Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs on Saturday toured the destruction caused by a wildfire along the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, surveying what she described as devastating damage,
Hobbs called for an investigation into the handling of the blaze.
The governor, who sought to gather information ahead of her meetings with federal officials next week, looked intently out the window as the Black Hawk helicopter she was riding snaked over the Grand Canyon. White smoke emerged from the North Rim, and most of the Grand Canyon Lodge was whittled to a bare skeleton, though some of the building appeared intact from overhead. Some surrounding trees were no more than charred toothpicks on the ashen land. Whiffs of smoky air passed through the helicopter.
The wildfire was sparked by a lightning strike on July 4. The National Park Service four days later said it was being allowed to burn to benefit the land as part of a “confine and contain” strategy that the Grand Canyon National Park has leaned on for decades to clear dense vegetation, minimize future risk and make the ecosystem more resilient.
But a week after the ignition, blustery winds, hot temperatures and lower humidity quickly intensified the flames, prompting officials to shift their efforts to aggressive suppression and order evacuations. The blaze has charred more than 18 square miles (46 square kilometers). As of Saturday, it is eight percent contained.
No injuries had been reported, but the wildfire on the canyon’s less-frequented North Rim destroyed more than 70 structures, including a visitors center, historic cabins and the nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge.
After touching ground, Hobbs visited the incident command post for the Dragon Bravo fire. Lined with trailers and dotted with yurts and tents, the fire camp currently houses more than 800 personnel who have come from various federal, state and local entities and independent contracting vendors to help fire suppression efforts. The camp functions similar to a tiny town.
She shook hands with members of the crew in the mess hall and met with officials including those from Grand Canyon National Park, the Department of Interior and the National Park Service. She said she was encouraged to hear that mitigation is a priority for the federal government.
“This is federal jurisdiction, but fire doesn’t know that boundary, and we all have to work together,” Hobbs said.
The governor has called for an investigation into why the park service did not immediately put out the flames during the hottest and driest period of Arizona’s summer. Bipartisan members of Arizona’s congressional delegation also have questioned the decision.
Hobbs said she is not second-guessing the decision to use the “confine and contain” strategy at the outset of the fire.
“I think we need to look at, after we get this fire managed, what went into the decision making and if there what were missteps, how we learn from that,” she said Saturday.
The park service has defended its actions.
Hobbs will meet with leadership in the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior about their decisions in managing the wildfire this upcoming week.
She said in a video statement Wednesday that she hasn’t seen any indication that a lack of federal resources are to blame for any problems.
Last month, President Donald Trump ordered government officials to consolidate wildland firefighting into a single program, despite warnings from former federal officials that it could be costly and increase the risk of catastrophic blazes.
The North Rim is closed for the rest of the season along with a pair of campgrounds near the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon.
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