A fierce blaze that has burned along the Grand Canyon's North Rim since being sparked by lightning on July 4 has exploded in size in recent days, reaching "megafire" status and becoming the largest wildfire in the U.S. this year, according to the Arizona Republic.

What's happening?

The fire, which officials have dubbed the Dragon Bravo Fire, doubled in size over the last days of July to reach 111,000 acres, with conditions appearing primed for the spread to continue, according to The Weather Channel.  

A "megafire" is defined as a fire covering more than 100,000 acres, per National Geographic. 

"It will still be hot and dry with at least some afternoon wind gusts the next couple of days that could allow fires to spread quickly," said Jonathan Erdman, senior meteorologist for Weather.com.

Jennifer Gray, another meteorologist, agreed, telling The Weather Channel, "High winds and low humidity will continue to work against firefighters as they battle the flames." 

The National Park Service has announced that the North Rim of the Grand Canyon will remain closed for the remainder of the 2025 season. 

The Dragon Bravo Fire became the 10th largest fire in Arizona since 1990 even as it continued to spread, with a reported 1,000 firefighters struggling to contain the blaze over difficult terrain, according to the Arizona Republic. 

The fire has destroyed at least 70 structures, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, and has been threatening the Kaibab Lodge in Fredonia, per The Weather Channel.

"Just say a prayer," said Larry Innes, owner of the Kaibab Lodge, which had been preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026, per Fox 10 Phoenix. "I mean, it's kind of out of our hands." 

Innes told the local news outlet that the scale of the firefighting effort had been massive.

"There's a thousand firemen up there. I've never seen anything like it," Innes told Fox 10. "I've never seen so much equipment. And they're all focused on saving the lodge." 

Why is the Grand Canyon wildfire important?

Experts have long warned that as global temperatures rise, the magnitude of extreme weather events also will increase, leading to more severe floods, heat waves, and wildfires.

While no single weather event can be tied directly to human causes, the release of massive amounts of heat-trapping pollution into the atmosphere has increased the likelihood of natural disasters on the scale of the Dragon Bravo Fire. 

"Wildfires require the alignment of a number of factors, including temperature, humidity, and the lack of moisture in fuels, such as trees, shrubs, grasses, and forest debris," according to NOAA. "All these factors have strong or indirect ties to climate variability and climate change." 

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Wildfires take lives, destroy homes and businesses, devastate communities, and burn crops. Their impacts are felt far beyond the affected areas in the form of higher insurance premiums and food prices. 

A 2023 Senate report found that wildfires made worse by rising global temperatures cost the U.S. as much as $893 billion annually, including diminished real estate value, lost income, and exposure to wildfire smoke.  

Wildfire smoke is a dangerous blend of toxic pollutants and particulate matter. Even just a few days of exposure to wildfire smoke can cause serious health problems ranging from coughing and wheezing to heart attack and stroke, according to the EPA.

What's being done about wildfires?

While mitigation measures like proper forest management can help reduce the likelihood and severity of wildfires, in order to reverse the overall trend, it is necessary to significantly lower the amount of planet-warming pollution entering the atmosphere.

To make a difference, you can do everything from supporting political candidates who share your priorities to taking local action to driving an EV. 

A great way to maximize the environmental benefits and cost savings of driving an EV is to install solar panels on your home. Charging a vehicle off home solar is cheaper than off the grid or at a public charging station, plus you always know your vehicle is being powered by cleaner, renewable energy from the sun. 

To make your home more resilient in the event of a weather emergency, you can pair your solar panels with a home battery system, giving you the peace of mind of knowing your family will always have power when you need it most. 
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