Arizona Department of Public Safety air rescue crews rescued 20 people during weekend flooding operations, according to the agency’s November 02, 2026 release. The department reported 27 rescue missions across Arizona over the weekend because of severe weather.
Those are different measures: the agency’s weekend mission count was 27, while its reported total of people rescued was 20.
Eighteen rescued along Oak Creek
On November 1, 2026, Ranger 3 assisted the Sedona Fire District in rescuing and extracting 18 people along Oak Creek, AZDPS said. The agency said crews used short-haul rescue operations to remove stranded people from the flood-impacted area.
The release also describes a separate response that same day: Ranger 2 went to Southern Arizona at the request of the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, where two additional rescue operations were conducted.
The 27-mission figure covers the weekend; the release specifically dates the Oak Creek and Southern Arizona responses to November 1. It does not identify individual people rescued or give their medical outcomes.
The department’s severe-weather reminder
In the release, AZDPS urged outdoor enthusiasts to monitor weather forecasts and avoid entering waterways, canyons or low-lying areas during heavy rain. The agency warned that conditions can change rapidly and become life-threatening.
This is an account of the completed rescues described in the agency release, not a live report of water levels, road access or ongoing rescue operations.
Source: Arizona Department of Public Safety: Air Rescue Crews Rescue 20 People During Weekend Flooding Operations. Release date: November 02, 2026.