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.

A South Rim mayor is clearing up confusion for tourists who believe the entire Grand Canyon National Park is closed due to wildfires.

The Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim, often described as the park’s quieter, wilder side, is now closed indefinitely following a fast-moving wildfire that has engulfed more than 8,500 acres and destroyed dozens of structures, including one of the park’s most beloved landmarks, the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.

Wildfires can burn and spread differently depending on what vegetation they burn. The two fires in northern Arizona have varied landscapes. Ponderosa pine trees grow near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and can live for hundreds of years.