Historical · 58,985 acres · Final report · contained September 10, 2025
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Incident data
Federal incident record via NIFC Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Services (WFIGS).
Started
July 9, 2025
Contained
September 10, 2025
Duration
63 days
Peak acres
58,985
Cause
Lightning
County
Coconino
About the White Sage Fire
The White Sage Fire was a 58,985-acre lightning-caused wildfire on the Kaibab Plateau in Coconino County, Arizona. It was first reported on July 9, 2025 and reached containment on September 10, 2025.
White Sage burned simultaneously with the much larger Dragon Bravo Fire to the south, on the same Kaibab Plateau forest landscape. Together the two fires shaped the 2025 North Rim summer and triggered closures across Grand Canyon National Park and the surrounding national forest land.
Incident data comes from the NIFC Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Services (WFIGS) feed. Final acreage and containment dates reflect the closeout report from the assigned incident management team.
The 2025 White Sage and Dragon Bravo burn scars above Bright Angel Canyon intensified the August 29 flash flood at Grand Canyon National Park. Hydrologist Laura Crossey said the scars supplied the debris and sediment that let the water carry larger logs and boulders.
The White Sage Fire reached 100% containment on September 12, 2025, after burning nearly 59,000 acres on BLM Arizona Strip and North Kaibab Ranger District lands. Together with the Dragon Bravo Fire, the two fires affected nearly 205,500 acres of public lands in northern Arizona.
The Burned Area Emergency Response team mapped 1,503 acres at high soil burn severity and 17,446 acres at moderate across the 58,985-acre burn, and named flooding, debris flows and cheatgrass invasion as the main threats. Treatments include aerial seeding of about 1,097 acres in spring 2026.
Earlier coverage· 11 entries · July 11, 2025 to August 4, 2025
Hydrologists on a Burned Area Emergency Response Team predict hydrologic risks, and Identify vulnerabilities, and determine changes in watershed response in areas affected by a wildfire. (USDA FS / Kelly Mott Lecroix)The Arizona National Scenic Trail cuts through the White Sage Fire area, having survived the fire will minimal damage.Soil specialists on a Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team assess soil burn severity, predict post-fire effects, and recommend emergency stabilization treatments in a fire-burned area. (USDA FS - Kelly Mott Lecroix)Wildfires affect many different forest users - the Arizona Trail winds through many grazing areas on the Kaibab, and fence repairs and trail clean-up will need to be completed to serve both hikers and ranchers in the burned area of the forest.Team hydrologist measure deposited ash in a drainage to estimate post-fire hazards in fire-affected watersheds. (USDA FS - Kelly Mott Lacroix)View gallery on InciWeb ↗
Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team assessing fire severity on the White Sage FireU.S. Forest Service · August 4, 2025
Kaibab National Forest initiated a BAER assessment of the 58,985-acre White Sage Fire burned area on August 1. The interdisciplinary team is surveying for flash flood and debris flow risks and will produce a soil burn severity map to guide emergency stabilization on federal lands.
Local North Kaibab and BLM Arizona Strip units took command from Color Country Team 2 as containment reached 95%.
Source: U.S. Forest Service · August 2, 2025
White Sage Fire reaches 95% containment; local units assume command. The White Sage Fire reached 95% containment at 58,985 acres as of August 2, when local North Kaibab and BLM Arizona Strip units took over command from Color Country Team 2. A Burned Area Emergency Response team began evaluating fire impacts to determine rehabilitation needs.
White Sage Fire reaches 95% containment; local units assume commandU.S. Forest Service · August 2, 2025
The White Sage Fire reached 95% containment at 58,985 acres as of August 2, when local North Kaibab and BLM Arizona Strip units took over command from Color Country Team 2. A Burned Area Emergency Response team began evaluating fire impacts to determine rehabilitation needs.
White Sage Fire reaches 95% containment; BAER team begins post-fire assessmentBureau of Land Management · August 1, 2025
The White Sage Fire is 95% contained at 58,985 acres as of August 1. A BAER team has begun evaluating fire impacts for rehabilitation, suppression line repair is ongoing, and U.S. Route 89A and House Rock Valley Road are open.
White Sage Fire at 83% containment; Highway 89A reopens as suppression repair continuesBureau of Land Management · July 31, 2025
The White Sage Fire is at 83% containment and 58,985 acres as of July 31. U.S. Route 89A has reopened and crews are spreading native seed and repairing suppression lines across the fire footprint; smoldering within the perimeter is expected to continue for weeks.
