White Sage Fire grows to 19,000 acres near North Rim of Grand Canyon, prompts evacuations
As of the morning of July 12, BLM reported the fire had spread to 19,153 acres, with no containment achieved by firefighters.
The BLM reported that both ground crews and aircraft were being used to fight the fire, with approximately 230 personnel assigned to the incident.
"The fire continues to exhibit extreme behavior," read a BLM news release.
Crews were working to establish a secure perimeter around the fire and were set to come under the direction of a Complex Incident Management Team beginning July 13.
Evacuation orders were issued on July 11, affecting multiple communities in the area, according to a news release from the Coconino County Sheriff's Office.
The evacuation zone covers a large area north of the Grand Canyon, bordered by the Utah state line to the north, Grand Canyon National Park to the south, House Rock Valley Road/Buffalo Ranch Road to the east, and Kaibab National Forest to the west.
The entire area is under "GO" status, meaning all residents and visitors must evacuate immediately.
Firefighters have urged the public to stay clear of the area. Nearby Highway 89A has been closed at both Fredonia and Bitter Springs.
CCSO had already evacuated residents near Jacob Lake and anyone in the Kaibab National Forest.
According to InciWeb, the fire was sparked by lightning and intensified by strong winds and low relative humidity. It has been burning through grass, shrubs, and native pinyon-juniper trees, the BLM reported.
The blaze is expected to burn within the scar of the 2020 Magnum Fire, which charred 71,000 acres of the same forest.
Republic reporter Austin Corona contributed to this article.
Contact reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr. at rcovarrubias@gannett.com. Follow him on Instagram, X, Threads and Bluesky: @ReyCJrAZ.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Wildfire near Grand Canyon grows more than 19,000 acres
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