Kurt Stanley directed airplanes and helicopters, as the North Rim’s Great Canyon Lodge was caught in flames and destroyed the dragon Bravo fire, which on July 12. He torn through the National Park at night.
Two days after the fire demanded the Grand Canyon Lodge, the northern rim reinforcement since 1920, the fire increased to nearly 6000 ha and the firefighters had a 0% flood, state and federal fire officers said.
“We just lack resources, we had enough people, enough aircraft to get there, and, you know, to fight the fire effectively,” said Stanley’s interview by phone, talking about his first night, working on fire as part of an air attack crew.
Here, the story of the Grand Canyon Lodge in the northern country is overlooked here and as the famous hut burned on the ground earlier.
Air Traffic Controller submits Grand Canyon Lodge to destroy first hand account
Stanley described the image of the destroyed Grand Canyon Lodge, which was seen by the infrared chamber, overnight on July 12.
“I don’t see it to the naked eye from the air, so I have a screen in front of me to see what my camera operator is watching,” Stanley said. “Several buildings were destroyed,” he added.
Stefan La-Sky, a public information officer of the Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team, said July 14th. 70 constructions were lost for the fire.
La-Sky said the cottage was on fire around 10:30 p.m. July 12th. At night, when the winds were particularly strong, burning overnight and early morning.
Stanley said crews were unable to stop the fire from spreading to the hut and nearby structures.
The air -attack crew struggling with the Dragon Bravo fire, standing in front of their plane: Ben Stanistreet, Pilot (left), Chris Pan, Mission Sensor Operator (Center) and Kurt Stanley, Air Tactics Group supervisor and air transport controllers.
The air crews even encouraged the dangerous situation of the materials to fight the fire. Stanley said the crews initially managed to fight a fire near the chlorine leakage at the water purification device, but eventually had to withdraw from the security of safety due to pilots breathing with toxic smoke.
Stanley said the crews could not use a fire retardant on July 12, on July 12, on the day the hut burned down on the orders of the National Park Service. Fire Retardant leaves red spots caused by paint used to facilitate the identification of the places where the retarant was dropped. Near historical structures, a retardant is often avoided. “This land remains red before it is raining,” Stanley said.
The retardant is commonly used when fire extinguishing efforts are oriented to suppression rather than a contour and conditioning strategy used by officials at the beginning of Dragon Bravo Fire.
When the cottage and other structures burned down, Stanley said the crews were given the opportunity to move on to complete suppression efforts and use Retardant.
“Lodge and all housing of historic cabins and staff – all of this was our area of security,” Stanley said.
Flying planes owned by the Indian Affairs Bureau and the National Park Service, Stanley remained in the northern Arizona sky on July 14, working with a crew of three men to attack the fire from above.
Weiser, Aidaho, Stanley, was now low with his plane and crew.
Since 1993 He fought fires with agencies such as the National Park Service. He has left, but returned as a “random lease” at the US National Forest Service, Stanley said.
Stanley was not a stranger in Arizona. In the mid -1990s, when the cottage was still standing, he visited the northern land of the Great Canyon of the Great Canyon.
2004 He returned to Arizon to help fight a willow fire, which burned almost 120,000 hectares southwest of Payson. While fighting the fire, Kurt met his wife Christina, who was living in Arizona at the time. “Since then, the fire has been a part of our lives,” Christina said.
Community rallies support Grand Canyon Lodge employees and residents
Nate Loper, the Grand Canyon Tour Guide, organized a voter of funds to support the Dragon Bravo Fire victims, many of which were national park staff, executives and seasonal staff directly affected by a fire.
According to park officials, the northern country of the North Great Canyon National Park was closed in 2025. During the season.
“These are men and women who pour the heart at the trails leading to guests and create an unforgettable experience for millions of visitors,” said Loper’s report.
The victims were searched for “Gofundme” and Loper shared a message on the optional website only for funds to voter.
“If the northern rim has ever inspired you, congratulated you, or has left you fearing, now is the time to give up,” said Loper.
The cuber has many years of experience to explore the rim and rafts across the Colorado River.
He said he accepted his family and children to stay in the hut in the past, describing it as a quiet and picturesque retreat.
The story is repeated. Previously, Grand Canyon Lodge has been destroyed by a fire
The original North Rim Lodge was partially built in partial Union Pacific Railroad and opened in 1928, according to the National Park Service.
1932 September According to the National Park Office, the fire quickly destroyed the hut, sending the hut employees fleeing in the early hours of the morning. According to the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim History, Davy Crockett’s book, Blaze began as a kitchen fire when the chef was preparing breakfast for employees.
Based on 1937 June The restored cottage was opened. It contained a limestone facade, which was obtained nearby, and the huge punch pine was turned into support beams to retain a sloping roof that could maintain heavy snow loads, the National Park Service reports.
Firefighters try to protect the remaining northern rim structures
According to Inciweb, the air attack crews such as Stanley’s, along with the overlapping crews, made up nearly 300 employees fighting a fire from July 14th.
This included firefighters to preserve the remaining structures and cultural and natural resources in the Grand Canyon National Park, Inciweb reports.
According to Inciweb, severe air reactions to the “aggressive complete suppression strategy” were expected.
Contact reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr. By email [email protected]. Follow it on Instagram, X, Threads and Bluesky: @reycjraz.
(This article has been updated to add new information.)
This article initially appeared in the Republic of Arizona: Firefighters’ crew describes the Grand Canyon Lodge, destroyed by a raging fire