Grand Canyon fire rages on

A month after a wildfire erupted at the edge of the Grand Canyon, US firefighters were struggling this week to bring the blaze under control.

- 

Los Angeles -

A lightning strike on 4 July - Independence Day in the United States - sparked a fire that spread rapidly on the northern rim of the canyon, a major draw for domestic and international tourists.

The Dragon Bravo fire - named after the Dragon rock formation near the conflagration's start - was initially allowed to burn unabated as part of a natural cycle that thins vegetation and renews the landscape.

But a week later, strong winds whipped through Arizona and fanned the fire, pushing it through a major hotel, as well as the North Rim Visitor Centre and some guest cabins.

A nearby water treatment plant was also damaged, venting chlorine gas into the environment.