The White Sage Fire was burning in Arizona bout 15 miles southeast of Fredonia in Coconino County and north of the Grand Canyon State Park.

Two wildfires continue to burn near the Grand Canyon; the White Sage Fire has burned nearly 53,000 acres and is 4% contained. The Dragon Bravo Fire has burned about 8,500 acres.

Authorities maintained the evacuation zones for the White Sage Fire north of the Grand Canyon as the fire grew expectantly.

The White Sage Fire is located on Bureau of Land Management land, west of Jacob Lake and southeast of Fredonia.

The destruction caused by this fire is a reminder of how vulnerable our national parks and residents nearby are to the impacts of a changing climate. NPCA stands ready to support efforts to rebuild and restore what’s been lost and ensure the National Park Service has the resources it needs to protect the Grand Canyon experience for the millions of visitors who travel there each year.

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.

Highway closures and evacuations remain in effect as a wildfire burns more than 49,000 acres in Coconino County. It is one of two blazes raging at or near the northern rim of the Grand Canyon.

Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) questioned the federal government’s handling of the fires burning the Grand Canyon, which have spread rapidly and destroyed dozens of buildings. Two wildfires, the White Sage Fire and the Dragon Bravo Fire,