Please see the following announcement from the U.S. Forest Service regarding the Pocket Fire. Note: the public meeting previously scheduled in Sedona on Saturday has been moved to 7 p.m., Monday, June 29 at Sedona Red Rock Middle School and High School, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Rd, Sedona.
Know your evacuation zone by going to www.sedonaaz.gov/ready.
Acres: 2,114
Start Date: June 19, 2026
Location: 7 miles north of Sedona, Arizona
Cause: Undetermined
Personnel: 856
Fuels: Timber and Brush
Containment: 0%
Highlights: Despite fire spotting of up to three-quarters of a mile, the line built around Forest Road 231 held against the force of the Red Flag conditions. Today will bring even more extreme conditions. Firefighters will continue to hold the lines.
Public Meeting: A public meeting will be held in Sedona at 7 p.m., Monday, June 29 at Sedona Red Rock Middle School and High School, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Rd, Sedona. Incident Management Team members and local authorities will speak and be available for questions from attendees. The meeting will be live streamed on the Coconino National Forest Facebook page:
facebook.com/CoconinoNF.
Operations: On Friday, crews were able to hold the line on the north side of the fire despite at least one gust of 58 mph. There were four spot fires across Forest Road 231 but they were suppressed, the biggest of them reaching a quarter acre. Crews completed several prep tasks, including the Seven Canyons area, Dry Creek and Oak Creek Canyon. This freed crews to move to the critical north side. Today is the peak of the Red Flag Warning. Crews will continue to watch for and suppress spot fires, particularly across FR 231 in the north. The Initial Attack groups are hyper-focused and ready to respond as always; their mission is particularly urgent during Red Flag conditions. No firing operations are planned. Winds will probably limit the use of aircraft. The containment percentage on the fire remains at 0%, but that does not indicate work isn’t being done. Leaders are planning and crews are executing a strategic plan which incorporates the realities of the landscape. This fire is burning in a location where it is impossible to safely insert firefighters. If not handled expertly, the fire could spill into surrounding areas where unmitigated fuels are currently very receptive to ignition. At all levels of the firefighting force, knowledge and experience with wildfire are coming together to keep the public and firefighters safe while protecting critical resources.
Evacuations and Closures: Oak Creek Canyon between Sedona and Forest Highlands is in SET status, open only to residents. For evacuation questions, call the Coconino County Sheriff’s office: 928-774-4523. A portion of Coconino National Forest remains closed to the public. For more details, visit:
http://fs.usda.gov/.../pocket-fire-closure-order-effect. Sections of state Route 89A and Woody Mountain Road (Forest Road 231) are closed. For exact road closure locations, visit:
az511.com. For information on the READY, SET, GO! evacuation system, visit:
ein.az.gov/ready-set-go. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in effect over the fire area. If you fly, we can’t! For more information, visit:
tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_9455.
Weather: Today is the second of three days with the area in a Red Flag Warning. High temperatures will be in the 80s or 90s depending on elevation. Sustained winds will reach 25 mph with gusts reaching 45 mph. Humidity will remain very low with no measurable precipitation. The good news is that this weather system is very consistent. Consistent weather makes fire behavior more predictable.
Safety: Some locations in the area have experienced air quality from “Unhealthy” to “Good.” This can change from hour to hour, so the public should remain vigilant. For information, visit
outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/760194b8. Crews and heavy equipment remain very active on SR 89A. Authorized motorists should drive cautiously around switchbacks and blind curves as fire traffic and large vehicles will have an increased presence on the road. Slow speeds are advised to ensure motorist and firefighter safety.
Phone Number: 928-260-0543 (7a.m. - 7p.m.)
