An infuriated wildfire near North Rim in the Grand Canyon prompted evacuation, air quality concerns and closure of North Rim in the national park.
The White Sage fire began on July 9th when lightning struck during a thunderstorm, according to the Bureau of Land Management. Later on July 11, 10,973 acres were burned, with 0% included. The fire was located 15 miles southeast of Fredonia, Arizona, and was moving towards Lake Jacob, officials said.
The National Park Service said that authorities evacuated about 500 visitors from North Rim in the Grand Canyon on July 10th. The evacuation was extended on July 11th, with a vast block of land north of the Grand Canyon providing the following boundary: It is part of USA Today, according to the Utah border in the south, House Rock Valley Road/Buffalo Ranch Road in the east, Kaibab National Forest in the west and Arizona Replick. This region is in “GO” status. This means that all residents and visitors must leave immediately.
“All visitors have left the area and park employees and residents continue to evacuate,” Grand Canyon NP said.
Another fire burning on the north edge of the Grand Canyon, Dragon Bravo Fire, burned 1,500 acres and contained 0%. It began on July 4th as a result of another lightning strike, officials said. The evacuation order was also issued to residents of North Rim, near Dragon Bravo Fire.
“North Rim will remain closed to all visitors’ use until further notice to support fire operations and to ensure public safety of this fire and the nearby white sage fire,” the National Park Service said in a July 11 statement.
Smoke can be seen from the southern edge of the park, and the National Park Service urged visitors to monitor air quality conditions.
The extreme fire weather was helping the White Sage fire grow rapidly, officials said. The Tuesday was “a huge run” on the afternoon of July 10th. It helps to spread “unstable” winds and low humidity from 15-20 mph per hour. “As long as hot and refreshing local conditions remain, the risk of fire will rise,” according to a forecaster for the National Weather Service’s office in Flagstaff.
cOn Tribing: Austin Corona, Republic of Arizona
