Fire Closes Highway To The Grand Canyon
June 09, 2017
Allison Bonk - United States Forest Service
The Boundary Fire in northern Arizona.
A stretch of Highway 180 between Flagstaff and Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim is closed because of a wildfire burning north of the city. The Arizona Department of Transportation has not said yet when the popular roadway will reopen.
Kaibab National Forest officials said the highway is closed because smoke from the Boundary Fire has made the road hazardous to drive. There are two alternate routes to the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
Strong, erratic wind gusts pushed the flames to more than 1,550 acres Thursday. More than 160 firefighters are working to contain the fire, which was sparked by lightning last week. Strong winds are forecast for the next several days.
