dozens of people and inj...
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’s planned visits to Yerevan and Baku framed the 8th European Political Community summit on 4 May, as Euro...
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has warned that global energy supply disruptions caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict are likely ...
One of the region’s largest defence and aerospace exhibitions has opened in Istanbul, bringing together companies, officials and industry exp...
A blast at a fireworks factory in China's Hunan province has killed dozens of people and injured more than 60, prompting President Xi Jinping to call for a thorough investigation, state media reported on Tuesday.
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has warned that global energy supply disruptions caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict are likely to persist.
One of the region’s largest defence and aerospace exhibitions has opened in Istanbul, bringing together companies, officials and industry experts from around the world.
The eighth European Political Community summit brought dozens of world leaders to Yerevan, signalling Europe’s deepening interest in the South Caucasus.
A 77-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman were killed on Monday (4 May), after a man drove a car into a crowd on a pedestrianised street in the the eastern German city of Leipzig, authorities said.
Iran warned Armerican forces on Monday (4 May) not to enter the Strait of Hormuz, after the U.S. said it had launched a mission to try and reopen the sea passage. Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister said there was no military solution to the Middle East conflict.
The United Arab Emirate said it was dealing with missile and drone attacks from Iran for the second day in a row on Tuesday (5 May), despite denials from authorities in Tehran who threatened a "crushing response" if the UAE retaliated.
Medics are working to evacuate two people with symptoms of the deadly respiratory illness, hantavirus, from a luxury cruise ship being held off West Africa, after three people died and several others fell ill, officials have said.
The steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art were transformed once again into the world's most prestigious runway for the 2026 Met Gala. This year’s theme, 'Costume Art,' invited guests to explore the intersection of nature, history, and the surreal under the official dress code 'Fashion Is Art'.
Destruction of the world's tropical forests eased in 2025 from a record high, a report showed on Wednesday, underscoring how decisive policy can help keep trees standing despite pressures from a warmer climate and expanding agricultural frontiers.
Kazakhstan has ratified a regional green energy agreement with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, signalling Central Asia’s ambition to become a key supplier of renewable energy to international markets.
China’s growing use of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles took centre stage at the Beijing Auto Show 2026, which opened on 24 April, highlighting the country’s expanding clean transport ambitions.
Global weather forecasters predict a strong El Niño will develop in the second half of 2026, bringing hotter, drier conditions to much of Asia while increasing rainfall in parts of North and South America.
Communities in Mexico have taken to the streets to protest against an ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that has killed wildlife and damaged coral reefs over several weeks.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment