Grand Canyon, fire crews
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Fire crews allowed a fire to burn through brush on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. They they lost control.
The Dragon Bravo Fire left the historic North Rim Grand Canyon Lodge in ruins. Here's what those on the frontlines and who knew the park best said.
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TravelNoire on MSNHow Natural Causes And Human Factors Led To The Disastorous Grand Canyon FireA fast-moving wildfire is currently tearing through the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, forcing evacuations, shutting down major tourist areas and destroying one of the park’s most historic landmarks.
The Dragon Bravo Fire started burning on July 4, but grew out of control a week later because of strong winds and destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge.
The Grand Canyon Lodge was the park's one and only hotel, according the National Park Service, with the next nearest lodgings roughly 18 miles away.
U.S. land managers have long known that they have a problem on their hands with overgrown forests and persistent drought.
National wildfire policy has changed significantly over the past century. After the “Big Burn” of Idaho and Montana in 1910, federal fire officials treated all fires as an enemy and instituted a “10 a.m.” rule seeking to snuff them out within a morning of spotting them.
Some effects of Arizona's Dragon Bravo Fire are clear, but what's happened to wildlife may not be known until the flames die down.