A fire near the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona has grown more than 20 times in size in 24 hours as an intensifying wildfire season sees the return of Canadian wildfire smoke into the U.S.

Strong winds and hot, dry weather continue to fuel two separate wildfires near the northwestern side of the Grand Canyon Saturday, closing the canyon’s North Rim and forcing evacuations throughout the area.

The White Sage Fire is nearly 20,000 acres, growing almost 40 times in size in over 48 hours as the nearby Dragon Bravo Fire grows to 5,000 acres.

A mix of high temperatures, gusty winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation has fuelled the fire's swift advance in Arizona, officials say.

Dozens of buildings inside the North Rim of the Grand Canyon have been destroyed, including a historic lodge, as a chlorine gas leak has forced firefighter evacuations from the Dragon Bravo Fire.

A Grand Canyon water treatment facility located at the North Rim caught fire on Saturday, causing chlorine gas to be released into the air. Multiple closures are being enforced due to the incident.