AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Grand Canyon National Park lost an iconic landmark hotel in a wildfire over the weekend. Now, Arizona's governor is calling for an investigation into the federal response to the fire, which she says was not aggressive enough. Ryan Heinsius from member station KNAU joins us now from Flagstaff, Arizona. Hi, Ryan.
RYAN HEINSIUS, BYLINE: Hello, Ailsa.
CHANG: OK, so let's start with this building that was lost. Can you just tell us more about this hotel?
HEINSIUS: Yeah, the Grand Canyon Lodge opened in 1937 after the original structure was also destroyed by fire. It was the only hotel located inside the national park on the more remote North Rim, which gets far fewer visitors than the South Rim that many people are familiar with. Imagine this classic, rustic lodge made from ponderosa pine logs and limestone rockwork. It was also beloved for the amazing views of the Grand Canyon and famous for its massive porch with rows of chairs where people would just sit in awe. The lodge was a national historic landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places and was a hallowed place for thousands of locals and visitors. Many people here in northern Arizona are in a state of mourning today.
CHANG: It's heartbreaking. OK, so wait - the lightning that started this fire was on July 4, which was over a week ago. And I guess I have two questions, then. How did the National Park Service initially respond, and how did the fire reach the lodge?
HEINSIUS: Yeah, the Dragon Bravo Fire, as it's called, initially grew slowly, and fire officials decided to manage it, which essentially means to let it burn in certain areas to consume forest fuels that might contribute to future wildfires. But late last week, the weather shifted dramatically, as heavy winds and dry conditions caused the fire to explode to more than 5,000 acres. It prompted officials to evacuate the North Rim, and the fire eventually burned more than 70 structures. It also destroyed a park water treatment plant which was - which released chlorine gas, and Grand Canyon officials say that meant they could only drop water on the fire and not fire retardant. We don't know if that hampered their ability to save the lodge.
CHANG: OK. Well, yesterday, the governor, Katie Hobbs, who's a Democrat, she called for an independent investigation into the federal response. And I understand that, in particular, she wanted investigators to look at why managers chose to treat this fire as a prescribed burn during the hottest and driest parts of the summer. What more can you tell us about that?
HEINSIUS: Yeah, Governor Hobbs wants a report detailing the decisions that were made that led to what she called a devastating damage to a cherished area. We reached out to the governor today for more on her concerns, but haven't yet heard back. And one of our reporters was actually at Grand Canyon National Park today and asked about the governor's concerns. Officials there told him that they stand behind their management decisions, which were based on the best available science.
CHANG: OK. Well, I guess the question now is, is there ongoing danger to the park from the fire? Like, could it impact the South Rim, which, as you said, is where the majority of the millions of visitors go, right?
HEINSIUS: Exactly. You know, the South Rim is only 10 miles away as the crow flies, but that's - keep in mind - 10 miles of rugged canyon. So the...
CHANG: Right.
HEINSIUS: The main impact there is smoke now. Down in the Canyon itself, though, some famous trails have been closed. That includes the North and South Kaibab Trails and the lower portion of the Bright Angel Trail. Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon is also closed. It's a handful of cabins that's a primary stop for backpackers and Colorado River trips. The North Rim, where this fire started, will remain closed for the rest of the season. And despite all of the damage so far, firefighters are still facing heavy winds, dry conditions and extreme fire behavior in a really amazing area.
CHANG: That is Ryan Heinsius from KNAU in Flagstaff. Thank you, Ryan.
HEINSIUS: Thank you, Ailsa.
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