Latest news with #NationalParksService
Metro
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
'Best crime thriller of 2025' tops Netflix charts with nearly 25,000,000 views
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page A new smash Netflix series has dominated the global charts after fans binged it 'in one sitting'. Untamed was released on July 17, with Eric Bana leading an all-star cast alongside Sam Neill, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lily Santiago, Wilson Bethel and William Smillie. The six-part drama follows Kyle Turner (Eric), a special agent for the National Parks Service, as he takes on an investigation into a brutal death. However, the incident sends him 'on a collision course with the dark secrets within the park, and in his own past'. Many made their way through the episodes at warp speed, and have urged bosses to get started on a second season immediately. Get personalised updates on all things Netflix Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. Unsurprisingly, it has topped the global charts on Netflix with 24.6million views, and 119.5m hours watched, over the last seven days alone. Eric Bana led the way in new drama Untamed on Netflix (Picture: Netflix) He was joined in the cast by a string of huge names, including Lily Santiago (Picture: Netflix) Untamed trounced competition from Amy Bradley is Missing, the Sandman, 7 Bears and RAW to claim the top spot. The Waterfront, Ms Rachel, Too Much and the first two seasons of Sullivan's Crossing make up the rest of the list. The show currently claims a Rotten Tomatoes score of 71% from the audience, compared to a 78% ranking from impressed critics – Metro branded it the best crime thriller of 2025 in a glowing five star review.. Heaping praise on Untamed, Linda R commented: 'Fast paced with startling turns of event. Well cast with believable portrayals of individual characters while still maintaining a 'Hollywood pretty' aesthetic. Yosemite is stunning. The series has topped Netflix charts around the world (Picture: Netflix) Critics and fans alike have branded it 'fantastic' (Picture: Netflix) 'I hope there's another season; get your friends and family to watch. It will be time well spent!' 'This was a wild ride, and I was immediately drawn into it from episode one to an unexpected streaming binge that I am so glad I decided to dive in and go with flow on,' Sai M said. 'This is a fantastic series with great actors and a compelling storyline paired with breathtaking scenery, and shockingly unexpected twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time!' 'Pretty good miniseries. Binged in one sitting,' John M commended. As Chief M added: 'This isn't super original, but it's a really decent mystery. The story is pretty tight and logical. Good solid acting and the scenery is gorgeous. The first scene of the show had my pulse racing.' Could we possibly get a second season? (Picture: Netflix) Although there is currently no news on whether Untamed will be returning to our screens for a second season, the numbers are definitely looking positive for Eric and the gang. Shedding light on what more episodes could possibly involve, co-showrunner Elle Smith told TV Insider: 'If we got the opportunity to do it again, it would be getting to explore a different park, a different case. 'We would do this forever if they let us, but we'll see. We'll see how many adventures Turner has left in him.' Untamed is available to stream on Netflix now. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. Arrow MORE: Surfer 'pulled Malcolm-Jamal Warner's daughter to safety' as star drowned Arrow MORE: South Park fans convinced Donald Trump will cancel series over 'teeny tiny' manhood Arrow MORE: British ITV drama 'that made TV history' storms Netflix top 10 chart
Elle
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
'Untamed': 'Yellowstone' Meets 'True Detective' In Detective Thriller That's Number One On Netflix
If you loved the Yellowstone universe for its sprawling landscapes and shots of untamed America as much as the drama, then Netflix has a new show for you - Untamed. Like many of the streaming platform's monster hits in recent times, Untamed has come from a relatively quiet release to storm to the top of the charts in the UK as its gained a word-of-mouth popularity with fans. The streaming giant this week said the show was also number one on the global top 10 English TV list, with 24.6million views so far. The show is co-created by Mark who also hit number one in January with his last show, American Primeval. Told across six parts, Untamed is led by Kyle Turner (played by Eric Bana), a special agent in an elite branch of the National Parks Service 'who works to enforce human law in nature's vast wilderness,' says Netflix's Tudum. 'The investigation of a brutal death sends Turner on a collision course with the dark secrets within the park, and in his own past.' The opening of things that go way deeper and darker than you might initially expect, give the show a True Detective quality that fans have loved. Co-creator Elle Smith told Tudum that the key to the show is Turner's co-investigator - Naya Vasquez (Lily Santiago), 'A rookie park ranger more accustomed to city life than to the wilds of Yosemite.' Smith says: 'Because Vasquez is new to the park, we get to see the park through her eyes. We get to understand what this job is, and see the beauty of the park, but also the dangers.' Yes, you can watch it at the top of this article. You're good to go - all six episodes of Untamed are available on Netflix now. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.
