Car explosion sparks wildfire, shuts Highway 87 near Phoenix

A car explosion on State Route 87 sparked the Round Valley Fire and briefly shut the highway near Sunflower, about 13 miles from Bush Highway and northeast of Phoenix. Flames spread into brush in the Mesa Ranger District of the Tonto National Forest, and the fire grew to about 30 acres before crews stopped its forward progress.

The fire was reported Wednesday, June 24, 2026, near mile marker 214, where video from the scene showed a vehicle fire and explosion. The blaze began after an RV caught fire and spread to surrounding brush on the southbound side of the highway. Officials were still investigating the cause.

Conner Hunt, who was driving home with his wife, Audrey, recorded the fire as it erupted beside the roadway. He described the blast as a fireball and said, “We were pretty scared at first.” Hunt also said the explosion was caused by a television inside the vehicle, but officials had not confirmed that account.

Fire crews responded with four engines, two interagency hotshot crews and air resources as the flames pushed through dry brush along the highway. The U.S. Forest Service said forward progress had been stopped. State Route 87 was closed in both directions, then reopened, though the southbound lane remained blocked at milepost 213 after the main closure had ended.