Parts of Grand Canyon in western U.S. remain closed due to growing wildfires

13/7/2025 12:11

Parts of Grand Canyon National Park, a popular natural wonder in the western United States, remained closed on Saturday due to two growing wildfires that have prompted the Park Service to evacuate hundreds of visitors.



Park officials said in a statement, "The North Rim of the park remains closed until further notice to support firefighting operations and ensure public safety for the Dragon Bravo fire and the nearby White Sage Fire."



They added, "Smoke is expected to remain visible from the South Rim, and air quality conditions may vary depending on fire behavior and wind patterns."



According to InciWeb, an interagency all-risk incident web information management system provided by the United States Forest Service, the White Sage Fire, started Wednesday evening following a thunderstorm that moved through the area, has expanded to over 76.9 square km with zero-percent containment as of Saturday morning.



An update on the website said, large fire growth has been observed and can be expected to continue.



Officials said Friday on Facebook that Grand Canyon staff safely evacuated approximately 500 guests from the North Rim due to the White Sage Fire, adding that "all visitors have left the area, and park employees and residents remain sheltering in place."