Governor Katie Hobbs Releases Statement on Dragon Bravo Fire

"I am incredibly saddened by the destruction of the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, and my heart goes out to every person impacted by the Dragon Bravo Fire near the Grand Canyon's North Rim. As someone who was born and raised in Arizona, I know what the Grand Canyon National Park means to so many people, not just in Arizona, but all over the world, and how devastating it is to see this damage done to one of Arizona's most cherished landmarks. I thank every firefighter and first responder for their unwavering commitment in taking action to combat the flames, and the state will continue to support and aid in suppressing the fire and protecting Arizonans.

"An incident of this magnitude demands intense oversight and scrutiny into the federal government's emergency response. They must first take aggressive action to end the wildfire and prevent further damage. But Arizonans deserve answers for how this fire was allowed to decimate the Grand Canyon National Park. While the flame was started with a lightning strike, the federal government chose to manage that fire as a controlled burn during the driest, hottest part of the Arizona summer.