Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Grand Canyon wildfires destroy historic lodge, force evacuations and closures
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Monday, July 14, 2025
Grand Canyon Lodge in 1937. National Park Service ([link removed]) , ([link removed]) CC BY 2.0 ([link removed]) .
Two rapidly growing wildfires ([link removed]) near the Grand Canyon's North Rim are currently burning uncontained. The fires prompted the closure and evacuation of the North Rim and destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge ([link removed]) , among other structures.
The Grand Canyon Lodge was the only lodging inside the park at the North Rim and was often the first feature visitors saw when entering the park. Park officials confirmed ([link removed]) on Sunday that it had burned down in addition to many other structures, including the visitor center, gas station, a wastewater treatment plant, an administrative building, employee housing, and several historic cabins. All staff and visitors were successfully evacuated before the fire escalated.
The Dragon Bravo Fire ([link removed]) , which started from a lightning strike inside the park on July 4, has burned over 5,000 acres. Just 35 miles north, the White Sage Fire ([link removed]) , which began on July 9, has burned over 40,000 acres and is currently uncontained. The North Rim will remain closed for the rest of the season ([link removed]) .
Meanwhile, multiple wildfires in western Colorado ([link removed]) have burned thousands of acres and continue to spread. ([link removed]) The largest, the South Rim fire, has burned more than 3,500 acres since starting Thursday morning near the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, which is closed until further notice.
Former Forest Service leader on how Trump is hollowing out the agency
In a new episode ([link removed]) of The Landscape podcast, Kate and Aaron talk to Steve Ellis, a 38-year veteran of both the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management and current chair of the National Association of Forest Service Retirees, about what the Trump administration is doing, and trying to do, to the Forest Service, and what that means for everything from logging to wildfires.
** Quick hits
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They gutted public lands in the reconciliation bill—and no one’s talking about it
More Than Just Parks ([link removed])
Wildfire destroys a historic Grand Canyon lodge and other structures
Washington Post ([link removed]) | NBC News ([link removed]) | USA Today ([link removed]) | Associated Press ([link removed]) | New York Times ([link removed]) | Newsweek ([link removed]) | ABC News ([link removed])
Idaho state legislators celebrate death of proposal to sell off public lands
Idaho Capital Sun ([link removed])
Opinion: Protecting Arizona’s public lands is not partisan—it's personal
Arizona Daily Star ([link removed])
A controversial amendment cut from Trump's tax bill is to be reintroduced
NPR ([link removed])
Trump administration budget cuts wreak havoc on trail maintenance
High Country News ([link removed])
Parks gift shops directed to remove items that ‘disparage Americans’
Washington Post ([link removed])
Defunct oil wells are a national problem. Finding them is the first step
NPR ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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”
I know things feel overwhelming right now, and it’s easy to feel powerless. But now is when your voice is needed the most. Now is when we need to reaffirm the mandate on public land protections and honor Tribal sovereignty.”
—Dana Orozco, federal organizer for Chispa Arizona, Arizona Daily Star ([link removed])
** Picture This
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[link removed]
@usinterior ([link removed])
Moonscape Overlook is one of the most otherworldly viewpoints in central Utah. Managed by the BLM, this remote spot sits above the Blue Valley just east of Capitol Reef National Park and offers sweeping views across a stark, lunar-like landscape.
At sunrise, the Mancos shale badlands come alive with color. Normally shades of gray, the terrain shifts to soft tones of pink, blue, and gold as the first light hits the horizon. The textures and contours of the land become more dramatic, making early morning one of the best times to visit.
Reaching the overlook requires a high-clearance vehicle and patience to navigate the rough road, but the effort pays off. The vast silence and strange beauty of the scene make it feel like you've stepped onto another planet.
Photo by Marcin Zajac
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