Firefighters are making significant strides in managing the ongoing threat posed by the Dragon Bravo Fire at the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. Despite the fire’s expansive reach of nearly 9,300 acres, emergency teams have succeeded in protecting a vital water pumphouse, crucial for the park’s water supply.
The Roaring Springs pumphouse, located 3,000 feet below the rim, remains out of reach of the flames, thanks to firefighting crews and aerial water drops coordinated by helicopter pilots. As Stefan La-Sky, spokesperson for the incident management team, explained, “When they’re working in conjunction with actually boots on the ground, they have visuals of each other, they can actually point the pilot in the right direction. So it just makes those water drops much more accurate and much more efficient. We gained a lot of good ground there.”
In addition to protecting critical infrastructure, over 500 firefighters are actively working on containing the fire and safeguarding other important sites, including a historic fire lookout tower. The blaze has already claimed 70 structures, including the Grand Canyon Lodge, during its rapid spread last weekend.
Due to the fire’s activity, the North Rim remains closed to visitors for the remainder of the season, affecting popular trails such as the lower Bright Angel and Phantom Ranch.
White Sage Fire Developments
In a separate incident, the White Sage Fire near Fredonia exhibits a modest 4% containment. Over 500 personnel are contending with challenging conditions, including high winds and active fire behavior, exacerbated by recent thunderstorms. Despite anticipated rainfall, officials believe the 53,000-acre fire will persist.
Located near Jacob Lake on the Kaibab Plateau, the White Sage Fire partially overlaps an area scarred by a 2020 wildfire. Evacuation orders stand for Jacob Lake, and Highway 89A remains closed. Firefighters are focusing on connecting containment lines to the highway and fortifying the fire’s southern boundary.
Where conditions permit, crews are actively working on extinguishing hotspots and mopping up within the fire’s perimeter to prevent further spread.
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