The White Sage and Dragon Bravo fires have burned a combined 24,000 acres, only miles apart from one another near the Grand Canyon.

Strong winds and hot, dry weather continue to fuel two separate wildfires near the northwestern side of the Grand Canyon Saturday, closing the canyon’s North Rim and forcing evacuations throughout the area.

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.

A pair of rapidly growing wildfires in northern Arizona that have forced the temporary closure of parts of Grand Canyon National Park and prompted evacuations were burning uncontained on Saturday. The bigger of the two,

Visitors and staff at two national parks in the U.S. West have been evacuted because of wildfires. Officials at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado say the park closed Thursday morning after lightning sparked blazes on both rims.

The wildfire closed the North Rim's visitor center and forced the evacuations of anyone living nearby, as firefighters battled for containment.

Mandatory evacuation orders issued for Grand Canyon's North Rim as White Sage Fire burns 1,000 acres, with Highway 89A closed and officials warning of extreme heat.

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.

Officials evacuated Jacob Lake and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon was closed to visitors because of the fast-moving White Sage wildfire.

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.