Please see the following announcement from the U.S. Forest Service regarding the Pocket Fire.
Know your evacuation zone by going to www.sedonaaz.gov/ready.
Acres: 15,376
Start Date: June 19, 2026
Location: 7 miles north of Sedona, Arizona
Cause: Undetermined
Personnel: 961 Fuels: Timber and Brush
Containment: 0%
Highlights: During three days of Red Flag weather, the team was able to stop the northward progression of the fire, holding the line at Forest Road 535. Monday brought a significant drop in winds which allowed them to start moving offensively against the fire.
Operations: Monday night, crews executed burnouts on the northeast and northwest perimeter of the fire. The purpose of the burnout to the northeast was to protect against the possibility that fire in the bottom of West Fork Canyon could climb out and run on the plateau. Today, more preparations are taking place in the area for primary and multiple secondary lines of defense. To bolster the primary lines, another burnout is planned for tonight. In the northwest, last night’s burnout was to stop the flanking fire that was approaching powerlines. Preparation is continuing on Forest Road (FR) 231 nearby for another burnout tonight. In that area, as well, additional contingency lines are being scouted and prepped. On the south side of the fire, in Bear Sign Canyon and Dry Creek Canyon, crews are continuing to build lines to prevent backing fire from reaching the Seven Canyons or Enchantment Resort area. They have largely finished primary lines and are in the process of chipping slash from that operation. Work continues on prepping contingency lines in that area as well. As all this work continues, other crews are continually patrolling and mopping up lines already established on FR 231, FR 536, FR 536A, and FR 539. Initial attack groups are always ready to act alone or assist local agencies to suppress new starts. Since the drop in the winds, aircraft assist in all areas of the fire. Water and retardant drops help slow the advance, giving ground crews valuable time to build defenses. IR equipped planes and drones identify hot spots, spot fires and other areas of concern. Tactical aircraft stand ready to move crews to areas of need. Twenty-four hours a day, there are eyes on the firelines. The team is working to protect values at risk, including Oak Creek Canyon, communities to the south of Flagstaff and north of Sedona, power transmission lines, and archeological and biological resources.
Evacuations and Closures: The Coconino County Pocket Fire information page, including an evacuation map is at:
coconino.az.gov/pocketfire. For evacuation questions, call the Coconino County Sheriff’s office: 928-774-4523. Coconino National Forest will implement Stage 2 Fire Restrictions at 8 a.m. today. A portion of the 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. Because of the guardrail work on SR 89A, residents of Oak Creek Canyon need to enter the canyon from the south. 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. For more information, visit:
tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_9455. If you fly, we can’t!
Weather: The forecast today calls for a high of 87 with sustained south winds reaching 16 and gusts to 23 mph. It will be clear and sunny with continued very low humidity. No precipitation is expected in the next several days.
Safety: Some locations in the area have experienced air quality from “Very 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 in the area. 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.)
