Drought, a warming climate and decades of firefighting policies that suppressed natural fires have turned many grasslands and forests across the West into tinderboxes.

But for Frisco, it was the stay at Grand Canyon Lodge, the North Rim’s near century-old accommodation, that made the biggest impression. She could already see herself returning someday to the sprawling property,

The Dragon Bravo Fire started on July 4 and was managed at first as a controlled burn. Then the wind picked up, and it quickly became uncontrollable.

What fueled the explosive growth of the Dragon Bravo Fire was a mix of gusty winds, dry air and above-normal heat – weather conditions experts described as atypical for this time of year, when monsoonal moisture typically tamps down wildfire risk across Arizona.