Smoke fills the Verde Valley Saturday

COTTONWOOD _ Verde Valley residents woke up Saturday wondering where all the smoke was coming from.

“I'm struggling to breathe,” said one person on Facebook in the morning.

Three fires may be contributing to the smoke flooding into the Verde Valley, explained Copper Canyon Fire and Medical District's Fire Marshal Nate Bailey. One is in Sedona, one in Flagstaff and one is in the Payson/Strawberry area.

Bailey said those fires may be blowing the smoke into Cottonwood, Camp Verde and Sedona, but he’s not really sure, he said.

A Verde Valley Fire District spokesman thought it may be from the Miller Fire in Sedona.

Fire officials reported that the Sedona-area Miller Fire is now experiencing minimal activity, 31% contained and has burned 30 acres.

The Volunteer Fire is a lightning-caused wildfire reported on May 23, burning near Volunteer Canyon in the burn footprint of the 2021 Rafael Fire 16 miles west of Flagstaff. The Coconino National Forest also announced several prescribed burns last month.

Bailey said he discussed the socked-in smoke with the Sedona Fire Department.

He pointed out that today is the first burn day after four days of no-burn days. “Pretty sure a lot of people are doing it today.”

Baily said hopefully a little bit of wind will take the smoke out of here and get it up into the atmosphere.

Vyto Starinskas at vstarinskas@verdenews.com