See how fire along Grand Canyon's North Rim grew
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The lightning-caused wildfire that consumed roughly 70 structures seemed unremarkable for days. High winds changed that.
Gov. Katie Hobbs said that once the Dragon Bravo Fire — one of the wildfires burning north of the Grand Canyon — is under control, the decision-making process for how the fire was handled needs to be looked at.
All wood-burning and charcoal fires, such as campfires and charcoal barbecues, are prohibited. In addition, visitors and residents can only use liquid petroleum appliances like stoves, lanterns or heating devices in an empty area or one that doesn’t have flammable materials within three feet.
Meteorologists are key to fire management, and the Dragon Bravo Fire didn’t have one on scene until Monday, several days after the damage was done.
Republic photographer Michael Chow captured the wildfire in a time-lapse video taken July 14 from the Canyon's South Rim. Chow set up his camera on a tripod, pointed it at the smoke, hoping it cleared at some point and and shot a photo every four seconds for 4 1/2 hours.
A group of bipartisan lawmakers and officials have called for an investigation into how the Dragon Bravo Fire was able to grow and destroy dozens of structures, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.
A wildfire in tinder-dry forest on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon grew around 50% on Tuesday after it destroyed dozens of buildings, prompting public outrage that it was left to burn for a week before firefighters tried to fully extinguish it.
The congressman is the latest lawmaker asking why the Dragon Bravo fire was not immediately extinguished when it was ignited by lightning on July 4.