A wildfire burning in the Kaibab National Forest that prompted highway closures and expanded evacuations along the northern rim of the Grand Canyon has grown by thousands of acres.As of Saturday morning,

Hurricane Valley firefighters have been deployed to the White Sage Fire, which is exhibiting “extreme fire behavior” as it covers over 40,000 acres near Grand Canyon.

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 was burning in Arizona bout 15 miles southeast of Fredonia in Coconino County and north of the Grand Canyon State Park.

As fire crews continue suppression efforts amidst extreme fire conditions on the White Sage Fire, about 2 miles northeast of White Sage, Arizona, high heat and low humidity are hampering

Crews are currently battling the lightning-caused fire, which has burned over 19,000 acres of land near Fredonia.

Parts of the Jacob Lake area are under GO evacuation orders, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is also evacuating. The fire has grown to 19,573 acres.