Arizona fires prompt evacuation near the Grand Canyon

A swiftly moving wildfire northwest of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona forced the park’s north edge to close and triggered evacuation orders for local residents.

A lightning-induced white sage fire on July 9 is about 8,700 acres near Lake Jacob. As of Thursday, the fire was still out of control and actively expanded – described by officials as “0%”.

Parker officials said the combination of high temperatures, gusts and dry vegetation created dangerous conditions that fueled the rapid advance of the fire.

Officials issued an extreme heat warning on Friday, with temperatures as high as 115F (46C) and advised not to hike into the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon staff said they successfully evacuated about 500 guests from the northern edge of the park due to the fire on Friday afternoon local time.

A 67-year-old hiker died in the Grand Canyon Tuesday, park officials said. The Texas hiker was found unresponsive on the South Kaibab Trail below Cedar Ridge and worked hard on the efforts that failed him, the National Park Service said in a statement.

Emergency workers have been fighting flames on the ground and in the air since Wednesday.

“As a result of the fire’s progress towards Jacob Lake, the lake is now under evacuation orders, and all visitors on the northern edge must evacuate immediately,” Grand Canyon Park staff said in an alert issued Thursday.

A portion of nearby highway 89A has been closed until further notice, with the Arizona Department of Transportation warning drivers that they expect to extend delays.

Wildfires threaten to Arizona.

All staff and visitors evacuated from the Black Canyon in Gunnison National Park in Western Colorado on Thursday after lightning about 260 miles (418 kilometers) west of Denver ignited fires at both ends of the park.

The Colorado River On the Fire Department said Thursday that it “worked hard with partners to deal with about 10 kinds of wildfires caused by lightning throughout the dispatch area.”