Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Response topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pocket Fire prompts temporary flight restrictions, partially closes Flagstaff runway before full reopening July 6
Summary
A wildfire dubbed the Pocket Fire forced FAA temporary flight restrictions that curtailed daytime airline operations at Flagstaff Airport June 27–July 6; airport staff coordinated emergency procedures to protect firefighting aircraft and preserve medical flights while airlines rescheduled or canceled services.
Flagstaff Airport commissioners were briefed July 9 on how the Pocket Fire disrupted airport operations and how staff and regional partners managed safety and continuity.
Brian, an airport staff member covering airport programs, told commissioners the wildfire began June 19 near Sedona and made a rapid run June 26–27, "it burned 3 miles in about 3 hours" and approached to "less than 8 miles south of the airport," prompting a Federal Aviation Administration temporary flight restriction (TFR) south of the field. That restriction initially closed Runway 21 to most traffic because the restricted airspace came close enough to the runway end to risk violations by departing or arriving aircraft.
Staff notified airlines and the Flagstaff Emergency Management team, and began frequent coordination with the incident management team, the Forest Service and FAA controllers. Brian said airport rescue and firefighting personnel joined fire briefings and staff reviewed the airport emergency plan. He described intensive work to secure a window to clear an Airbus A319 that was on the ground when the TFR went into effect.
The FAA and incident management team later adjusted the TFR so the airport could operate at night (roughly 8 p.m.–9 a.m.) while daytime restrictions remained in place. That staged approach allowed some charter, training and air-medical flights to continue. Brian said staff and the FAA eventually revised the restriction further, enabling visual flight rules (VFR) operations and, after resolving conflicts with published instrument procedures (the Flagstaff 1 departure), the runway was "fully reopen[ed] without restrictions" and airline schedules returned to normal on Tuesday, July 6.
To preserve access to care, airport staff and partners implemented an emergency procedure for medical fixed-wing transports: operators could contact tower with ~30 minutes' notice to request clearance through restricted airspace for critical patient movements, staff said.
Communications staff (Claire) described the airport's public messaging: repeated updates on the airport website and flight-status pages, links to American Airlines travel alerts, and multiple social posts that drew both praise and criticism. She said airport social channels gained more than 250 followers during the event as the public sought information.
Commissioners heard that the incident compressed airline operations into narrower windows, increasing staff and airline workload on the ground and producing knock-on effects such as fewer inbound flights and an excess of rental cars on site. Brian said the airport is collecting data on the fire's financial impacts—airline, rental car and fuel revenues were all affected—and will report back.
The commission and staff repeatedly credited the Forest Service, the incident management team, city emergency management, and FAA personnel for coordinating to limit disruptions and protect firefighting operations. Brian closed the discussion by noting the fire's containment had improved and thanking response teams.
