A wildfire destroyed a historic lodge at the Grand Canyon's North Rim and some political leaders want to know if the fire was mismanaged. One fire expert said officials should approach policy changes carefully because controlled burns are still critical to forest health.

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.

Crews fighting a wildfire were focused on stopping the flames from consuming nearby cabins, a water pumping station, mule stables and other structures, fire officials said.

Lightning started the Dragon Bravo Fire on July 4, 2025. The fire was burning in the ponderosa pine forest within the northern national park boundaries, consuming 5,000 acres. The entire North Rim of the Grand Canyon was closed. The fire had burned between 50 and 80 structures on the North Rim, according to park officials.