Historic Grand Canyon Lodge destroyed by wildfire, Canadian fires smoke hits Upper Midwest

A fire near the Grand Canyon in Arizona has destroyed dozens of structures, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and a water treatment facility, which caused a chlorine gas leak that forced firefighters to evacuate.

Two wildfires are burning at or near the North Rim, known as the White Sage Fire and the Dragon Bravo Fire. The latter is the one that impacted the lodge and other structures.

Map shows where fires are burning near Grand Canyon

(Map shows locations of the White Sage Fire and Dragon Bravo Fire near the Grand Canyon in Arizona on July 14, 2025.)

The Dragon Bravo Fire "exhibited extreme and volatile fire behavior" and expanded to about 5,000 acres, fire managers said Sunday. It was fueled by up to 40 mph wind gusts but firefighters were able to slow the fire's progression using aerial drops of flame retardant.

Approximately 50 to 80 structures have been lost, including National Park Service administrative buildings and visitor facilities. Photos posted to social media by officials on Sunday showed structures near the Grand Canyon Lodge — the only lodging inside the park at the North Rim — burned to the ground.

The Grand Canyon Lodge was often the first prominent feature that visitors saw, even before viewing the canyon. A highway ends at the lodge, which was known for its sloped roof, huge ponderosa beams and massive limestone facade.

Aramark, the company that operated the lodge, said all employees and guests were safely evacuated.

"As stewards of some our country's most beloved national treasures, we are devastated by the loss," said spokesperson Debbie Albert.

(A firefighter stands near smoldering debris and active flames amid the charred remains of a burned structure near the Grand Canyon Lodge. Grand Canyon National Park posted the photo on Facebook on July 13, 2025.)

An original lodge burned down from a kitchen fire in 1932, four years after construction was completed, according to the Grand Canyon Historical Society. The redesigned lodge, using the original stonework, opened in 1937.

Thomas Sulpizio, president of the historical society, said the lodge contained some valuable archives that he wasn't sure were saved.

The lobby also contained a famous 600-pound bronze statue of a donkey named "Brighty the Burro."

"Arizona lost more than a historic lodge, it lost a piece of our state history," said Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego in a message posted on social media.

Gallego said he was devastated by the loss and backed a call by state Gov. Katie Hobbs for "a comprehensive, independent investigation into the handling of fire and the rationale for treating it as a controlled burn — especially as Arizona experiences the driest, hardest part of summer," adding: "I will do my part on the federal level to get answers."

Park Superintendent Ed Keable told park residents, staff and others in a meeting Sunday morning that the visitor center, the gas station, a waste water treatment plant, an administrative building and some employee housing were among the structures lost. Numerous historic cabins in the area also were destroyed, the park said.

(A firefighter stands near smoldering debris and active flames amid the charred remains of burned structures near the Grand Canyon Lodge.)

Fire personnel had to evacuate from critical zones, officials said, as "the use of aerial retardant was not feasible" due to the chlorine gas leak, the National Park Service said.

Chlorine gas is heavier than air, meaning it can settle into lower elevations such as the inner canyon and pose a health risk to fire personnel and hikers, according to the park service.

Parts of the park are closed, and all Colorado River trips have been instructed to bypass Phantom Ranch, which has a set of cabins and dormitories along the river and is over 200 miles south of the Dragon Bravo Fire.

No injuries or loss of life have been reported, fire managers said.

White Sage Fire

Meanwhile, the White Sage Fire located in Kaibab National Forest has forced hundreds to evacuate as it doubled in size on Sunday. It has scorched over 40,000 acres and hasn't been contained, according to authorities.

Fire lines on the White Sage Fire were holding, officials said Sunday.

Both fires in Arizona are believed to have been started by lightning, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

(Smoke plume over the Grand Canyon on July 11, 2025.)

Canadian wildfires' smoke blankets the Upper Midwest

An intensifying wildfire season also sees the return of Canadian wildfire smoke into the U.S. Parts of the Upper Midwest were dealing with swaths of unhealthy air because of drifting smoke.

Parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin were ranked unhealthy or unhealthy for sensitive groups for air quality Monday morning on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency map.

On Saturday, a part of North Dakota that is home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and other tourist attractions was ranked "very unhealthy," with some of the worst air quality in the nation.

(This photo taken by Joel Crane shows smoky skies July 11, 2025, near Medora, North Dakota.)

In Minnesota, "If you have a nice pork loin you can hang from a tree, it'll turn into ham," quipped Al Chirpich, owner of the Hideaway Resort near Detroit Lakes, where people come to enjoy tree-lined Island Lake for fishing and other water activities.

The conditions started Friday, dragging smoke from the Canadian wildfires down to the surface, said National Weather Service meteorologist Jennifer Ritterling, in Grand Forks. Periods of bad air quality are expected to last through the weekend in the region, she said.

Limiting time outdoors, keeping windows closed and running air purifiers are good ideas for people with lung conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and even healthy people, Ritterling said.

"Our summers up here are fairly short and so everyone wants to get out and enjoy them, and it's a little frustrating when there's this smoke in the air," she said.

Meanwhile, all of Manitoba is under a state of emergency because of the wildfires, which have led to 12,600 people evacuating their homes in the Canadian province. The fires in the central province have burned over 3,861 square miles, the most land burned in 30 years of electronic record-keeping.

Under 1,000 people have evacuated their homes in Saskatchewan, where wildfires also continue to burn.

National Weather Service warns of smoke, dangerous heat

Forecasters and national Arizona parks officials have been issuing warnings over dangerous weather conditions in the last few days as temperatures reach over 110 degrees.

"Not only is there dangerous heat at the lower levels of the Grand Canyon, but lots of smoke and high fire danger," NWS Flagstaff said on social media on Saturday. "Don't mess around."

A 67-year-old Texas man died while hiking in the Grand Canyon, the National Park Service said Wednesday.

The White Sage Fire also started Wednesday, and the Dragon Bravo Fire began on July 4, according to authorities.

(Firefighters put flame retardant on the White Sage Fire on July 10, 2025.)

More than 200 firefighters and support personnel worked to halt the uncontained fire Saturday as it burned across a high-altitude plateau between the communities of Lonesome, White Sage and Jacob Lake.

In Colorado, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park was closed because of a 4.4-square-mile wildfire burning on the South Rim of the park, known for its dramatic, steep cliffs. A few miles from the fire, an evacuation was ordered for the community of Bostwick Park, and a nearby highway was also shut.

The fires in and near both national parks led to evacuations of hundreds of people.

Chirpich, the Minnesota resort owner, said he has plans to go to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park on Thursday and is "a bit pensive about how that's going to be there."

"I'm going to leave one smokehouse for another, I guess," he said.