Pocket Fire Progress: Containment Efforts Gain Ground
As the Pocket Fire continues to rage north of Sedona, fire managers have reported a significant milestone with the blaze now 20% contained, covering over 17,000 acres. This marks the first tangible progress since the wildfire erupted on June 19.
Favorable weather conditions combined with proactive burnout operations have allowed firefighting teams to secure some areas following a period of intense fire behavior and wind-fueled spread. “When they announced 20%, there was actually some applause at the briefing from the firefighters. I never had seen that before at a briefing,” revealed fire spokesperson Dick Fleishman. “But, you know, everyone that’s been here this whole time knows that work really hard and it’s starting to pay off. But we still have to be very cautious.”
Despite the progress, the fire continues to burn actively towards the east near West Fork and south towards Seven Canyons. The Coconino National Forest emphasized in a social media update that the situation remains dynamic and the fire is “far from over.”
Firefighting crews have been working diligently to build containment lines around the upper West Fork, preparing for the possibility of the fire advancing out of the canyon. Efforts are concentrated on securing the northern and southern rims. Fleishman explained, “So the west side is pretty well buttoned up. We’re going to hold that burnout today. We’re not going to be able to put people down in [West Fork], but we’re working it on the top and just trying to stay ahead of it basically. The fire will align in the bottom of that canyon and run to the top when it gets that opportunity.”
The activity in West Fork remains a significant threat, keeping residents in Oak Creek Canyon on “Set” status for potential evacuation. The challenging terrain north of Sedona, characterized by steep canyons, continues to pose difficulties for suppression efforts.
Crews have also made headway into the more accessible areas of the Secret Mountain Wilderness Area, allowing them to establish initial containment lines on the southern edge. Fleishman noted, “They’ll be putting in these little hand lines from rock to rock just to try and actually get a containment line on that bottom piece. Down there, we’re at much lower elevation. So they’re in the 90s during the day and they’re in direct sunlight. It’s rough country and that’s very hot, slow, tedious work.”
The weekend’s heavy winds exacerbated the situation, pushing the fire thousands of acres northeast and prompting officials to place Oak Creek Canyon, Forest Highlands, Kachina Village, and Pine Dell on SET status, which remains active.
For those seeking more information, the Incident Management Team is hosting a public meeting at the Red Rock Junior and Senior High School at 7 p.m. on Thursday. Fire officials will update the community about the Pocket Fire and address questions. The meeting will also be accessible via a live stream on the Coconino National Forest Facebook page.
Interestingly, the dense smoke generated by the Pocket Fire, which has enveloped Flagstaff, is playing a role in moderating fire behavior as it drifts across the blaze.
—
Read More Arizona News
