BISBEE — Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire that burned at least 180 acres of land on Monday in the Mule Pass area.

A wildfire briefly shut down the highway going through Bisbee on Monday. It reopened at 5:30 p.m. that day but residences needed to be evacuated in the area.

The incident was first reported at 10:47 a.m., according to Bisbee Police Chief Jim Elkins. The cause of the fire, which started along Highway 80 near the tunnel, is under investigation.

“An Arizona Department of Transportation crew was doing some work on the edge of the road, and that is where the fire originated,” Elkins said.

There were no injuries, but a Bisbee Police car was damaged by the fire, he added.

As of 8:30 p.m., the fire was 40 percent contained, according to Judy Wood, fire information officer for Arizona State Forestry. The fire was burning in a westerly direction from Highway 80.

The Bisbee Tunnel was closed during part of the day, reopening a little after 4 p.m. Highway 80 also was temporarily closed.

No structures or outbuildings were lost or damaged. About 30 residences to the north and southwest of Bisbee were evacuated.

Of those, 10 residences to the north of Highway 80 were allowed to be occupied as of 5:30 p.m.

The remaining 20 residences in the Highlands Park area, just west of town and south of Highway 80, were allowed to be occupied as of 8:30 p.m.

Four single-engine air tankers dropped fire retardant, according to Wood. Six heavy tankers were ordered and at least two of them actually dropped retardant.

By Monday evening, all aircraft were released from duty and fire management officials will re-assess the conditions and containment again this morning with the use of GPS mapping.

Bisbee fire department chief Jack Earnest said an estimated 200 firefighters responded.

Numerous fire departments and agencies assisted, including Elfrida, Tombstone, Palominas, Tubac, Fry, Sunsites Pearce, Patagonia, San Jose, Naco, Douglas, Rincon Valley, Arizona State, Coronado National Forest and Bureau of Land Management, as well as hand crews including Flagstaff Hot Shots from the Coconino National Forest and Silver City Hot Shots from New Mexico, according to Wood.

Other officials provided assistance, including Cochise County Emergency Services, Bisbee government, Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol, Arizona Rangers and Arizona Department of Transportation, said Elkins.

Domingo Carbajal, 74, who lives in a house along North Old Divide Road that nearly burned down, said he was grateful for the efforts of the firefighters.

“You don’t know how thankful I am that they saved it,” he said. “I was born and raised there.”

Two other recent fires in the region have been contained, according to officials.

The Rattlesnake fire burned 171 1/2 acres in the Chiricahua Mountains. It was caused by lightning, said Wood.

Also, the Ramsey fire, which burned one acre, is still under investigation, said Celeste Gordon, fire information officer for Coronado National Forest.