New Jersey man missing in Grand Canyon 'mega-fire' as search efforts continue week later

Fox News

2 days ago

A New Jersey man has been missing for about a week as a "mega-fire" ravages the Grand Canyon National Park.
Thomas Daniel Gibbs, 35, of Freehold, New Jersey, was last heard from by his friends and family at approximately 12 p.m. on July 22, the National Park Service said in a press release. His friends and family reported him missing on July 28.
The U.S. Forest Service declared a "mega-fire" on July 31 when the Dragon Bravo Fire – burning along the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park – surpassed 100,000 acres in size.
It was considered the largest fire burning in the continental U.S. and one of the top 10 largest in recorded Arizona history. Getting around it would be roughly like driving from New York City to Washington, D.C.
According to the National Park Service, Gibbs – described as a White male standing six-foot-one-inches tall – is believed to have been in the Grandview Trail and Horseshoe Mesa area on July 22.
He is further described as having brown hair and brown eyes, with no known tattoos.
"Park rangers are asking anyone who was in the Grandview Trail around July 22 and who may have seen Gibbs or has information on his whereabouts to contact the NPS Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at 888-653-0009. Tips can also be submitted online at www.nps.gov/ISB or via email at [e-mail]," the press release said.
Gibbs remained missing as of Friday and search efforts were centered on a high-angle terrain near Grandview Point, USA Today reported, citing a statement from Grand Canyon National Park.
Fox News Digital reached out to Grand Canyon National Park and the National Park Service on Sunday but did not immediately hear back.
According to the National Park Service, a lightning strike ignited the Dragon Bravo Fire on July 4 and prompted a "confine and contain strategy," but high wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour on July 12 caused a rapid 500-acre spread overnight.
On July 30, containment dropped to just 4% amid strong winds and dry conditions.
Officials said the Dragon Fire Bravo in Arizona – coupled with another fire burning in Monroe, Utah – were so hot that they were spurring the formation of "fire clouds" that can create their own erratic weather systems.
Towering convection clouds known as pyrocumulus clouds had been spotted over Arizona's blaze for at least seven consecutive days, fueling the fire with dry, powerful winds, fire information officer Lisa Jennings told the Associated Press last week. They form when air over the fire becomes superheated and rises in a large smoke column. The giant billowing clouds can be seen for hundreds of miles and can resemble an anvil.
Their more treacherous big brother, a fire-fueled thunderstorm known as the pyrocumulonimbus cloud, sent rapid winds shooting in all directions this week as a smoke column formed from the Utah fire then collapsed on itself, fire team information officer Jess Clark said.
"If they get high enough, they can also create downdrafts, and that's something we really watch out for because that can quickly spread the fire and can be very dangerous for firefighters who are doing their work on the ground," Jennings told the AP.
The National Park Service website says that the North Rim is closed for the remainder of the 2025 season "because of damage and losses caused by the Dragon Bravo Wildfire."
The Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed approximately 70 structures, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, the North Rim Visitor Center, and many guest cabins, according to the agency.
"The park is currently focused on emergency stabilization to protect remaining infrastructure and natural resources. Planning is underway for the recovery and rebuilding of visitor facilities, including the Grand Canyon Lodge, although this process will take time," the website says. "While the South Rim remains open and continues to welcome visitors, there is currently no access to the North Rim or to North Rim facilities. We understand the importance of the North Rim to our visitors, employees, and partners, and we are committed to keeping the public informed as plans for recovery progress."