Fire Management, Information and Activity

Monitoring a prescribed fire on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park

 

Jump to: ----Fire Management ---- Fire Videos

 

---Fire Updates / Advisories / Restrictions / Closures

 

Grand Canyon National Park always operates under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions.

• Campfires must be contained in designated fire rings within maintained campgrounds.

• If you are hiking and camping below the rim, gas cook stoves may be used, but campfires and other open fires are never allowed.
• Boating trips on the Colorado River are required to contain any fires in a metal fire pan placed on a fire blanket.
• There are no additional fire restrictions in place at this time.

 

Grand Canyon National Park Active Fire Information: Ikes Fire (Updated Oct. 18, 2019)

The Ikes Fire, which started on July 25, 2019, is a lighting caused fire located near Swamp Point on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

Update: October 18, 2019,

• Ikes Fire is primarily burning on the Powell Plateau and within other parts of the Grand Canyon NP which are steep and inaccessible.
• The fire will continue to be impacted by weather frontal passages which may bring gusty winds, and no precipitation is expected in the next 7-10 days.
• This fire will continue burning until it receives significant moisture or it runs out of available fuel, like being ledged out on rocky cliffs.
• Closures remain in effect on both the NPS And USFS. USFS closure is in place until 10/30 and will continue to be evaluated. NPS closure in effect until rescinded.
• Resources currently assigned three Type 6 Engines, Wildland Fire Use Module and misc overhead.
• Resources continue to monitor fire activity, evaluate containment options and prep control lines where feasible.

Closures: Grand Canyon North Rim is OPEN.The following roads and trails on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon have been closed for public safety and to allow firefighters to conduct operations in the fire area.

- Powell Plateau Trail
- North Bass Trail
- Fire Point
- Swamp Point
- NPS W4 road north of the intersection of W4 and W1

To ensure public and firefighter safety, the temporary closure area of the Ikes Fire on the North Kaibab Ranger District has been expanded to include the roads, trails and viewpoints in the Rainbow Rim Trail area. Areas in the expanded closure include:

- Parissawampitts Point
- Fence Point
- Locust Point
- North Timp Point
- Timp Point
- Stina Point

This closure will remain in effect until further notice. Other roads and trails in the planning area may be temporarily blocked off due to hazards and fire personnel working in the area.

The Ikes Fire poses no danger to structures or local infrastructure.

More information about the Ikes Fire is available here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6475/

A list of Grand Canyon National Park News Releases for the Ikes Fire is displayed at the bottom of this page, along with the progression map from October 17, 2019.

During an active fire, additional information is available from:

 

Grand Canyon National Park News Releases

Also check:
Grand Canyon National Park's Twitter Feed:
https://twitter.com/GrandCanyonNPS

 

InciWeb Website:
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/

InciWeb Twitter Site:

https://twitter.com/inciweb (#AZGCP)

 

Current Fire Information from Our Neighboring National Forests:

• Kaibab National Forest's web site
  https://twitter.com/KaibabNF
• Coconino National Forest's web site
  https://twitter.com/CoconinoNF

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For more fire information in and around Grand Canyon National Park, visit the Arizona Emergency Information Network, the official site for alerts and bulletins on emergencies and disasters in Arizona, including public health and safety advisories, homeland security alerts and disaster relief bulletins.

Also, Arizona Fire News

 

Grand Canyon Fire Restrictions

Please review the year-round fire regulations in place at Grand Canyon National Park:

• Within the park, fires are only allowed in designated campgrounds and may only be ignited in grills or designated fire rings.
• If you are hiking and camping below the rim, cook stoves may be used, but campfires and other open fires are never allowed.
• If you are on a river trip, campfires are only allowed in elevated metal pans, and use of a fire proof blanket under the pan is required.

For information about fire restrictions on other public lands in Arizona and New Mexico call the Southwest Area Fire Restriction Information Line at 877-864-6985.

 

There are no additional Fire Restrictions at this time.

 

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The Fire Danger at Grand Canyon National Park is:

 

South Rim: Very High

 

North Rim: High

 

Prescribed fire on the North Rim of the park.

Fire Management at Grand Canyon National Park

Fire has the potential to change park landscapes more often than volcanoes, earthquakes or even floods. Such forces of change are completely natural and often necessary. Plants and animals have evolved with, and many depend on, the role fire plays in creating and maintaining a diversity of habitats.

Fire managers at Grand Canyon National Park follow a comprehensive fire plan that allows the restoration of fire regimes through a full range of management tools. Natural fire, prescribed fire, hazard fuel reduction, and fire effects monitoring help restore natural processes while providing for firefighter and public safety.

Grand Canyon National Park has one of the most active fire management programs in the National Park Service. Select a topic below to learn more.

 

Fire Ecology and Education
Learn about the history and importance of fire in shaping the plant communities above the Rims of Grand Canyon.

 

Community Wildfire Prevention & Safety
Is your home and property firesafe?
Here is information on how to reduce the risk of fire loss and damage.

 

Helicopter Training Academy
Work on your taskbooks at the Grand Canyon! We offer two-week sessions to federal and non-federal employees interested in completing their HECM, HELB, and HELM certifications.

 

Fire Management Planning
Check here for planning documents that guide our fire management operations.

 

Related Information

View photos of Grand Canyon's Fire and Aviation program.

To view National Park Service wildland fire photos, click here

Wildland Fire QUICKLINKS:

Arizona Wildfire Frequently Asked Questions

Arizona Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality Resources

National Fire Information

Inciweb

National Large Fires Maps

NPS Fire & Aviation Management - Twitter - Facebook

Fire In-Depth

Grand Canyon, Arizona Weather Forecast (NOAA)

 

Duration:

4 minutes, 9 seconds

Fire can be utilized to shape the landscape and achieve large-scale resource goals. Conversely, wildland fire can also adversely impact our resources, both natural and cultural. The Grand Canyon Fire Management Program views the wise use of fire as an important tool in the effort to reduce the impacts and restore balance to our ecosystems.

 

Duration:

3 minutes, 45 seconds

The secret to the Ponderosa pine's success is how well it has adapted to fire. What can people who live in fire-prone areas learn from the tree's defenses?

 

View full screen.

 

 

Ikes Fire Public Information Map, October 17, 2019. Approx. 16,416 acres. USFS

 

Ikes Fire Progression Map. July 29 through August 26, 2019