National wildfire policy has changed significantly over the past century. After the “Big Burn” of Idaho and Montana in 1910, federal fire officials treated all fires as an enemy and instituted a “10 a.m.” rule seeking to snuff them out within a morning of spotting them.

The Grand Canyon Lodge was the park's one and only hotel, according the National Park Service, with the next nearest lodgings roughly 18 miles away.

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has called for an independent investigation into the federal response management of a wildfire that caused numerous residents and workers to evacuate and destroyed a historic lodge.