GRAND CANYON, Arizona (ABC4) — A Grand Canyon water treatment facility located at the North Rim caught fire on Saturday, causing chlorine gas to be released into the air. Multiple closures are being enforced due to the incident. The historic Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim has also been destroyed, Grand Canyon National Park officials said Sunday.
At around 3:30 p.m. on July 12, firefighters responding to the Dragon Bravo Fire on the North Rim in Grand Canyon National Park reported that the North Rim water treatment facility had caught fire. Officials later confirmed that chlorine gas was released from the treatment facility.
“Chlorine gas is heavier than air and can quickly settle into lower elevations such as the inner canyon, posing a health risk,” a press release from Grand Canyon National Park states. “Due to the risk of exposure, park authorities immediately evacuated firefighters from the North Rim and hikers from the inner canyon, and closed access to specific areas within the inner canyon. All river trips were instructed to bypass Phantom Ranch.”
The following inner canyon locations remain closed until a safety assessment is completed:
- North Kaibab Trail
- Phantom Ranch
- South Kaibab Trail.
The chlorine gas does not pose a critical threat to nearby communities, officials said. The “HYSPLIT model” is used to predict the spread of gases or smoke when they are released into the atmosphere.
Residents in Marble Canyon, Lees Ferry, and a small area of the Navajo Nation may smell chlorine in the near future, officials said. Park officials will reportedly provide more information when available.
Additionally, a historic lodge on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim has been destroyed by a wildfire, the park confirmed Sunday.
The Grand Canyon Lodge, the only lodging inside the park at the North Rim, was consumed by the flames, park Superintendent Ed Keeble told park residents, staff and others in a meeting Sunday morning. He said the visitor center, the gas station, an administrative building, and some employee housing also were lost in addition to the water treatment facility.
The Dragon Bravo Fire burning along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon increased in size overnight, forcing additional evacuations in the Grand Canyon area. According to an incident update Sunday morning, the lightning-caused wildfire is mapped at 5,000 acres with 0% containment.
“In response to increased fire activity and proximity to developed areas, the strategy has shifted to full suppression focused on the North Rim developed area,” the update states.
Fire behavior and growth has increased due to hot, dry, and windy conditions. Two Type 1 helicopters are arrived on Saturday to help with suppression activities towards Roaring Springs and Transept Canyons.
Updates on the Dragon Bravo Fire can be found here.
No further information is available at this time.