White Sage Fire: Highway 89A reopens as BLM rescinds Vermilion Cliffs closureBureau of Land Management · July 28, 2025
The White Sage Fire reached 83% containment at 59,070 acres on July 28. BLM rescinded the fire area closure near Vermilion Cliffs National Monument and reopened Highway 89A, while suppression repair crews spread native seed and rebuilt fences across the fire footprint.
Containment reached 83% at 59,065 acres as crews turned to suppression repair.
Source: U.S. Forest Service · July 27, 2025
BLM rescinds Vermilion Cliffs closure as White Sage Fire holds at 83% containment. The White Sage Fire is at 83% containment across 59,065 acres as of July 27. BLM Arizona Strip District lifted the fire area closure near Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, reopening FR 22 and House Rock Valley Road, while crews continue suppression repair and reseeding.
BLM rescinds Vermilion Cliffs closure as White Sage Fire holds at 83% containmentU.S. Forest Service · July 27, 2025
The White Sage Fire is at 83% containment across 59,065 acres as of July 27. BLM Arizona Strip District lifted the fire area closure near Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, reopening FR 22 and House Rock Valley Road, while crews continue suppression repair and reseeding.
First containment reported: 4% at 52,990 acres amid extreme fire behavior.
Source: U.S. Forest Service · July 16, 2025
White Sage Fire Daily Update - July 16, 2025. A lightning-started fire ignited July 9 near Fredonia spread onto the North Kaibab Ranger District, reaching 52,990 acres at 4% containment by July 16. Extreme fire behavior including crown runs and spotting was ongoing, with 667 personnel assigned and Coconino County evacuation notices in place.
White Sage Fire Daily Update - July 16, 2025U.S. Forest Service · July 16, 2025
A lightning-started fire ignited July 9 near Fredonia spread onto the North Kaibab Ranger District, reaching 52,990 acres at 4% containment by July 16. Extreme fire behavior including crown runs and spotting was ongoing, with 667 personnel assigned and Coconino County evacuation notices in place.
White Sage and Dragon Bravo fires: The latest on the wildfires in northern ArizonaKJZZ · July 11, 2025, 10:36 AM
KJZZ's live updates page tracks the White Sage and Dragon Bravo fires across northern Arizona from ignition in July through containment in September 2025. Coverage spans acreage growth, road closures, evacuation orders, and crew operations near the Grand Canyon's North Rim.
Lightning started a fire July 9 near Fredonia that spread onto the North Kaibab Ranger District.
Source: U.S. Forest Service · July 16, 2025
White Sage Fire Daily Update - July 16, 2025. A lightning-started fire ignited July 9 near Fredonia spread onto the North Kaibab Ranger District, reaching 52,990 acres at 4% containment by July 16. Extreme fire behavior including crown runs and spotting was ongoing, with 667 personnel assigned and Coconino County evacuation notices in place.
Local North Kaibab and BLM Arizona Strip units took command from Color Country Team 2 as containment reached 95%.
Source: U.S. Forest Service · August 2, 2025
White Sage Fire reaches 95% containment; local units assume command. The White Sage Fire reached 95% containment at 58,985 acres as of August 2, when local North Kaibab and BLM Arizona Strip units took over command from Color Country Team 2. A Burned Area Emergency Response team began evaluating fire impacts to determine rehabilitation needs.
Containment reached 83% at 59,065 acres as crews turned to suppression repair.
Source: U.S. Forest Service · July 27, 2025
BLM rescinds Vermilion Cliffs closure as White Sage Fire holds at 83% containment. The White Sage Fire is at 83% containment across 59,065 acres as of July 27. BLM Arizona Strip District lifted the fire area closure near Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, reopening FR 22 and House Rock Valley Road, while crews continue suppression repair and reseeding.
First containment reported: 4% at 52,990 acres amid extreme fire behavior.
Source: U.S. Forest Service · July 16, 2025
White Sage Fire Daily Update - July 16, 2025. A lightning-started fire ignited July 9 near Fredonia spread onto the North Kaibab Ranger District, reaching 52,990 acres at 4% containment by July 16. Extreme fire behavior including crown runs and spotting was ongoing, with 667 personnel assigned and Coconino County evacuation notices in place.
Lightning started a fire July 9 near Fredonia that spread onto the North Kaibab Ranger District.
Source: U.S. Forest Service · July 16, 2025
White Sage Fire Daily Update - July 16, 2025. A lightning-started fire ignited July 9 near Fredonia spread onto the North Kaibab Ranger District, reaching 52,990 acres at 4% containment by July 16. Extreme fire behavior including crown runs and spotting was ongoing, with 667 personnel assigned and Coconino County evacuation notices in place.
