A massive vegetation fire dubbed the Pocket Fire broke out on Friday, June 19, in the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness Area, north of Sedona, in Arizona. The incident in the Coconino & Yavapai Counties was confirmed by the Sedona Fire Department.
“Sedona Fire is aware of the new wildland fire north of town. We are coordinating with all our local partners. The Coconino National Forest has air resources over the fire,” they said in a statement. According to WatchDuty, which tracks fire outbreaks across the US, the blaze is currently at 100 acres.
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The site further noted that evacuations are starting along FR 231 and along Oak Creek Canyon. A cause for the fire is not known yet and there are no reports on injuries as of now. There’s also no update on containment.
A map of the fire was shared on WatchDuty.
The fire was reportedly visible from Sedona airport. Scary visuals from the fire were shared online as well.
Sedona Pocket Fire: Scary videos and photos emerge
One person shared photos on X and wrote “Huge fire spotted north of Camp Verde near Sedona. Oh lawd.”
Another wrote on Facebook “As we enter another hot summer in Sedona, this is your reminder that fire awareness matters. Please follow all local fire restrictions, avoid activities that create sparks, properly extinguish cigarettes, never leave campfires unattended, and think twice before parking over dry grass or using equipment that could ignite vegetation. One spark can change everything.”
“We all share the beautiful responsibility of protecting the landscapes, wildlife, homes, and community that make Sedona so special,” they added, sharing a video where smoke could be seen from a distance. You can see the video here.
A local channel also shared a clip, noting evacuation was being carried out in the Oak Creek Canyon Junipine area.
Another person shared photos from the road where the fire could be seen at a distance.
“On my way to my gig at the Hilton in Sedona,” they wrote. More photos were shared by others. “Fire in Sedona,” one remarked.
Thick white smoke was visible in the image. Yet another person shared a picture from the road.
“The Pocket Fire in the Secret Mountain/Red Rocks area. I took this coming from Flagstaff. Hope it is extinguished soon,” they wrote. Another person shared a video of the fire from a distance.
News of the Pocket Fire near Sedona left many worried, with some asking which direction the fire was traveling, while others prayed for the safety of first responders.
