A month after a wildfire erupted at the edge of the Grand Canyon, US firefighters were struggling Monday, August 4, to bring the blaze under control. A lightning strike on July 4 – Independence Day in the United States – sparked a fire that spread rapidly on the northern rim of the canyon, a major draw for domestic and international tourists.
The Dragon Bravo Fire – named after the Dragon rock formation near the conflagration's start – was initially allowed to burn unabated as part of a natural cycle that thins vegetation and renews the landscape. But a week later, strong winds whipped through Arizona and fanned the fire, pushing it through a major hotel, as well as the North Rim Visitor Center and some guest cabins. A nearby water treatment plant was also damaged, venting chlorine gas into the environment.
The blaze, which now stands at over 123,000 acres (50,000 hectares), is being actively fought with more than 1,000 personnel on site, battling the flames from the air and from the ground. "Yesterday, crews patrolled and monitored the east and west flanks of the fire," said a Monday update from incident commanders. "Despite relative humidities as low as 4% they were able to hold the fire's growth to a minimum. "In the southwest part of the fire, crews were able to go directly on the fire. Last night, they walked sections of the perimeter searching for signs of heat, a process required before lines can be declared contained."
The level of containment – the amount of the perimeter where firefighters have completely stopped the fire's progress – stood at 13% on Monday. Operations throughout the day looked set to be helped by the local topography along the northern part of the fire, despite continued critical fire weather, the update said. Humidity remains low in the region, with a disappointing seasonal monsoon bringing rain far below expected levels.
A massive wildfire on Monday was threatening hundreds of homes in central California after injuring at least three people as it tore through Los Padres National Forest. The Gifford Fire scorched more than 100 square miles (260 square km) of coastal Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, and was still burning out of control, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire.
A motorist was hospitalized with burn injuries after getting out of his vehicle and being overrun by flames, said Flemming Bertelson, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service. Two contract employees assisting firefighters were also hurt when their all-terrain vehicle overturned.
The blaze threatened about 450 structures and forced the closure of the highway in both directions east of Santa Maria, a city of about 110,000 people in Santa Barbara County. About 65 miles (105 kilometers) northwest of Santa Barbara and 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles, the hilly agricultural region is dotted by sprawling California live oaks and Sycamore trees and is known for its wine industry.
The blaze grew out of at least four smaller fires that erupted Friday along State Route 166 between Santa Maria and Bakersfield. "That gave us multiple fronts, and the flames started fanning out in many directions," Bertelson said. "The fire is gobbling up chaparral and brushland and running up very steep slopes."
Ranchers evacuated cattle as aircraft made water drops on the encroaching flames. More than 1,000 firefighters were battling hot, dry weather and erratic winds to make progress against the blaze before winds were forecast to whip up around dusk. The causes of the fires are under investigation.