(Photo courtesy of Grand Canyon National Park Service)

Mather Point at the Grand Canyon's South Rim.

Visitors to the Grand Canyon this week may see smoke from a fire on the South Rim. That smoke will be coming from a prescribed burn the National Park Service is planning.

Forest officials said the fire is intended to decrease risks to life, resources and property. About 1.5 square miles will be burned. The area is comprised primarily of pinyon juniper and ponderosa pine.

Park officials said the fire will improve  defensible space in the wildland-urban interface within the South Rim's developed area.