Historically dry conditions, combined with gusty winds, have made it harder for crews to contain a wildfire burning along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, causing containment figures to plummet as the blaze nearly tripled in size in just a few days.
The fire made one of its biggest runs on Monday as it raced across 25 square miles of terrain.
The periods when the fire is most active is spanning longer durations of the day, leaving less time for firefighters to make up ground, fire spokesperson Lisa Jennings said.
“These record dry air masses are just the tip of the iceberg on what has created this fire weather, because it’s also been a dry season here and we haven’t got any of the monsoon moisture that usually comes in early July,” Jennings said.
She added that type of fuels — towering mixed conifers and ponderosa pines — along with the topography of the rim are contributing to the fire’s spread.
📝 : Associated Press
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