A New Jersey man has been missing for about a week as a “mega-fire” ravages the Grand Canyon National Park. 

Thomas Daniel Gibbs, 35, of Freehold, New Jersey, was last heard from by his friends and family at approximately 12 p.m. on July 22, the National Park Service said in a press release. His friends and family reported him missing on July 28. 

The U.S. Forest Service declared a “mega-fire” on July 31 when the Dragon Bravo Fire – burning along the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park – surpassed 100,000 acres in size. 

It was considered the largest fire burning in the continental U.S. and one of the top 10 largest in recorded Arizona history. Getting around it would be roughly like driving from New York City to Washington, D.C.

Towering convection clouds known as pyrocumulus clouds had been spotted over Arizona’s blaze for at least seven consecutive days, fueling the fire with dry, powerful winds, fire information officer Lisa Jennings told the Associated Press last week. They form when air over the fire becomes superheated and rises in a large smoke column. The giant billowing clouds can be seen for hundreds of miles and can resemble an anvil.

Their more treacherous big brother, a fire-fueled thunderstorm known as the pyrocumulonimbus cloud, sent rapid winds shooting in all directions this week as a smoke column formed from the Utah fire then collapsed on itself, fire team information officer Jess Clark said.

“If they get high enough, they can also create downdrafts, and that’s something we really watch out for because that can quickly spread the fire and can be very dangerous for firefighters who are doing their work on the ground,” Jennings told the AP.

Thomas Daniel Gibbs is missing in Grand Canyon National Park.  (Getty Images/ National Park Service)

The National Park Service website says that the North Rim is closed for the remainder of the 2025 season “because of damage and losses caused by the Dragon Bravo Wildfire.”

The Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed approximately 70 structures, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, the North Rim Visitor Center, and many guest cabins, according to the agency. 

“The park is currently focused on emergency stabilization to protect remaining infrastructure and natural resources. Planning is underway for the recovery and rebuilding of visitor facilities, including the Grand Canyon Lodge, although this process will take time,” the website says. “While the South Rim remains open and continues to welcome visitors, there is currently no access to the North Rim or to North Rim facilities. We understand the importance of the North Rim to our visitors, employees, and partners, and we are committed to keeping the public informed as plans for recovery progress.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.