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Coconino County coordinates SBA outreach, seeks broader recovery plan after Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires
Summary
County officials reported combined wildfire impacts of more than 200,000 acres and outlined immediate and next‑step economic recovery steps, including on‑the‑ground Small Business Administration teams across northern Arizona and plans for a Grand Canyon communities recovery strategy.
Coconino County officials told the Board of Supervisors on Aug. 26 that the county is coordinating with federal, state and nonprofit partners to help businesses and employees harmed by the Dragon Bravo and White Sage wildfires, and they urged business owners to seek SBA assistance while on‑site teams are in the region.
County Emergency Management Director Tim Carter said the Dragon Bravo and White Sage incidents together affected roughly 205,000 acres of public lands, noting the combined perimeter and smoke impacts on nearby communities. "The Dragon Bravo fire is currently the largest wildfire in county history," Carter said, and preliminary soil‑severity reports show a lower-than‑typical percentage of high‑severity soil impacts, a sign that vegetation may recover more quickly than in other recent fires.
Economic development director John Saltonstall described widespread cancellations and revenue losses for businesses that depend on Grand Canyon tourism and related travel. "We spoke with businesses reporting declines of 35 to 75 percent and some fully shut down," Saltonstall said, and he emphasized that refunds, cancellations and smoke‑related avoidance are reducing visitor demand across multiple communities.
The county sought and received a Small Business Administration economic‑injury declaration to let businesses apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). Saltonstall and county staff arranged rotating SBA mobile teams to visit towns across the county to help business owners create accounts, apply and get hands‑on assistance. The county posted a schedule of team locations and appointment windows and placed the schedule on the county website and in county communications.
Supervisor Lina Fowler urged businesses to take in‑person appointments. "If you're questioning whether you qualify, visit the team. They will help you create a login and walk through the application," Fowler said, adding that impacts extend beyond the immediate burn footprint because tourism is the region's economic driver.
County staff described a two‑phase recovery approach: an immediate phase focused on SBA and other targeted assistance, and a second phase to build a Grand Canyon communities economic recovery plan. That recovery plan would be customized by sub‑regions (for example, North Rim/Fredonia/Jacob Lake; Marble Canyon/Lees Ferry; Page/Navajo Nation; and Tusayan/Williams) to capture short‑, mid‑ and long‑term support needs, identify funding sources and coordinate with federal and tribal partners. Staff recommended hiring consultants to help shape and implement the recovery plan and to convene all the state, federal and nonprofit partners already engaged.
County manager and supervisors said they will press the case to regional and national partners, including the National Park Service and congressional offices, for recovery resources and to restore critical Grand Canyon facilities. "Rebuilding the North Rim infrastructure will be critical to restoring the regional economy," a supervisor told colleagues.
The board received the briefing without objection and asked staff to return with a specific work plan and timeline for the recovery strategy. Meanwhile the county continues to update its economic‑recovery resource page with SBA appointments, private grant programs and partner contact information.
