Sounds of explosions are routine at a construction site near Dripping Springs in Gila County where ADOT employees and contractors are blasting away the hillside to widen SR 77. But one recent explosion sent workers scrambling when the blast was greater than usual, and in an area where they weren’t working.

ADOT and Ames Construction workers turned their attention from the highway widening project to become firefighters to help extinguish a wildfire that burned approximately four acres, according to John Whalley of ADOT’s Globe District construction office.

Highway workers reported hearing an explosion around 1:30 p.m. on June 10 in an area north of the construction project.

“We saw smoke and headed to the source. Upon arrival a brush fire was discovered in the wash area spreading towards homes located on Roundup Drive,” according to an email account from Whalley.

He said that some of the residents were battling the fire. “We called Ames on the CB radio and asked if they could send their water truck. The water truck and several employees arrived to assist.” Ames later sent a loader and a grader to aid in the firefighting.

Whalley said that the combined efforts of the residents, workers and equipment helped control and redirect the fire away from several residences until the emergency responders arrived.

Ames kept its water truck onsite and provided an additional water truck to help replenish the fire engines,” Whalley wrote. In addition, the contractor quickly cleared the construction area of debris along SR 77 to allow emergency vehicles to pass.

Crews from Canyon State and Hayden fire departments extinguished the blaze.

Curtis Bilow, project manager for Ames, reported, “The force of the blast rattled the walls of the field office. The sound was much louder than any of the blasts we have had on site that I have heard or recorded.”

According to Judy Woods, public information officer for the Arizona State Forestry Division, the fire was caused by a resident burning debris. Assistant District Forester Jim Downey, who was incident commander at the site, said the fire “was not in close proximity to the ADOT construction area."