The National Parks Service says that due to continuous fire activity and the damage caused to the key infrastructure, access to the northern edge of the Grand Canyon will remain closed for the rest of the season.
The Superintendent of the Grand Canyon National Park, Ed Keeble, informed the personnel and the residents that Grand Canyon Lodge, the only accommodation available in the North Rim, was destroyed by fire. The visiting center, the service station and the wastewater treatment plant were also lost.
The authorities confirmed that several historical cabins, employee housing and an administrative office were among the destroyed buildings.
Injuries have not been reported, since all residents and staff were evacuated before the propagation of the fire.
Two fires are active in or near the northern edge: the white sage fire and the Bravo Fire dragon. Dragon Bravo Fire is responsible for most of the damage. Originally it was handled as a controlled burn, but it was reclassified once it began to spread rapidly.
According to Arizona's family, Dragon Bravo Fire had burned more than 5,000 acres on Sunday morning. The teams are focusing their efforts on protecting the areas around the roaring springs and the transitions cannons.
The strong winds on Saturday night caused the fire to expand due to another 500 acres during the night. Fire equipment could not use aerial retarders due to a chlorine gas leak from the damaged treatment plant.
The authorities said that the fire in the installation of wastewater released chlorine gas, which caused the evacuation of firefighters and hikers of the inner cannon.
Marble Canyon, Lees Ferry residents and close parts of the Navajo nation that may notice the smell of chlorine have been informed. The gas, which is heavier than air, can be established in lower areas such as the inner cannon and can represent a health risk.
The Grand Canyon attracts millions of visitors every year, most of which go to the southern edge. The north edge usually opens during the warmer months.
“Another tragic reminder of why we must continue to invest in the resilience of forest fires at the federal and state level,” said representative Greg Stanton in a publication on social networks.
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