Daily Mirror
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Netflix's Untamed ending explained from Lucy's killer to meaning behind screams
Details in the show's finale you may have missed *Warning - this article contains major spoilers for Untamed* Netflix's latest crime drama limited series has quickly become the number one most watched show on the platform. Untamed currently holds the top spot in the top 10 charts. It seems viewers have opted in great numbers to binge watch the latest release over the weekend. In the six-part drama, Eric Bana stars as a federal agent who works for the National Parks Service. He is tasked with investigating the unusual death of a young woman in Yosemite National Park. In particular, how she ended up falling off El Capitan mountain. There is so much packed in to its half dozen episodes, it would be no surprise if some fans missed a detail or two by the finale. This includes what happened to Lucy and who she really was, along with what really happened to Caleb and the true reason Agent Turner's marriage fell apart. Here's all you need to know about the biggest moments from Untamed's finale: Who killed Lucy Cook in Untamed and who was her real father? The history of Lucy Cook is just as important in Untamed as what happened to her. She lived with her mother Maggie, until her death from cancer. Lucy was still a child when her mother died so was left in the care of her father. Or rather, who people believed was her father at the time. He was violent and abusive and so Lucy was taken away and left at a foster home in Nevada. At the time, it was thought Lucy went missing and many presumed her father killer her. He died in a bar fight three years later. The person who whisked her away is revealed to be her real father, Paul Souter, played by Sam Neill, who had an affair with Lucy's mother and kept it secret for decades. Unfortunately, the foster home was also a place full of abuse and Lucy eventually escaped. She returned to the park where she apparently extorted her real father for money, before getting herself mixed up in the drug trade taking place within the park. Wanting to put an end to the blackmail he was suffering, Paul chased Lucy down one night. Firing off what he intended as a warning shot, he hit her in the leg. She ran away from him, but died from her injuries before falling off El Capitan. After Paul admits what he did , he still cannot bear the thought of the truth being revealed to his wife and children. He takes his gun and turns it on himself. What happened to Caleb in Untamed? During the investigation into Lucy's death it quickly becomes clear that Agent Turner is set to be confronted by his past. Little by little, viewers discover that this is related to the fate of his own child, his only son Caleb. It is also linked to the case of a missing person: Sean Sanderson. Turner and his wife have always known what happened to Sanderson. He is the man who abducted and murdered Caleb in the park. They discovered this thanks to cameras set up by wildlife maintenance officer Shane Maguire. Instead of handing this information to authorities, for some reason Turner's wife Jill hires Maguire to kill Sanderson. She did this without the knowledge of her husband. After he found out, their marriage quickly broke apart. Maguire seemed to initially believe he would get away with his role in the drug ring because of the information he held over Turner and his wife. However, Turner still attempts to arrest him in an altercation which quickly turns violent and results in Vasquez shooting Maguire dead. What were the screaming heard in Untamed's last episode? The series, in a similar way to another hit crime drama show True Detective, leans into the idea of the supernatural. That becomes clearly apparent when it is revealed that Turner keeps seeing and speaking to the spirit of his young son. He believes that Caleb is still present in the park and at more than one point he contemplates joining him on the other side. Near the end of series, muffled screams can be heard as Turner looks out over the water. This will be more obvious if you're someone who watches with the subtitles switched on. Turner's friend Jay warns him that a 'Wuyi' might come up from the water and snatch him. He adds that the 'little ghost' doesn't take anyone unless they want to be taken before asking if Turner has heard his screams. Where does Agent Kyle Turner go at the end of Untamed? Bana's Turner is a changed man by the end of the series. At the beginning, he is contemplating if he can even go on living, but is somehow compelled to see the latest investigation through. By the end, he is now ready to say goodbye to parts of the past that haunts him. However, he no longer feels like he is abandoning the spirit or positive memories of his son and is able to finally leave Yosemite for good, acknowledging that Caleb will always be with him. He is still suspended from his job, so at this point in time we can only assume he is not travelling to be positioned at a different National Park. Perhaps instead he is having to relocate to somewhere he is less comfortable, like a bigger city, mirroring the change made by Naya Vasquez.
