Crews fighting a wildfire that destroyed the nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge were focused Tuesday on stopping the flames from consuming nearby cabins, a water pumping station, mule stables and other structures,

The North Rim will be closed through the rest of the 2025 season, at least. That is a blow to small businesses around the Grand Canyon that rely on tourists in the summer. “It’s a lot to be trying to comprehend and to figure out what to do,” said Rich.

Authorities maintained the evacuation zones for the White Sage Fire north of the Grand Canyon as the fire grew expectantly.

The Dragon Bravo Fire has destroyed dozens of structures and a water treatment facility, and the White Sage Fire, located in Kaibab National Forest, has forced hundreds to evacuate.

The White Sage Fire was burning in Arizona bout 15 miles southeast of Fredonia in Coconino County and north of the Grand Canyon State Park.

In the last 24 hours, the fire jumped Highway 89A, a major corridor connecting the Grand Canyon’s North Rim to communities in southern Utah.

Highway closures and evacuations remain in effect as a wildfire burns more than 49,000 acres in Coconino County. It is one of two blazes raging at or near the northern rim of the Grand Canyon.

Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) questioned the federal government’s handling of the fires burning the Grand Canyon, which have spread rapidly and destroyed dozens of buildings. Two wildfires, the White Sage Fire and the Dragon Bravo Fire,