Uncontained wildfires in beautiful Big Bear Lake area of California (2 days old) and the Grand Canyon "mega fire" in Arizona (burning for more than a month, 13% contained, generating its own weather).
BIG BEAR AREA, CA
Situation Summary
The Gold Fire remains active and continues to burn with a moderate rate of spread, primarily advancing to the northeast. Fire behavior is being influenced by steep terrain and limited accessibility, which pose significant challenges to suppression efforts. Firefighters are working diligently in these rugged areas to slow the fire’s progression and establish control lines. Short-range spotting has been observed, further complicating containment operations.
https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2025/8/4/gold-fire
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/gold-fire-burning-in-forest-above-big-bear-lake-surpasses-900-acres/ar-AA1JY2Uk
GRAND CANYON, AZ
Despite over a month of firefighting efforts, the Dragon Bravo fire experienced a surge of growth this week, doubling in size within just a few days. The northern Arizona “megafire” is now the largest active blaze in the continental U.S. and the largest of 2025 so far.
As of Wednesday, August 6, the Dragon Bravo fire has torched 130,520 acres along the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, according to the national wildfire monitoring database InciWeb. This fire sparked to life when lightning struck the area on July 4. National Park Service responders initially tried to manage the Dragon Bravo Fire with a confine-and-contain strategy, but it quickly grew out of control. This week, dry heat and gusty winds stoked another surge of rapid growth, challenging crews already struggling to control the blaze across rough terrain.
According to a Wednesday InciWeb update, they have only managed to contain 13% of the fire.
The fire was pushing north on Tuesday, August 5, and crews deployed ground and air resources to minimize the growth of this new front. This strategy should drive the inferno into territory where it will quickly run out of fuel, according to the InciWeb update, but high heat and low humidity will continue to stoke the flames through Friday. To make matters worse, the fire is burning so hot that it’s generating weather that could help it spread more rapidly.
…The Dragon Bravo fire has already destroyed dozens of structures—including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge—triggered evacuations, and forced officials to close the North Rim for the remainder of the 2025 season, according to the National Park Service. There have been no reports of fatalities or damages. Dragon Bravo is currently one of four large, active wildfires in Arizona and one of 42 burning across the U.S., the National Interagency Fire Center reported Wednesday.
https://gizmodo.com/grand-canyon-megafire-explodes-in-size-and-is-now-creating-its-own-weather-2000639749