The Guardian
21-07-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
An explosive Grand Canyon wildfire brings terror, loss and tough questions: ‘It came like a freight train'
When lightning struck on 4 July along the remote North Rim of Grand Canyon national park, sparking a small wildfire in a patch of dry forest, few predicted the terror and loss that lay ahead. Fire managers decided that conditions seemed ideal to let the blaze burn at a low intensity – a practice known as 'control and contain' that helps clear out excess fuels and decreases the chance of a more catastrophic wildfire in the future. Rains from previous weeks had left the forest floor moist and weather forecasts indicated the summer monsoon season would arrive soon. But a week later, the park's strategy fell apart. On 11 July, the fire burst through its containment lines and began to rapidly pick up speed – exploding tenfold in a day. 'The fire sounded like a freight train coming towards us,' says a firefighter, who was part of the National Parks Service crew battling the blaze. By 12 July, it seemed the destruction was unstoppable. Over the next 24 hours some 70 buildings would be destroyed, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, dozens of visitor cabins as well as park administrative offices and residences. Images of the smoldering lodge and the smoke-filled canyon filled news stories and social media feeds. Suddenly, it felt like the whole world was questioning the decision to not put the blaze out immediately. Almost two weeks after it began, the so-called Dragon Bravo fire is still only 2% contained and encompasses nearly 12,000 acres (4,856 hectares), as more than 750 firefighters have battled the blaze. The park's North Rim has long been the sleepy cousin of the more bustling South Rim, bringing in just 10% of the park's annual visitors, and inspiring loyal fans. News of the tragedy has hit Grand Canyon lovers hard. The area has been shut down for the remainder of the season, and hundreds of national park and concession employees have suddenly found themselves without homes and jobs. An untold number of summer vacations to the park have been cancelled. But there is also a more existential loss. A place beloved by visitors and employees for its beauty and solitude has suddenly been ripped away. And the heart of that sanctuary, the Grand Canyon Lodge – the park's Notre Dame – is in ruins. 'It's hard to put into words how devastating the loss of the Grand Canyon Lodge is,' wrote one longtime Grand Canyon North Rim park employee on social media. 'The Lodge and North Rim weren't just buildings and trails – they were a home to us … and now it's gone. It feels like a piece of who we are has burned with it.' As the initial shock subsides and the reality of the loss sets in, questions are swirling about how the tragedy occurred – and how to move forward. In hindsight, the decision not to tamp out the fire swiftly has drawn the most scrutiny. But the Grand Canyon fire crew member who was on scene in early July, who asked not to be identified for fear of losing his job, said it seemed like a reasonable call based on assessment at the time. For the first few days after it broke out, the blaze behaved exactly as expected. But then on 11 July the humidity level suddenly plummeted. Embers began jumping containment lines in the dry air as strong winds changed direction and the fire escaped down a drainage, picking up momentum as if gasoline had been dumped on it. By the next day it had exploded from 120 acres to 1,500 acres. Some 500 visitors at the North Rim had already been evacuated due to another fire burning outside the park, dubbed the White Sage fire. The remaining residents were evacuated, and the park's fire crew began hosing down structures. But the team was lacking adequate equipment and manpower, the firefighter said. According to the firefighter, some of the department's already limited resources had been sent to fight the White Sage fire. They were missing two fire engines and a bulldozer, and they needed more boots on the ground. Plus, aerial suppression support would not arrive until the next day. By nightfall on 11 July, the fast-growing fire had surrounded the crew and they were instructed by managers to take cover in the North Rim's fire station. Soon, he said, the fire was everywhere. Nearby, another group of firefighters were trapped on a helipad, flanked by flames 100ft (30.5 metres) tall. 'We were trapped,' recalled the firefighter. 'We thought we were going to die. Propane tanks from surrounding buildings were exploding all around us. Our homes and our friend's homes were burning and there was nothing we could do.' Located at a cool elevation of 8,000ft on the Kaibab plateau in northern Arizona, Grand Canyon national park's North Rim is a four-hour drive from the more famous South Rim. The isolation is what makes it special for park employees and visitors, but the largely undeveloped region is also especially vulnerable to wildfire. A single paved road connects the park to Jacob Lake, a small village some 50 miles away. The ponderosa pine forest ecosystem of the Kaibab plateau relies on regular low-intensity fires to stay healthy, but those fires were supressed by federal policies throughout most of the 20th century. National park managers have attempted to restore the Grand Canyon's natural