The Interior Department on Wednesday defended the initial handling of the still-uncontrolled Dragon Bravo Fire that destroyed a beloved lodge at the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.
Arizona’s senators and governor have raised sharp questions about the firefighting response from the National Park Service — including whether the agency earlier this month essentially handled the fire as a “controlled burn” until it rapidly expanded late last week.
“Some have chosen to politicize this situation while firefighters are still out there risking their lives. That’s shameful,” Interior spokesperson J. Elizabeth Peace said in a statement. “Our wildland firefighters are among the best in the world and will always prioritize life and safety over infrastructure.”
The Dragon Bravo Fire at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon began with a lightning strike late in the afternoon of July 4, growing to 9,289 acres and remaining 0 percent contained as of late Wednesday morning. A total of 529 personnel from multiple agencies were involved in the firefight that’s shaped in large part by the weather, said Stefan La-Sky, a spokesperson for the federal multi-agency team managing the fire.
