The Dragon Bravo Fire has burned more than 8,500 acres on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, leveling a nearly century-old lodge, along with dozens of buildings. There have also been impacts to wildlife, including to one species of squirrel.
Rob Nelson is the terrestrial wildlife program manager with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
"So, the Kaibab squirrel is a unique subspecies of squirrel," said Nelson.
And these fluffy creatures are found exclusively on the Kaibab Plateau in northern Arizona. Nelson says it's too early to tell what impact the Dragon Bravo Fire might have on their habitat.
"It just comes down to severity and intensity of the fires that may have a lot more consequential impacts, like soil erosion and just straight up loss of habitat that won't come back for a very long time," Nelson said.
Nelson says the North Rim is also home to turkeys, mule deer, a whole host of small game and smaller mammals, songbirds and raptors.
"We'll be working with the restoration teams with the Kaibab National Forest and likely the Grand Canyon National Park on what were the impacts of fire, where can we mitigate and start some restoration efforts, and get an idea of how we can help restore the habitat that may have been lost."
The Kaibab squirrel is not endangered, but Game and Fish has categorized it as a species of greatest conservation need.
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