A wildfire that destroyed a historic Grand Canyon lodge is continuing to spread out of control after it had been allowed to burn for days.

A wildfire that tore through a historic Grand Canyon Lodge​ had been allowed to burn for days before erupting over the weekend, raising questions about federal officials' decision not to aggressively attack it right away.

Now, those who loved the lodge are mourning the loss of an architectural masterpiece that stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon for 88 years. And as those who knew it well will likely remember, this isn't the first time the lodge has burned down.

Crews fighting a wildfire that destroyed the nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge were focused Tuesday on stopping the flames from consuming nearby cabins, a water pumping station, mule stables and other structures,

A wildfire in tinder-dry forest on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon grew around 50% on Tuesday after it destroyed dozens of buildings, prompting public outrage that it was left to burn for a week before firefighters tried to fully extinguish it.

The fire that burned for days on the North Rim of Grand Canyon before it became uncontrollable was "expertly handled," the National Park Service said.

The Grand Canyon Lodge was the park's one and only hotel, according the National Park Service, with the next nearest lodgings roughly 18 miles away.