Arizona's governor has demanded an investigation into why a wildfire that destroyed a historic lodge and dozens of other structures on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon was allowed to burn for a week before federal firefighters tried to put it out.

A raging wildfire near the Grand Canyon in the US has destroyed dozens of buildings - including a historic lodge that was the only accommodation available within the surrounding national park's North Rim. The fire that destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge is one of two that has swept across tens of thousands of acres in the area.

A historic lodge and dozens of other structures on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim have been destroyed by a fast-moving wildfire, prompting officials to close access to the area.