GRAND CANYON — The Dragon Bravo Fire at the Upper Rim of the Grand Canyon is now 80% contained and estimated at 145,504 acres. Teams have focused on removal of debris along roadways that pose hazards to the public.
Current Situation: Firefighters continue to make steady progress in the suppression repair efforts for the Dragon Bravo Fire. Each new shift, crews complete more crucial repair tasks that align with the suppression repair standards agreed upon by the resource advisors and the agencies. The goal of this phase is to eliminate safety hazards and return the land to as much of a pre-fire status as possible. Over the past several weeks, 37 miles of dozer line have been repaired, 2 miles of hand line rehabilitated, and 48 miles of road systems have been thoroughly inspected and completed to support recovery efforts.
One of the largest missions has been the removal of fire-weakened and hazardous trees along the roadways throughout the fire area. These trees pose a huge threat to the public and create major access issues when they fall unexpectedly. Over the past several days, the Highway 67 corridor has been cleared of all hazardous trees and crews are now working to finalize the chipping and removal of remaining slash material and timber. This critical mission on the main artery into the North Rim has been a massive undertaking which has been a coordinated effort between crews, heavy equipment and hauling convoys. On average, 20-30 truckloads of these downed trees are cleared daily and taken to various staging locations that can accommodate such large amounts of timber while not impacting the public.
Today, crews focusing on repairing and restoring the land and roadways affected by Dragon Bravo Fire will continue their work throughout the fire footprint. This effort will be split between two divisions: North and South. In the north, crews will continue to address and remove hazardous trees along the road system east of Highway 67, as well as on the 611 road. In the south, hand fallers have started their assessments and work along the Cape Royal Road, and now heavy machinery, previously committed to clearing Highway 67, will move east and continue the fallers’ work – thus beginning the next stage of hazard tree removal and road repair. A third division, dedicated to fire suppression, will patrol the perimeter of the fire to ensure that it does not extend beyond its existing boundaries. Air support, including two dedicated helicopters, remains available to assist firefighters if necessary.
Weather: Monsoon moisture will surge further north into the region today. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop by early this afternoon. The main threat from these storms will be lightning and strong outflow wind gusts. There is also a low potential for localized flash flooding and debris flows today if storms persist over the burn scar area. Monsoon moisture will peak Friday into Saturday, with thunderstorms likely each day.
Forest Closures & Restrictions: Information regarding the highway closures can be found at azdot.gov/projects/current- road-restrictions. For detailed information about Kaibab National Forest closures and restrictions visit: fs.usda.gov/r03/kaibab. The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park will remain closed for the duration of the 2025 season. For additional information about closures on Grand Canyon National Park visit: nps.gov/grca/northrimstatus.htm. Coconino County Fire Restriction information can be found at coconino.az.gov/firerestrictions.
