A wildfire in tinder-dry forest on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon grew around 50% on Tuesday after it destroyed dozens of buildings, prompting public outrage that it was left to burn for a week before firefighters tried to fully extinguish it.

The Dragon Bravo Fire has burned more than 8,500 acres southeast of the Grand Canyon. The fire was sparked by lightning on July 4 and has destroyed dozens of structures on the North Rim, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.

Crews fighting a wildfire were focused on stopping the flames from consuming nearby cabins, a water pumping station, mule stables and other structures, fire officials said.

Gov. Katie Hobbs questioned why the U.S. government decided to manage the Dragon Bravo fire, which started with a lightning strike, as a “controlled burn” during the height of the summer.

The Grand Canyon's North Bravo Fire intensified on July 11, the day before Katy Rock Shop owner Jacob Proctor and his family arrived at the national park.

Fire activity on the Dragon Bravo Fire, located at Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim, remains “extremely active,” according to an incident update Monday.