A fierce blaze that has burned along the Grand Canyon's North Rim since being sparked by lightning on July 4 has exploded in size in recent days, reaching "megafire" status and becoming the largest wildfire in the U.S. this year, according to the Arizona Republic.

A wildfire burning near the Grand Canyon has grown into what experts call a “megafire,” and it has even developed its own weather. The Dragon Bravo fire has been burning for a month near the Grand Canyon’s North Rim after it was sparked by lightning on July 4, according to a news release from the Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team.