Firefighters expect to contain Grand Canyon fire, open North Rim

PHOENIX - Firefighters expected to have a wildfire that has been burning north of the Grand Canyon fully contained by Sunday night and hoped to open the highway leading into the park on Monday.

The fire burned about 13,350 acres in the Grand Canyon National Park and the Kaibab National Forest. It was started as a prescribed burn to remove underbrush on about 1,500 acres, but wind fanned it out of control. More than 1,200 people were brought in to fight the blaze.

Many of the firefighters were already being sent home or to other fires Saturday, said Steve Frye, incident commander with the Grand Canyon National Park.

The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park was expected to be opened to visitors on Monday.