Overview
- A vehicle fire on State Route 87 ignited the Round Valley blaze and the car later exploded in footage captured by a viewer and by aerial cameras.
- Arizona Department of Transportation closed both directions of SR 87 for about two hours before reopening the highway to traffic.
- Tonto National Forest says the fire burned about 30 acres on the southbound side near Snowflake and hotshot crews stopped the fire’s forward progress.
- Aerial video and on-scene reports showed the car heavily burned and surrounding land scorched, with fire crews still present into the evening.
- Authorities have not yet released a cause for the initial vehicle fire or any injury information, and investigators will determine whether the vehicle ignition poses broader wildfire risk for the area.