National wildfire policy has changed significantly over the past century. After the “Big Burn” of Idaho and Montana in 1910, federal fire officials treated all fires as an enemy and instituted a “10 a.m.” rule seeking to snuff them out within a morning of spotting them.

What fueled the explosive growth of the Dragon Bravo Fire was a mix of gusty winds, dry air and above-normal heat – weather conditions experts described as atypical for this time of year, when monsoonal moisture typically tamps down wildfire risk across Arizona.

“The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is like another world,” said Ethan Aumack, executive director of the Grand Canyon Trust, who has fond memories of skiing through the woods to the rim after the lone road that leads there closes for the winter. “It feels like a much more personal place.”

The Grand Canyon Lodge was the park's one and only hotel, according the National Park Service, with the next nearest lodgings roughly 18 miles away.

Wildfires burning at or near the Grand Canyon's North Rim are still raging as strong winds, high heat and low humidity persist.

The National Park Service is defending its handling of a lightning-sparked wildfire that destroyed the nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge and dozens of

The National Park Service is defending its decisions regarding letting the Dragon Bravo Fire burn before it got out of control.

A wildfire burning in Grand Canyon National Park triggered a chlorine gas leak Friday afternoon after flames reached a water treatment facility.