Access via the North Rim, a lesser-used gateway to the national park, was closed as the White Sage fire continued to burn on Saturday.

The White Sage Fire near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon has grown to 19,000 acres, prompting evacuations for nearby residents, according to the Bureau of Land Management. As of the morning of July 12, BLM reported the fire had spread to 19,153 acres, with no containment achieved by firefighters.

Two fast-spreading wildfires force the evacuation of parts of the Grand Canyon, with the US National Park Service ordering visitors and residents away from its northern rim.

Additional evacuation orders were issued after the Dragon Bravo Fire burning along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon increased in size overnight. As of 11:30 a.m., the

Wildfires raging near the Grand Canyon's North Rim have prompted evacuations, air quality concerns and the closure of the North Rim of the national park.

The Coconino County Sheriff's Office helped evacuate people from an area north of Jacob Lake and campers in the Kaibab National Forest nearby.

The NPS recommends avoiding hiking the Grand Canyon's inner trails between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when temperatures are at their peak. Temperatures in the inner canyon can reach over 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade, creating "extremely hazardous conditions for hikers," the NPS said.