forest ecosystem over the last two decades through prescribed fires, or by allowing lightning-sparked wildfires to burn. The strategy went off without a hitch as recently as July 2022, when a lightning strike started a fire on the North Rim that grew to only 1,300 acres as fire crews tightly managed the boundaries of the blaze. However, other examples have been less successful. In June 2006, a lightning-sparked fire trapped several hundred visitors after strong winds pushed the flames beyond its containment lines. The only paved road out of the park was blocked by flames, but law enforcement officers led visitors to safety on a web of winding dirt roads. Ken Phillips, who worked at Grand Canyon for 27 years and served as chief of emergency services, believes the decision to let the Dragon Bravo fire burn was a mistake. He also points out that lives could have been lost if visitors had not already been evacuated due to the White Sage fire. 'The North Rim did not need to burn the way it did and put firefighters in harm's way,' he said. 'There is a history of escaped managed wildfires at Grand Canyon. It is very tragic that the lessons learned from those fires weren't heeded in this situation.' In response to a request for comment about the handling of the fire, a spokesperson directed the Guardian to a public statement from Ed Keable, the Grand Canyon superintendent, that described the wildfire as a 'devastating event'. In a previous statement to the Arizona Republic, Rachel Pawlitz, a park spokesperson, defended the initial handling of the fire and also contradicted what firefighters said they experienced on 11 and 12 July. 'We've lost buildings but hundreds of lives were saved due to the fact that this fire was expertly handled,' she said. 'The firefighters did not put themselves or others at risk when they managed the initial firefight, pushing historic wind gusts that caused the fire to jump multiple containment features and move toward facilities instead.' Built in 1936, the Grand Canyon Lodge sits at the tip of a peninsula jutting out into the canyon allowing unmatched views of the natural wonder. Visitor cabins, perched on the rim nearby, are shaded by towering old growth pine and spruce trees. Kathryn Leonard, the state historic preservation officer for the state of Arizona, calls the style of the historic buildings 'national park rustic'. The lodge and cabins echo the surrounding environment with rock walls made from Kaibab limestone and roofs supported by exposed ponderosa pine trusses. The Grand Canyon Lodge was uniquely 'idyllic' and 'open' according to Leonard. Once visitors entered the building, they could walk down a stairway where a sun room with leather couches featured a giant south-facing picture window looking out onto the Grand Canyon, some 5,000ft deep and 20 miles across. The best view in the house was on the lodge patio where visitors leaned back in Adirondack chairs and watched the sunset while sipping a beer. Pictures of the lodge that circulated on social media after the fire showed that all but two Adirondack chairs had been destroyed. Everything else was ash except for the limestone walls. 'I couldn't believe that the lodge was gone until I saw the photo,' said Phillips, the former emergency services manager. 'The loss of the entire North Rim developed area is like the death of a close friend.' 'The scale of this loss is breathtaking,' agreed Leonard. 'Historic resources are non-renewable and the workmanship in the cabin and lodge interiors can't be replaced.' Yet Leonard is also cautiously optimistic that some elements of the building can be salvaged. 'There could be a way to rebuild that does not attempt to replicate what was there but honors it.' Beyond the charred facilities, the more lasting damage could be to the Grand Canyon's environment itself. The forested area on the Kaibab plateau where the Dragon Bravo fire is burning encompasses the recharge zone feeding Roaring Springs, the park's sole drinking water source. Rain and snowmelt percolate down through the ground to feed the springs located several thousand feet below the canyon rim. Surface water in the area also flows off the plateau and into Bright Angel Creek. 'From a hydrology perspective, the fire is a disaster,' said Mark Nebel, who until recently retiring, oversaw water monitoring at Grand Canyon. Nebel worries that ash, sediment and chemical fire retardant may seep through the ground and into the aquifer that feeds the springs. These pollutants will also likely be swept into the Bright Angel watershed this summer as flash flooding is expected to occur as a result of the fire. 'The drinking water quality in the park could be impacted for many years,' added Nebel. As Arizona governor Katie Hobbs has called for an investigation into park service decisions and firefighters continue to battle the blaze, North Rim employees find themselves reminiscing about happier times. John McFarland, a former maintenance mechanic who lived and worked on the North Rim for 30 years, recalls how he organized a Fourth of July parade at the park every summer that was followed by an 'epic' water gun fight in front of the lodge. Many of the buildings he cared for are gone, but he is taking the loss in stride. 'The Grand Canyon is still there,' he said. 'Some of the old growth trees are still there. The place will come back.'
