PHOENIX — As crews continue working to fully suppress the Dragon Bravo Fire north of the Grand Canyon, one Arizona lawmaker is pushing for safe access to be restored to the North Rim of the national park.
U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly made the request in a letter sent to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and U.S. National Parks Service Director Jessica Bowron on Wednesday.
“The toll on Arizona communities has been severe,” Kelly said in the letter. “Arizona communities such as Jacob Lake, Fredonia, Marble Canyon, Page and the Navajo Nation all depend on recreation-driven tourism tied to Grand Canyon National Park and surrounding public lands.”
These areas typically welcome 5 million visitors each year who create an economic impact of about $1 billion, according to Kelly.
“This year, many of these communities lost their peak season, and with the North Rim closed for the rest of 2025, their recovery hangs in the balance,” Kelly said.
Areas Sen. Mark Kelly wants reopened on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
While Kelly understands that many areas along the North Rim are too dangerous to be reopened at this time, he is asking for access to be restored to the following areas:
- The Cape Royal Overlook.
- The Imperial Point Overlook.
- The Bright Angel Trail.
- The North Kaibab Trail.
- The South Kaibab Trail.
He said these areas are “cornerstones of the Grand Canyon experience,” and restoring access will help communities north of the Grand Canyon “stabilize and rebuild.”
To accomplish this, Kelly is asking the Department of the Interior and the National Parks Service to send staff and resources to Arizona to “accelerate the safe reopening” of the North Rim.
“My office stands ready to support your agency in restoring access to these national treasures as quickly as possible in order to expedite the recovery of the communities whose livelihoods depend on them,” Kelly said.
A day after his request, the National Parks Service announced that all fire restrictions on the Kaibab National Forest have been lifted.
The Thursday announcement said Grand Canyon National Park has also returned to Stage 1 fire restrictions.
How large is the Dragon Bravo Fire on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon?
Since being ignited by lightning on July 4, the Dragon Bravo Fire has burned more than 145,500 acres, making it the seventh-largest wildfire in Arizona history.
Work toward full suppression is still underway, as containment was listed at 80% on Thursday’s incident report.
More than 100 structures were severely damaged or destroyed by the fire, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.
A Burned Area Emergency Response team is in the area evaluating the full impact of the damage caused by the Dragon Bravo Fire, along with the threats to life and property that remain in the area.
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