Two Lumberjack alums—Grand Canyon National Park fire archaeologist and resource advisor Jason Nez and Kaibab National Forest district and wildfire archeologist Michael Terlep—led a team of Dragon Bravo Fire resource advisors in a mission to recover the famous bronze Brighty the Burro statue from the ruins of the North Rim’s historic Grand Canyon Lodge. They shared their story and what it meant to be part of this unusual rescue.
1. Tell us about saving the Brighty the Burro.
Michael: The team evaluated the condition of the Brighty statue within the wildfire impacted Grand Canyon Lodge sunroom. The wildfire had scarred the lodge, burning away the wooden floors, walls and roof and leaving steel beams twisted and fragile. Yet amid the devastation, the team found hope: The beloved bronze statue of Brighty the Burro could still be saved and transported with limited risk. With medical teams staged nearby, archaeologists and resource advisors coordinated the removal of the approximately 600-pound statue, navigating through crumbling debris and exposed piping to an awaiting pickup truck. The statue was successfully relocated to the Dragon Bravo Incident Command Post, where its temporary presence served as a morale booster for fire crews and support personnel. Brighty has been transported to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim for formal restoration evaluation.
2. Why do you think saving Brighty the Burro was impactful for Arizonans?
Jason: As a young boy growing up on the Navajo reservation, “Brighty of the Grand Canyon” was a book I read in fourth grade. I think all Arizonans read the book in grade school. Brighty, despite being a burro, an invasive species, is still a critter whose existence warms the soul, especially in this traumatic event. Social media posts from around the country asked what happened to Brighty, and I think a lot of us are honored to have recovered this important icon that will hopefully be a symbol of recovery and resilience for everyone involved. When I brought Brighty to camp, he was a ray of hope and brought joy to our fire crews who have been working hard to suppress this fire. I hope it will also bring some joy to all of those affected by it.
3. What’s next for you both?
Jason: I will continue on the North Rim, assisting with suppression repair as a resource advisor/archaeologist/firefighter. I will be here as long as operations continue.
Michael: As the district archaeologist for the North Kaibab Ranger District, I will continue to work on post-fire impacts on archaeological sites for the foreseeable future.