Arizona Democratic senators back governor’s call to review Dragon Bravo Fire response

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Arizona’s Democratic senators are demanding answers from the Trump administration about its response to the Dragon Bravo Fire that destroyed dozens of structures at the northern rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.

Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego want to know why the administration decided to let the Dragon Bravo Fire, which was caused by a lightning strike, burn, given the dry conditions in the area. They also want to know what resources the department has called up to fight the blaze.

“There are many questions over the initial decision to treat this fire as a controlled burn and subsequent decisions on how to respond,” the senators wrote in a joint letter to the U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Monday.

As of Monday, the wildfire, aided by powerful 40 mph wind gusts, had torched about 5,700 acres and still hasn’t been contained.

“As discussed during your confirmation process, the Grand Canyon is Arizona’s crown jewel,” the senators said. “The Dragon Bravo fire has already devastated this natural and cultural treasure, and the fire continues to spread.”

“We cannot allow these decisions to damage thousands of acres in northern Arizona, risk the health and safety of residents, and destroy landmarks like the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, which was lost to the Dragon Bravo fire,” the senators continued in the letter.

The letter follows Gov. Katie Hobbs’ demands for a full investigation into the handling of the fire.

“An incident of this magnitude demands intense oversight and scrutiny,” Hobbs wrote in a prepared statement released on Sunday.

She will be meeting with leadership in the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior soon to learn more about the decisions made in managing the wildfire, Hobbs’ spokesperson Christian Slater said in an email.

Authorities first used a “confine and contain” strategy but shifted to aggressive suppression as the fire — one of two that firefighters are dealing with on the North Rim — rapidly grew because of hot temperatures, low humidity and strong wind gusts, fire officials said.

See the full letter

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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