Huge wildfire engulfs Grand Canyon destroying historic lodge and 80 buildings

Firefighters and hikers fled for their lives as a huge wildfire engulfed dozens of buildings in the Grand Canyon.

The Grand Canyon Lodge, the only lodging where people can sleep inside the natural wonder at the North Rim, was consumed by the flames, park rangers confirmed on Sunday.

Superintendent Ed Keable said the visitor center, the gas station, a waste water treatment plant, an administrative building and some employee housing were among the 50 to 80 structures lost.

‘Numerous’ historic cabins in the area also were destroyed, the park said.

Two wildfires are burning at or near the North Rim, known as the White Sage Fire and the Dragon Bravo Fire.

No injuries have been reported.

Millions of people visit Grand Canyon National Park annually, with most going to the more popular South Rim. The North Rim is open seasonally.

It was evacuated last Thursday because of wildfire, and will remain closed for the rest of the season, the park said in a statement.

Firefighters at the North Rim and hikers in the inner canyon were evacuated over the weekend. The park said along with the fire risk, they could potentially be exposed to chlorine gas after the treatment plant burned. Chlorine gas is heavier than air and can lead to blurred vision, irritation or respiratory problems if high amounts of it are breathed in, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Grand Canyon Lodge was often the first prominent feature that visitors see, even before viewing the canyon. A highway ends at the lodge, which was known for its sloped roof, huge ponderosa beams and massive limestone facade. By walking across the lobby and descending a stairwell, visitors could get their first view of the Grand Canyon shining through windows across the ‘Sun Room.’

‘It just feels like you’re a pioneer when you walk through there (the lodge),’ said Tim Allen, a longtime resident of Flagstaff, Arizona, and yearly visitor to the Grand Canyon. ‘It really felt like you were in a time gone by.’

Allen said the North Rim felt special and more personal because of its remoteness and reduced number of tourists. He often spent time there camping and doing rim-to-rim hikes, trekking all the way to the bottom of the canyon and back out.

‘It’s heartbreaking,’ he said of the destruction caused by the fire.

Meanwhile more heavy rains in Texas paused a weeklong search for victims of catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River and led to high-water rescues elsewhere.

It was the first time a new round of severe weather had paused the search since the July Fourth floods, which killed at least 129 people. Authorities believe more than 160 people may still be missing in Kerr County.