Grand Canyon Megafire Burns 112,000 Acres, Spurs Fire Clouds

Utah has experienced several new wildfires over the weekend, most of which are human-caused, including fires sparked by roadside sparks, a glider crash, welding near dry grass, and an abandoned ATV fire. Authorities have evacuated areas such as American Fork Canyon due to growing fire threats amid ongoing red flag warnings for hot, dry, and windy conditions. Meanwhile, northern Arizona is grappling with the Dragon Bravo Fire, which has now become the largest wildfire in the continental US this year, surpassing 111,000 acres and earning 'megafire' status. The fire has destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and dozens of other structures, with containment dropping to 9% due to extreme weather conditions. This intense blaze has generated pyrocumulus fire clouds that could potentially develop into dangerous fire thunderstorms, posing additional risks. Firefighters continue to battle the blaze amid forecasts of extreme heat and strong winds, complicating containment efforts.