The Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and continues to burn in northern Arizona. See photos of the devastation.

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.

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.

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.

A wildfire destroyed a historic lodge at the Grand Canyon's North Rim and some political leaders want to know if the fire was mismanaged. One fire expert said officials should approach policy changes carefully because controlled burns are still critical to forest health.

The fire that burned for days on the North Rim of Grand Canyon before it became uncontrollable was "expertly handled," the National Park Service said.

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.