A wildfire that tore through a historic Grand Canyon Lodge​ had been allowed to burn for days before erupting over the weekend, raising questions about federal officials' decision not to aggressively attack it right away.

The fire on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon started from a lightning strike but was managed as a controlled burn until it spread.

A wildfire in tinder-dry forest destroyed dozens of buildings, prompting public outrage that it was left to burn for a week before firefighters tried to fully extinguish it.

With the Grand Canyon Lodge lost to the wildfire, lodging options on the North Rim are less clear. Farther up Grand Canyon Highway is Kaibab Lodge, which has become a temporary base for firefighters and hasn’t yet been hit by the fires, owner Larry Innes said in an interview with a local CBS affiliate.

A new report has calculated that making national parks the responsibility of states would raise costs, cut revenue and reduce access for Arizonans.

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.

Highway closures and evacuations remain in effect as a wildfire burns more than 58,000 acres in Coconino County. It is one of two blazes raging at or near the northern rim of the Grand Canyon.

The lightning-caused wildfire that consumed roughly 70 structures seemed unremarkable for days. High winds changed that.