The canyon's North Rim, which is less popular with tourists than the South Rim, was being cleared due to a blaze called the White Sage Fire.

"Evacuees should travel calmly at a normal rate of speed and stay on paved roads only. North Rim day use is closed until further notice," the Park Service said in an order.

Jon Paxton, press officer for the Coconino County sheriff's office, told AFP that officials had evacuated only about 40 people and that many visitors had already left.

"There is a hotel and some businesses in the 'go' area but they had self-evacuated prior to our arrival. Most of the folks we evacuated were campers," he said.

The fire is burning outside the Grand Canyon National Park but approaching Jacob Lake, Arizona, a town known as the gateway to the North Rim.

About 1,000 acres (400 hectares) have been scorched and the blaze is not under control, according to authorities, who released images of large columns of smoke rising above the scrubby desert.

One of the greatest wonders of the natural world, the Grand Canyon is the result of the Colorado River eating away at layers of red sandstone and other rock for millions of years, leaving a gash up to 18 miles (30 km) wide and more than a mile (1.6 km) deep.

The Parks Service advised against any hiking into the canyon, due to extreme heat and wildfire smoke.

A 67-year-old man died on Tuesday while attempting to reach the river in extreme heat conditions.

Last year just under five million people visited the site.

Another popular site, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado, was also closed Friday because of a wildfire.