Grand Canyon fire that was left to burn swells 50% after destroying historic lodge

Smoke rises as the Dragon Bravo Fire burns on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, as people wait to watch the sunrise at Mather Point on the canyon's South Rim, Arizona, U.S. July 15, 2025. REUTERS/David Swanson

(Reuters) -A wildfire in tinder-dry forest on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon grew around 50% on Tuesday after it destroyed dozens of buildings, prompting public outrage that it was left to burn for a week before firefighters tried to fully extinguish it.

The so-called Dragon Bravo Fire swelled to 8,570 acres (3,468 hectares) after burning the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and 70 other structures, including tourist cabins and park staff housing over the weekend, a spokesperson for the incident team said.