Arizona officials question the federal government's handling of the Grand Canyon wildfire. Image: Yahoo.
(The Post News)– A wildfire at Grand Canyon National Park continues to spread, prompting concerns over the federal government’s management strategy. The Dragon Bravo fire, ignited by a lightning strike on July 4, has grown to over 5,700 acres, destroying structures and shutting down trails.
Arizona’s governor, Katie Hobbs, and US Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly have criticized the decision to manage the fire as a controlled burn. They argue that this approach has led to significant damage and risk to public safety and are calling for an independent investigation.
Governor Hobbs stated that the federal government’s decision to manage the fire as a controlled burn during the hottest part of the summer was questionable. She emphasized the need for intense oversight and scrutiny into the government’s emergency response, calling for aggressive action to contain the fire.
In a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Senators Gallego and Kelly demanded an analysis of the factors that led to the decision to treat the fire as a controlled burn. They expressed concern that this approach has damaged thousands of acres, risked public health and safety, and destroyed landmarks like the Grand Canyon Lodge.
The National Park Service uses controlled burns as a tool to manage fire risk, reducing fuel loads and promoting healthy ecosystems. These burns are carefully planned, taking into account factors like weather, fuels, and environment. The Dragon Bravo fire was initially managed for resource objectives, allowing it to play a natural role in the ecosystem while limiting its spread. However, the fire grew rapidly and jumped control lines, prompting a shift in strategy.
The Park Service explained that naturally ignited wildfires can be beneficial in fire-dependent ecosystems. However, the situation changed as the fire grew and control became more challenging. Stefan La-Sky, a spokesman for the incident management team, emphasized the importance of careful planning in controlled burns. He noted that many forests are overgrown, making controlled burns a necessary tool for managing fire risk.
La-Sky has experience with prescribed burns, including a project in New Mexico that got out of control in 2022. He acknowledged the sensitivity of controlled burns in forest management. The Dragon Bravo fire remains uncontrolled, with 295 firefighters working to contain it. The team described the fire activity as “high to extreme,” and forecasters predict worsening conditions due to dry thunderstorms and high winds.
The National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday showed an area of dry thunderstorms and high winds, which could affect the Dragon Bravo fire and another nearby fire, the White Sage fire. The White Sage fire, which started after a thunderstorm on July 9, had grown to over 49,000 acres by Monday, adding to the region’s wildfire challenges.
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