The Dragon Bravo Fire: Devastation at the Grand Canyon’s North Rim

Grand Canyon North Rim fire update (14 July 2025, 4 p.m. MST)

A lightning-sparked blaze dubbed the Dragon Bravo Fire has burned roughly 5,700 acres on the North Rim since it ignited on July 4. Intense winds on July 12 drove rapid expansion that leveled the historic 1930’s Grand Canyon Lodge and at least 70–80 additional structures; containment remains at 0 %. The National Park Service has closed the entire North Rim for the remainder of the 2025 season, evacuated all visitors and staff, and shut interior trails— including Phantom Ranch— after a chlorine-gas leak from a fire-damaged water-treatment plant. No injuries are reported

Tell congress that you support increased funding for the National Weather Service.

These are critical times to preserve and protect America’s public lands and national parks, resources that belong to all Americans. Recently H.R.1 not only dramatically cut park service staff and budgets, it originally contained a provision to sell some of America’s vast public lands. Hunters, fishermen, cattlemen and environmentalists fought to have that provision cut from the bill. They succeeded for the time being, but we need continued vigilance to protect our public lands and national parks.

Five years in-the-making, A curated time-lapse and still photography collection of clouds filmed in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and combined with original music by National Geographic photographer / composer Richard Olsenius.  Designed for those in search of unusual and emotional moments to enhance their mindfulness and well-being.

By Richard Olsenius

As a photographer who spent years covering rural America, I never saw it coming, the “great divide,” that chasm between urban and rural, liberal and conservative, the loss of civility and social norms that we all grew up with.

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