Fire managers warn the Pocket Fire about 7 miles north of Sedona poses a significant risk to Oak Creek, even as it grew only a little over the weekend.
The fire was initially estimated at 500 acres but officials dropped it to 250 following more accurate mapping.
Evacuations remain in effect for residents of Oak Creek Canyon and areas south of Forest Highlands. State route 89A also remains closed.
Fire spokesperson Dick Fleishman says difficult terrain has made fighting the fire more challenging.
“The potential of this fire is huge and we cannot engage it like we normally do. It's just not physically safe or possible, just because of the steep terrain and the amount of rock and it's just totally unsafe. So the potential for this thing to escape is pretty high,” Fleishman says.
While crews have built lines north of the fire, those slopes mean they haven't been able to build lines to the east or west of the blaze.
That has left aircraft to keep the fire in check.
Fleishman says the weather this week could also prove difficult.
Fire managers say they’re preparing for hot, dry conditions early in the week, but scattered rain showers could also prove hazardous as the week goes on.
Rain often brings strong and unpredictable winds that can stoke the blaze, he says.
“Downdrafts out of thunderstorms could really push this fire in multiple different directions very rapidly,” Fleishman says.
He says they want to prevent the fire from entering Oak Creek Canyon.
Crews have built backup fire lines and are refurbishing fire lines initially built during the 2014 Slide Fire.
Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect for all of the Coconino National Forest, and much of the state.
