Dragon Bravo Fire: Understanding Wildfire Impacts on Grand Canyon Rafting Trips

Fully contained as of late September 2025, the Dragon Bravo Fire was one of Arizona’s most destructive wildfires in recent history—burning more than 140,000 acres on the North Rim of Grand Canyon and destroying the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. 

Sparked by lightning on July 4, the fire grew from a small, monitored blaze to a massive “megafire” within days, fueled by hot, dry conditions, low humidity, and strong winds. By mid-August, it had swept across the Kaibab Plateau, consuming much of the North Rim’s developed area, including the Visitor Center, guest cabins, and park infrastructure. The fire never crossed the Colorado River, meaning the inner canyon and the river corridor where Grand Canyon rafting trips take place, remained largely untouched.

As of early October 2025, the National Park Service has reopened Highway 67 as far as W1 Road, restoring access to North Rim viewpoints like Point Imperial and Cape Royal while continuing repairs and cleanup in the affected areas. Park visitors can check the status of many North Rim landmarks on the National Park Service website.

While the Dragon Bravo Fire was an extreme example, wildfires like it are a normal and recurring part of the Grand Canyon’s ecosystem, and they can occasionally affect river trips through the canyon. From smoky skies and closures to changes in hiking access, the impacts can range widely.

What Grand Canyon Rafters Need to Know

Grand Canyon river trips were minimally impacted by the Dragon Bravo Fire. According to Lars Harr, OARS Grand Canyon Operations Manager, the trips on the water when the fire rapidly expanded saw variable smoke conditions, but very little direct disruption.

The biggest impact for rafters came from air quality. “It was time-of-day dependent and portion-of-the-canyon dependent,” Harr explains. “As the air cooled in the evening that smoke would settle down in the Canyon—amazing sunsets, but smokier camps for sure. As the day heated up, that smoke would get blown out by the breezes and warmer air.”

While the river remained open and there were no closures affecting commercial rafting trips, some guests chose to cancel due to smoke or visibility concerns, particularly for those whose trips began or ended at Pipe Creek, requiring a hike in or out of the Canyon on the Bright Angel Trail. Phantom Ranch, which is expected to reopen Nov. 1, closed temporarily during the height of the fire, though river runners could still stop at Boat Beach to refill water. Mule duffel service to and from Phantom Ranch was also suspended for the remainder of the 2025 season.

Looking Ahead to 2026 and 2027

OARS expects Grand Canyon river trips to run as scheduled for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, with some minor precautions in place. The main concern moving forward is flash flooding or debris flows in burn-scarred drainages below the fire area during monsoonal storms, especially between River Miles 18 and 100. This includes popular hiking and camping areas like North Canyon, South Canyon, Nankoweap, and Bright Angel.

“We’re warning our trips to avoid camping on river right in those areas or at least choose their campsites wisely,” Harr says. In 2025, heavy monsoon rains termporarily turned the Colorado River a dark brown, almost black, caused by runoff from the freshly burned area. It’s unclear if that will continue into the 2026 or 2027 commercial rafting season.

How Common Are Wildfires Near Grand Canyon?

While wildfires on the rim are fairly common, fires directly affecting the river corridor are rare. Guests planning a Grand Canyon rafting trip are less likely to encounter wildfires compared to popular wilderness rafting trips in Idaho or Oregon, according to Harr. “The rim itself is the only heavily wooded area,” he adds. “Once you get below the rim, there’s just not enough vegetation for a massive forest fire. It’s not something folks need to worry about.”

Still, smoke from regional fires can affect visibility or air quality. Guests with sensitivities to smoke or conditions like asthma are encouraged to purchase travel protection and monitor wildfire updates prior to their trip.

For those planning a rafting trip during wildfire season in the Western U.S., fires like Dragon Bravo also serve as an important reminder of how wildfire impacts can ripple across the region, even when the flames are far from the water.