PHOENIX — A new map outlines the soil burn severity damage (SBS) from the Dragon Bravo Fire that burned more than 145,500 acres north of the Grand Canyon.

The map estimates the majority (67%) of the acres burned (97,724 acres) have low SBS. Only 2% of the fire (3,470 acres) was measured at high SBS.

The SBS scale is measured at four different levels: high, moderate, low and unburned/very low.

Unburned/very low SBS was measured at 7% (9,851 acres) and moderate SBS was the second most at 26% (38,354 acres).

Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response teams from the Department of the Interior and US Forest Service put the map together.

It uses field level burn severity measurements as well as remote sensing imagery data to compile the results into a map.

It helps officials determine post-fire risks like erosion and debris flows.

Moderate and high SBS physically, chemically and biologically alters the soil property, generally resulting in negative effects to soil productivity and increased risk of erosion and runoff hazards.


Current status of the Dragon Bravo Fire

Containment on the fire is up to 63% as of Aug. 24.

Many closures have been lifted to increase access to the Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National Park but State Route 67 is still closed to ensure the safety of firefighters and the public.

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park will be closed for the rest of the 2025 season.

The Dragon Bravo Fire is the seventh largest wildfire in Arizona history and its the largest fire in the state since the Telegraph Fire in 2021, which is ranked No. 6.

A full list of the 10 largest wildfires in Arizona history can be found below:

    1. Wallow Fire, 2011, 538,049 acres
    2. Rodeo-Chediski Fire, 2002, 468,638 acres
    3. Cave Creek Complex Fire, 2005, 243,950 acres
    4. Horseshoe Two Fire, 2011, 222,954 acres
    5. Bush Fire, 2020, 193,455 acres
    6. Telegraph Fire, 2021, 180,747 acres
    7. Dragon Bravo Fire, 2025, 145,504 acres*
    8. Woodbury Fire, 2019, 123,875 acres
    9. Bighorn Fire, 2020, 119,541 acres
    10. Willow Fire, 2004, 119,500 acres

*As of Aug. 24, 2025

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