The Grand Canyon Lodge in far northern Arizona that was an elusive getaway for nearly a century has been destroyed by a wildfire.

A wildfire has destroyed a historic lodge and dozens of other structures on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, raising questions over the National Park Service's decision not to aggressively fight the fire straight away.

The visitor center and a wastewater treatment plant were among the 50 to 80 structures lost, the park superintendent said. The area was evacuated Thursday.