Fire Rages At The Grand Canyon After Nearly 150,000 Acres Burned Last Year

A wildfire caused by lightning is raging done Grand Canyon National Park, precisely a twelvemonth aft a megafire burned astir 150,000 acres.

The Cliff Spring Fire began beneath nan North Rim of nan parkland Tuesday and was burning done grass, brush, pinyon conifer and juniper, the National Park Service said.

The occurrence was zero percent contained arsenic of Tuesday night, and had burned done an estimated 171 acres, parkland officials said. Officials had not shared an update arsenic of Wednesday afternoon.

There are presently nary way aliases area closures arsenic a consequence of nan fire, but nan parkland has temporarily stopped issuing permits for trips successful nan Walhalla Plateau area arsenic firefighters conflict nan adjacent blaze.

“Resources assigned see 1 U.S. Wildland Fire Service engine, 1 cooperating motor and a USWFS helicopter. Firefighters are presently utilizing a nonstop extinguishment strategy done chopper bucket drops,” nan parkland officials said.

Crews are moving chiefly from supra because nan occurrence is located successful steep, inaccessible terrain to limit occurrence dispersed while keeping unit safe.

“Visitors whitethorn spot fume successful nan area arsenic firefighters proceed suppression efforts. Fire activity, upwind and operational needs tin alteration rapidly, and visitors should beryllium prepared for changing conditions,” nan parks leader warned.

The Independent has contacted nan National Parks Service for much information.

The Grand Canyon North Rim reopened connected May 15 aft remaining closed for months pursuing nan devastating Dragon Bravo Fire, an aggravated blaze that ravaged 149,399 acres from July 4, 2025, done September 29, 2025.

About a week aft lightning sparked nan Dragon Bravo Fire, upwind conditions caused nan blaze to detonate into thousands of acres. Within a week, nan occurrence spanned complete 5,000 acres and destroyed dozens of buildings, including nan iconic century-old Grand Canyon Lodge.

Earlier this year, nan Secretary of nan Interior Doug Burgum, who oversees nan parks service, said that mismanagement allowed nan Dragon Bravo Fire to pain retired of control.

“In retrospect an attack of suppression versus containment mightiness person saved hundreds of millions of dollars of historical properties,” Burgum said successful April, according to KJZZ.

It took 3 months for nan occurrence to beryllium contained. In that time, it grew to go nan seventh-largest wildfire successful Arizona history, and nan largest wildfire successful nan U.S. past year.