Beloved Piece of Grand Canyon History Miraculously Survives Deadly Wildfires

The Dragon Bravo Fire has continued to wreak havoc across the Grand Canyon region in Arizona, but one famous piece of American history is still intact, at least somewhat. The statue of Brighty the Burro miraculously survived the wildfire that overtook the Grand Canyon Lodge, destroying everything else in its wake. 

As the dust settled around the Grand Canyon North Rim, the Grand Canyon Historical Society shared in a Facebook post the remnants of the bronze statue of Brighty. "This is believed to be Brighty," the post read, "who did experience some significant damage." 

In the photo, a large hole is seen at the bottom of Brighty's belly. The Grand Canyon Historical Society claims that it is just the insertion for the pedestal the the statue sat on. "Most of his body looks intact," it says, "but with legs broken off. His face is fine." 

The statue represents a real donkey that lived at the Grand Canyon in the late 1800s to early 1900s. His tale was told in the 1953 children's book Brighty of the Grand Canyon as well as a film released in 1967. The year prior, as the film was being made, a 600-pound statue of Brighty was erected at the Grand Canyon Lodge in 1966. 

Since then, the statue has become a beloved part of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. When the Grand Canyon Lodge was destroyed in early July 2025, many feared that the Brighty the Burro statue suffered the same fate. 

The Dragon Bravo fire has not yet been fully contained, and other wildfires continue to break out in Coconino County. The fire around the Grand Canyon destroyed around 80 structures including a water treatment facility that caused a toxic gas leak, but it appears to have spared Brighty.