Nine Guests and a Dog Lifted From Sedona Roof After Flood

Alexander Dale and his wife climbed onto the roof of their Sedona home on Sunday after floodwaters trapped them inside. Their property, which includes several Airbnbs they manage, sits next to the Oak Creek bed. Rising water forced the couple and about nine guests to wait on the rooftop for approximately three hours.

Dale described the initial confusion as the water level rose. “We didn’t know what to do. We couldn’t go anywhere,” he said. A helicopter eventually arrived with a large rope line to lift people to safety. Dale noted that rescuers initially questioned whether they could bring his dog, as they did not have a harness specifically designed for a K-9.

Dale asked what they should do. He and his wife decided not to leave the dog behind. They used three harnesses from the home and strapped them together to secure the animal. “We put like three of them on him and strapped it all together,” Dale said. He was lifted from the roof holding the dog tightly. “I was sitting in this harness basically holding my dog, praying he doesn’t go anywhere,” he said.

The flooding affected other residents in the area. Cindy Wilmer, a schoolteacher, evacuated from her home at Red Rock Crossing. She left with only her clothes, school keys, and her cat. “The water was just roaring down the street,” Wilmer said. “I just left with the shirt on my back and the keys to the school and my cat .. I’m worried about my house.”

Fernando Leon also evacuated his home near Oak Creek. He feared the property might sustain total damage. Leon saw the river through his front door before leaving. “I opened the door and I saw the river, and I said, ‘Whoa, I need to get out of here,’” he said. “From one day to the next you’re at your place and then you have to evacuate and leave all your things behind. It’s just a very sad feeling.”

Officials ordered residents near Oak Creek to leave immediately as waters trapped multiple people. By Sunday afternoon, heavy rains had largely subsided in the Sedona area. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs stated that state air rescue crews assisted with rooftop evacuations, while state transportation crews helped clear debris. No injuries or deaths were immediately reported.

Dale and his wife remain in the Sedona area while assessing the damage to their property. The couple managed to save their guests and their dog despite the rising water. The helicopter rescue operation concluded without further incident for the group on the roof.