By Matthew Holloway |

Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ02) and the U.S. Small Business Administration announced last week that low-interest federal disaster loans are now available. The aid applies to businesses, nonprofits, and tribal nations that suffered losses from the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim and Kaibab Plateau.

The SBA has since announced that a series of meetings will be held across Coconino County, with in-person mobile services available to assist with the application process.

According to a press release from Rep. Crane, “These loans are intended to cover working capital needs and operating expenses that could have been paid had the disasters not occurred.”

The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) is available to eligible businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. However, the administration noted it is “unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.”

The purpose of the loans, as explained by the SBA, is “for working capital needs caused by the disaster, and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.”

As of this report, the Dragon Bravo fire has burned 145,504 acres and is 64% contained. It has cut a smoldering path of destruction from the north rim of the Grand Canyon along both sides of Arizona State Route 67 reaching as far as House Rock Valley and then along the east side of the State Route for nearly another twenty miles, leaving a scar almost 16 miles wide at its widest point.

The White Sage fire burned nearly 59,000 acres and was completely contained as of August 21st after spreading in a widening eastward arc from White Sage flat through the Kaibab National Forest toward Coyote Valley.

For more information about the SBA EID loans or to apply, please click here, call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955, or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.