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

The Dragon Bravo Fire has burned more than 8,500 acres southeast of the Grand Canyon. The fire was sparked by lightning on July 4 and has destroyed dozens of structures on the North Rim, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.

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.

Abnormally dry, hot conditions near the Grand Canyon's North Rim allowed the Dragon Bravo Fire to grow rapidly.

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.

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.

Gov. Katie Hobbs questioned why the U.S. government decided to manage the Dragon Bravo fire, which started with a lightning strike, as a “controlled burn” during the height of the summer.