by Credit: Reuters
A running fire at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon spread quickly and destroyed at least 50 buildings in the region.
Firefighters are working on containing the flame that broke out on July 4 and has so far destroyed a historic lodge and a visitor center.
In the middle of the running fire, access to the North Rim was restricted. The area of the park, which is isolated and attracts fewer visitors, remains closed for the rest of the year.
The Grand Canyon Lodge, the only place of residence in the North Rim of the Park, was paved into the fire. The historic building was operated as a hotel and cabin complex.
The building is known for its historic limestone facade, the wooden beams and the comprehensive view of the canyon.
A number of huts, employees and a sewage treatment plant were also destroyed, said Ed Keable, a park superintendent, on Sunday.
Black smoke clouds were depicted that climbed over the walls of the canyon, which is one of seven miracles in the world.
Firefighters and hikers in the region had to briefly evacuate the fear of a potential exposure to chlorine gas according to the treatment system.
The initial fire was triggered by lightning on July 4, but grew quickly due to hot temperatures, low humidity and strong gusts of wind on 7.8 square miles (20 square kilometers), said firefighters.
Katie Hobbs, the Governor of Arizona, asked a federal investigation by the decision of the National Park Service not to start the fire aggressively than it broke out.
“Arizonans earn answers how this fire was allowed to decimate the Grand Canyon National Park,” said the governor.
No injuries were reported, but 50 to 80 structures have been lost, said the park superintendent.
Almost five million people visited the Grand Canyon in 2024, but most people tour the South Rim of the National Park.
