A wildfire in tinder-dry forest on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon grew around 50% on Tuesday after it destroyed dozens of buildings, prompting public outrage that it was left to burn for a week before firefighters tried to fully extinguish it.

The fire that burned for days on the North Rim of Grand Canyon before it became uncontrollable was "expertly handled," the National Park Service 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.