A wildfire that tore through a historic Grand Canyon Lodge​ had been allowed to burn for days before erupting over the weekend, raising questions about federal officials' decision not to aggressively attack it right away.

"We were just short on resources, didn't have enough people, enough aircraft to get there and, you know, effectively fight the fire," said Stanley in a phone interview, speaking of his first night working on the fire as part of an air attack crew.

A wildfire that destroyed a historic Grand Canyon lodge is continuing to spread out of control after it had been allowed to burn for days.

The Grand Canyon Lodge was the park's one and only hotel, according the National Park Service, with the next nearest lodgings roughly 18 miles away.

The fire on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon started from a lightning strike but was managed as a controlled burn until it spread.

A fast-moving wildfire destroyed Grand Canyon Lodge and forced the full closure of the North Rim for the rest of summer 2025. Popular inner-canyon trails and campgrounds, including Phantom Ranch, are also shut down with no reopening date announced.

The visitor center and a wastewater treatment plant were among the 50 to 80 structures lost, the park superintendent said. The area was evacuated Thursday.

A water treatment facility at the North Rim had been compromised by the fire, causing chlorine gas to fall towards the bottom of the canyon.