About 200 personnel were working on Saturday to contain a wildfire that started the day before and prompted the evacuation of Oak Creek Canyon.
The Pocket Fire is burning about 7 miles north of Sedona and had grown to 500 acres by Saturday morning.
Coconino National Forest officials say a Northern Arizona Type 3 Incident Management Team is now in command the fire response. Seven hotshot crews, one dozer and 13 engines plus six helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft are assigned to the fire. More personnel were expected to arrive throughout Saturday.
Evacuations of Oak Creek Canyon remain in effect and State Route 89A is closed between Fort Tuthill in Flagstaff and the north end of Sedona. Woody Mountain Road is also closed past Forest Road 536. Coconino County officials gave the “Go” order Friday evening for all residents and visitors between Sedona and Forest Highlands.
The American Red Cross has set up a shelter at Red Rock High School, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road, in Sedona. Coconino County Health and Human Services has arranged for High Country Humane to temporarily take small pets while their owners are staying at the shelter.
On Saturday crews planned to use a “direct extinguishment strategy” to confine the fire to as small an area as possible. Officials say they’re taking a direct approach against the edge of the fire by building containment lines and using firing operations.
Firefighters’ main goal is to keep the wildfire west of SR-89A, south of Forest Road 535 and east of FR 231. On Friday they used a dozer to build a fire line on the northeast side of the fire’s perimeter. They also brought in aircraft to drop fire retardant on the eastern portion of the fire.
Firefighters are positioned at Slide Rock State Park and Seven Canyons Golf Club and they’re also working to protect homes, businesses and property in Oak Creek Canyon.
Fire behavior remained active late into Friday night and dry and windy conditions were expected Saturday.
Forest officials have released a formal closure order for several areas near the Pocket Fire. It includes all campgrounds and day-use sites in Oak Creek Canyon along with trailheads like Thunder Mountain, Casner and Loy Canyon.
Officials haven’t determined a cause of the fire.
