Blaze Engulfs Historic Lodge on North Rim of Grand Canyon, Criticism Erupts

A wildfire has ravaged the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, consuming the historic lodge and up to 80 structures. Amidst the destruction, criticism intensifies over the National Park Service's initial decision not to aggressively combat the flames.

Governor Katie Hobbs of Arizona has demanded a thorough investigation into how the federal government managed the blaze, ignited by lightning on July 4. Originally adopting a 'confine and contain' strategy, firefighters were later forced to switch to 'full suppression' as the fire quickly spread due to strong winds.

While the Department of the Interior aims to justify the approach based on real-time data and fire science, the fire's devastation, along with the larger White Sage Fire nearby, has brought renewed scrutiny to wildfire management practices.

(With inputs from agencies.)