Containment on Dragon Bravo Fire increases to 54%, fire size stays the same

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. (ABC4) — Containment increased on Dragon Bravo Fire burning on North Rim of Grand Canyon since Wednesday, while the fire size remained stable, a hopeful sign for the largest wildfire in the continental United States.

On Wednesday, containment of the Dragon Bravo Fire rose to 54%, up from 44% the day before. It stayed at 144,432 acres in size. In the past five days, it has grown 3,000 acres, a significant slowdown in growth compared to past weeks. Currently, 978 personnel are assigned to the fire.

Containment was gained on the Wahalla Plateau, in the area around Point Imperial, and at the northern tip of the fire. As containment increases, firefighters will work to repair suppression, which means that they will stay flexible and ready to respond if fire activity increases.

Fire activity has slowed, but it is important to note that firefighters are building contingency lines in case fire activity increases and threatens existing fire lines. A contingency line is part of a contingency plan, and basically those lines are backup lines to try to stop fire growth if it exceeds an existing line.

On Wednesday, aerial resources dropped fire retardant on the southern flank below the Wahalla Plateau, where it is not safe for firefighters to work on the ground. Using chippers, crews cleaned up brush along Highway 67.

Within Grand Canyon National Park, fire crews removed hazard trees along roadways to make travel safer for ground crews, with the support of heavy equipment.

The Dragon Bravo Fire started on July 4, and it was sparked by lightning.

Weather, smoke conditions, and closures

Storms moved over the fire on Wednesday and brought some showers, but the showers were not enough to provide any sort of wetting rain or lightning. There is a chance of rain on Friday, but rain will not extinguish the fire. However, rain will improve relative humidity and make vegetation more moist, which will help reduce fire behavior and growth.

Smoke is going to be visible from surrounding areas, including the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It will have the strongest impact on the canyon bottom, but air quality is expected to be moderate in surrounding areas.

State Route 67 remains closed, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon will remain closed for the remainder of the 2025 season. Parts of the Kaibab National Forest are closed, and you can learn more about those forest closures here.

The temporary flight restriction over the area of the Dragon Bravo Fire is still in place, and drone use is dangerous to firefighters and illegal.