The Dragon Bravo Fire in Arizona has destroyed dozens of structures and a water treatment facility on the Grand Canyon's North Rim.

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.

"Though it was definitely not your average vacation trip, everything worked out okay. We made the best of it," Russ Christian said.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The historic Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim was destroyed by the Dragon Bravo Fire, which officials say has consumed between 50 to 80 structures.

The lightning-sparked South Rim fire in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park has burned 3,556 acres with no containment and mandatory evacuations remain in place.