The Guardian
20-07-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
An explosive Grand Canyon wildfire brings terror, loss and tough questions: ‘It came like a freight train'
When lightning struck on 4 July along the remote North Rim of Grand Canyon national park, sparking a small wildfire in a patch of dry forest, few predicted the terror and loss that lay ahead. Fire managers decided that conditions seemed ideal to let the blaze burn at a low intensity – a practice known as 'control and contain' that helps clear out excess fuels and decreases the chance of a more catastrophic wildfire in the future. Rains from previous weeks had left the forest floor moist and weather forecasts indicated the summer monsoon season would arrive soon. But a week later, the park's strategy fell apart. On 11 July, the fire burst through its containment lines and began to rapidly pick up speed – exploding tenfold in a day. 'The fire sounded like a freight train coming towards us,' says a firefighter, who was part of the National Parks Service crew battling the blaze. By 12 July, it seemed the destruction was unstoppable. Over the next 24 hours some 70 buildings would be destroyed, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, dozens of visitor cabins as well as park administrative offices and residences. Images of the smoldering lodge and the smoke-filled canyon filled news stories and social media feeds. Suddenly, it felt like the whole world was questioning the decision to not put the blaze out immediately. Almost two weeks after it began, the so-called Dragon Bravo fire is still only 2% contained and encompasses nearly 12,000 acres (4,856 hectares), as more than 750 firefighters have battled the blaze. The park's North Rim has long been the sleepy cousin of the more bustling South Rim, bringing in just 10% of the park's annual visitors, and inspiring loyal fans. News of the tragedy has hit Grand Canyon lovers hard. The area has been shut down for the remainder of the season, and hundreds of national park and concession employees have suddenly found themselves without homes and jobs. An untold number of summer vacations to the park have been cancelled. But there is also a more existential loss. A place beloved by visitors and employees for its beauty and solitude has suddenly been ripped away. And the heart of that sanctuary, the Grand Canyon Lodge – the park's Notre Dame – is in ruins. 'It's hard to put into words how devastating the loss of the Grand Canyon Lodge is,' wrote one longtime Grand Canyon North Rim park employee on social media. 'The Lodge and North Rim weren't just buildings and trails – they were a home to us … and now it's gone. It feels like a piece of who we are has burned with it.' As the initial shock subsides and the reality of the loss sets in, questions are swirling about how the tragedy occurred – and how to move forward. In hindsight, the decision not to tamp out the fire swiftly has drawn the most scrutiny. But the Grand Canyon fire crew member who was on scene in early July, who asked not to be identified for fear of losing his job, said it seemed like a reasonable call based on assessment at the time. For the first few days after it broke out, the blaze behaved exactly as expected. But then on 11 July the humidity level suddenly plummeted. Embers began jumping containment lines in the dry air as strong winds changed direction and the fire escaped down a drainage, picking up momentum as if gasoline had been dumped on it. By the next day it had exploded from 120 acres to 1,500 acres. Some 500 visitors at the North Rim had already been evacuated due to another fire burning outside the park, dubbed the White Sage fire. The remaining residents were evacuated, and the park's fire crew began hosing down structures. But the team was lacking adequate equipment and manpower, the firefighter said. According to the firefighter, some of the department's already limited resources had been sent to fight the White Sage fire. They were missing two fire engines and a bulldozer, and they needed more boots on the ground. Plus, aerial suppression support would not arrive until the next day. By nightfall on 11 July, the fast-growing fire had surrounded the crew and they were instructed by managers to take cover in the North Rim's fire station. Soon, he said, the fire was everywhere. Nearby, another group of firefighters were trapped on a helipad, flanked by flames 100ft (30.5 metres) tall. 'We were trapped,' recalled the firefighter. 'We thought we were going to die. Propane tanks from surrounding buildings were exploding all around us. Our homes and our friend's homes were burning and there was nothing we could do.' Located at a cool elevation of 8,000ft on the Kaibab plateau in northern Arizona, Grand Canyon national park's North Rim is a four-hour drive from the more famous South Rim. The isolation is what makes it special for park employees and visitors, but the largely undeveloped region is also especially vulnerable to wildfire. A single paved road connects the park to Jacob Lake, a small village some 50 miles away. The ponderosa pine forest ecosystem of the Kaibab plateau relies on regular low-intensity fires to stay healthy, but those fires were supressed by federal policies throughout most of the 20th century. National park managers have attempted to restore the Grand Canyon's natural