Partial blue skies in the morning allowed many park visitors to ignore fires on the North Rim. By afternoon, ashfall made for a different story.

A wildfire has forced the Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim to close for the rest of the 2025 season and destroyed the lodge located in the park, a historic landmark, the National Park Service said.

The Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim was destroyed by the Dragon Bravo wildfire, which began with a lightning strike on July 4 and spread rapidly due to high winds. Arizona officials, including Democratic Sens.

A Grand Canyon water treatment facility located at the North Rim caught fire on Saturday, causing chlorine gas to be released into the air. Multiple closures are being enforced due to the incident.