Gov. Hobbs demands inquiry into federal response that led to Grand Canyon Lodge fire

Source: USA Today

July 3, 2025 | Updated July 14, 2025 12:55 a.m. ET


Gov. Katie Hobbs questioned the federal government's handling of the Dragon Bravo Fire, which destroyed numerous structures on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.

Officials opted to manage the wildfire, which started July 4, as a controlled burn rather than immediately extinguish it. The lightning-sparked fire had consumed between 50 and 80 structures and grown to 5,000 acres by July 13.

“I am incredibly saddened by the destruction of the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, and my heart goes out to every person impacted by the Dragon Bravo Fire near the Grand Canyon’s North Rim," Hobbs said in a statement. "As someone who was born and raised in Arizona, I know what the Grand Canyon National Park means to so many people, not just in Arizona, but all over the world, and how devastating it is to see this damage done to one of Arizona’s most cherished landmarks."

The lodge was the only hotel inside Grand Canyon National Park boundaries at the North Rim. Other lodging options near the main visitor hub of the North Rim are limited, with the closest more than a dozen miles further from the canyon's edge. Hobbs thanked the firefighters and first responders tasked with combating the blaze while calling for an independent investigation into the decision-making that resulted in devastation.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/local/arizona-breaking/2025/07/13/hobbs-inquiry-north-rim-fire/85145940007/