A wildfire that destroyed a historic Grand Canyon lodge is continuing to spread out of control after it had been allowed to burn for days.

A wildfire that tore through a historic Grand Canyon Lodge​ had been allowed to burn for days before erupting over the weekend, raising questions about federal officials' decision not to aggressively attack it right away.

The fire on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon started from a lightning strike but was managed as a controlled burn until it spread.

The latest on the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires. Plus, the trails, lodges, and campgrounds that are closed to visitors.

With the Grand Canyon Lodge lost to the wildfire, lodging options on the North Rim are less clear. Farther up Grand Canyon Highway is Kaibab Lodge, which has become a temporary base for firefighters and hasn’t yet been hit by the fires, owner Larry Innes said in an interview with a local CBS affiliate.

A fast-moving wildfire destroyed Grand Canyon Lodge and forced the full closure of the North Rim for the rest of summer 2025. Popular inner-canyon trails and campgrounds, including Phantom Ranch, are also shut down with no reopening date announced.

Wildfires can burn and spread differently depending on what vegetation they burn. The two fires in northern Arizona have varied landscapes. Ponderosa pine trees grow near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and can live for hundreds of years.