forest ecosystem over the last two decades through prescribed fires, or by allowing lightning-sparked wildfires to burn. The strategy went off without a hitch as recently as July 2022, when a lightning strike started a fire on the North Rim that grew to only 1,300 acres as fire crews tightly managed the boundaries of the blaze. However, other examples have been less successful. In June 2006, a lightning-sparked fire trapped several hundred visitors after strong winds pushed the flames beyond its containment lines. The only paved road out of the park was blocked by flames, but law enforcement officers led visitors to safety on a web of winding dirt roads. Ken Phillips, who worked at Grand Canyon for 27 years and served as chief of emergency services, believes the decision to let the Dragon Bravo fire burn was a mistake. He also points out that lives could have been lost if visitors had not already been evacuated due to the White Sage fire. 'The North Rim did not need to burn the way it did and put firefighters in harm's way,' he said. 'There is a history of escaped managed wildfires at Grand Canyon. It is very tragic that the lessons learned from those fires weren't heeded in this situation.' In response to a request for comment about the handling of the fire, a spokesperson directed the Guardian to a public statement from Ed Keable, the Grand Canyon superintendent, that described the wildfire as a 'devastating event'. In a previous statement to the Arizona Republic, Rachel Pawlitz, a park spokesperson, defended the initial handling of the fire and also contradicted what firefighters said they experienced on 11 and 12 July. 'We've lost buildings but hundreds of lives were saved due to the fact that this fire was expertly handled,' she said. 'The firefighters did not put themselves or others at risk when they managed the initial firefight, pushing historic wind gusts that caused the fire to jump multiple containment features and move toward facilities instead.' Built in 1936, the Grand Canyon Lodge sits at the tip of a peninsula jutting out into the canyon allowing unmatched views of the natural wonder. Visitor cabins, perched on the rim nearby, are shaded by towering old growth pine and spruce trees. Kathryn Leonard, the state historic preservation officer for the state of Arizona, calls the style of the historic buildings 'national park rustic'. The lodge and cabins echo the surrounding environment with rock walls made from Kaibab limestone and roofs supported by exposed ponderosa pine trusses. The Grand Canyon Lodge was uniquely 'idyllic' and 'open' according to Leonard. Once visitors entered the building, they could walk down a stairway where a sun room with leather couches featured a giant south-facing picture window looking out onto the Grand Canyon, some 5,000ft deep and 20 miles across. The best view in the house was on the lodge patio where visitors leaned back in Adirondack chairs and watched the sunset while sipping a beer. Pictures of the lodge that circulated on social media after the fire showed that all but two Adirondack chairs had been destroyed. Everything else was ash except for the limestone walls. 'I couldn't believe that the lodge was gone until I saw the photo,' said Phillips, the former emergency services manager. 'The loss of the entire North Rim developed area is like the death of a close friend.' 'The scale of this loss is breathtaking,' agreed Leonard. 'Historic resources are non-renewable and the workmanship in the cabin and lodge interiors can't be replaced.' Yet Leonard is also cautiously optimistic that some elements of the building can be salvaged. 'There could be a way to rebuild that does not attempt to replicate what was there but honors it.' Beyond the charred facilities, the more lasting damage could be to the Grand Canyon's environment itself. The forested area on the Kaibab plateau where the Dragon Bravo fire is burning encompasses the recharge zone feeding Roaring Springs, the park's sole drinking water source. Rain and snowmelt percolate down through the ground to feed the springs located several thousand feet below the canyon rim. Surface water in the area also flows off the plateau and into Bright Angel Creek. 'From a hydrology perspective, the fire is a disaster,' said Mark Nebel, who until recently retiring, oversaw water monitoring at Grand Canyon. Nebel worries that ash, sediment and chemical fire retardant may seep through the ground and into the aquifer that feeds the springs. These pollutants will also likely be swept into the Bright Angel watershed this summer as flash flooding is expected to occur as a result of the fire. 'The drinking water quality in the park could be impacted for many years,' added Nebel. As Arizona governor Katie Hobbs has called for an investigation into park service decisions and firefighters continue to battle the blaze, North Rim employees find themselves reminiscing about happier times. John McFarland, a former maintenance mechanic who lived and worked on the North Rim for 30 years, recalls how he organized a Fourth of July parade at the park every summer that was followed by an 'epic' water gun fight in front of the lodge. Many of the buildings he cared for are gone, but he is taking the loss in stride. 'The Grand Canyon is still there,' he said. 'Some of the old growth trees are still there. The place will come back.'
