Federal officials released the results of an assessment of the impact of the Dragon Bravo Fire on the soil of the Grand Canyon's North Rim and the potential aftereffects.
The map assembled by the Burned Area Emergency Response team (BAER) and U.S. Forest Service shows 97,724 acres — about 67% — of the more than 145,000 acres sustained low burn severity.
About 2% of the soil qualifies as "severely burned" with 26% considered "moderate."
The map is based off field-level burn severity measurements and remote sensing imagery data.
Moderate and high burn levels alter the properties of the soil, which can have negative effects on soil productivity and increase the risk of erosion and runoff hazards.
The results help identify impacts to area watersheds and the potential for flooding and debris flows from several waterways that feed into the Colorado Rive
Officials will use the findings to conduct emergency stabilization efforts to protect human life and safety, along with cultural and natural resources.
According to a Tuesday update, the lightning-caused Dragon Bravo Fire is up to 145,504 with 64% containment.
The release of the results comes after Gov. Katie Hobbs' renewed calls for an independent investigation into the initial federal following the Arizona Republic reported officials downplayed threats to public safety and failed to follow the Grand Canyon’s fire management plan.
The Dragon Bravo Fire is the seventh-largest wildfire in Arizona history.
