Efforts Intensify to Tackle the Expanding Pocket Fire in Arizona
A significant firefighting operation is underway in Arizona as a federal interagency team collaborates with over a dozen local agencies to tackle the Pocket Fire, which has swept across approximately 500 acres of challenging terrain near Oak Creek Canyon. This information was provided by Dick Fleishman, who serves as the fire information officer for the southwest area complex incident management team.
The blaze is primarily affecting the Red Rock-Secret Mountain wilderness, situated about seven miles north of Sedona, and is beginning to encroach upon the Coconino National Forest. Firefighters are focused on containing the fire to prevent it from advancing towards Oak Creek Canyon—an area currently under evacuation for both residents and tourists—or further towards Sedona.
Fleishman highlighted the unique challenges presented by the Pocket Fire, including its steep location, nearby properties at risk, high temperatures faced by firefighters, and the potential for post-fire flooding due to rainfall on the slope. “This fire ramped up in complexity quickly,” Fleishman noted, emphasizing the urgency to restrict the fire’s spread. “We want to try and keep it as small a footprint as possible.”
As a precautionary measure, around 30 miles of the adjacent state highway have been closed off in both directions. The Oak Creek Canyon area, a popular destination drawing millions of visitors annually, has seen evacuations of both residents and tourists. Fleishman remarked on the unusual quietness in the region, stating, “For June 20, I’ve never seen it that quiet.”
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