Wildfire near Grand Canyon expands almost twentyfold over 24 hours

A rapidly growing fire near the Grand Canyon has expanded nearly 20 times in size over the last 24 hours, Report informs via NBC News.

What officials have dubbed the White Sage Fire in Jacob Lake, Arizona — roughly 650 miles southwest of Denver, Colorado — has grown from 1,000 acres to nearly 20,000 acres, according to a government website that tracks US wildfires. It is 0% contained.

The fire was ignited by lightning strikes on Thursday, prompting officials to evacuate Grand Canyon National Park's North Rim and close it to visitors through at least Saturday, according to the National Park Service. A number of hiking and running trails, including Silver Bridge, River Trail and Plateau Point Trail, were closed Saturday as high temperatures presented mortal danger, park officials said.

On Friday, officials said in a post on X that roughly 500 visitors were evacuated from the area and park employees and residents were sheltering in place.

Additionally, the US Bureau of Land Management shut down public access to federal land in the area of the White Sage Fire on Saturday as a precaution.