The Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge and continues to burn. See the devastation, plus readers share memories of the lodge.

The building was surrounded by vegetation on fire when a team of "helitack" firefighters arrived to protect the area on Tuesday. Grand Canyon National Park officials said the crews knew if the pump house fell, the consequences could cripple park operations for months.

"Though it was definitely not your average vacation trip, everything worked out okay. We made the best of it," Russ Christian said.

Gov. Katie Hobbs questioned the federal government's handling of the Dragon Bravo Fire, which destroyed numerous structures on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. land managers are racing the clock as hotter, drier weather raises the risk of wildfires in the nation’s overgrown forests with each passing year.