FREDONIA, Ariz. – The Dragon Bravo Fire is now the largest wildfire burning in the United States and the biggest ever recorded in the Grand Canyon area, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Since it sparked over Fourth of July weekend, the U.S. Forest Service said the fire has burned more than 143,000 acres, with containment hovering around 40%.
It has destroyed more than 70 buildings and forced the indefinite closure of the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
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Business owners along the Arizona-Utah border say they are feeling the ripple effects of the fire – as many rely on steady summer tourist traffic, which has dried up.
“The perception is that they’ve got to make other plans and go somewhere else,” said Dan Dillman, who owns the Historic Redstone Theater in Kanab, Utah. “And that’s gonna affect the things we have bought, whether that be candy and popcorn, you know that stuff doesn’t last forever.”
Kanab is about two hours north of the Grand Canyon’s North Rim and typically serves as a jumping-off point for park visitors, but this summer is different.
Dillman said his usually full Airbnb units above the theater are nearly empty.
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“We have Airbnb, like hotel units on top of the historic Redstone Theater. And right now; you know, we’ve only got one person coming in today. Normally they are packed and full at this time of the year,” he said.
Since the fire started, the flow of visitors has slowed dramatically, even in neighboring towns like Fredonia, Arizona.
“You can definitely tell that there’s less traffic,” said Wayne Otte, manager of Homestead Tribal Arts in Fredonia.
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Otte said his store, which typically sees tourists from as far away as France and Italy, has seen business stall.
“You know you just hope that it picks back up; I mean I don’t know what else to say,” he added.
While the North Rim is expected to remain closed for the rest of the year, the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park remains open along with several other nearby parks that are still drawing visitors.
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