CRAGSMOOR – On Saturday afternoon, April 23, I smelled smoke in the air. I live high up on the western slopes of the Shawangunk Ridge up above Ellenville and smelling smoke in the air in a dry-as-a-bone April is not a good thing. In fact, it's exactly what we fear the most at this season. The smoke tells you that the forest is burning and that it's burning not that far away.

This was the third time since 2009 that we had an indication of fire drifting over us from the forest. In 2009 Minnewaska suffered a huge conflagration, possibly caused by a tossed cigarette. I have a vivid memory of covering a softball game down in Ellenville and watching black ash flakes falling like weird snow over the ball field. Last year's fire was even more intense. For days the Roosa Gap fire blew smoke our way as hundreds of firefighters battled the blaze that began with someone burning sticks in an outdoor fireplace on a windy day over by Spring Glen, despite the statewide burn ban this time of year. That one then roared up the mountain, moving from south to north on strong winds, and was eventually stopped just short of Route 52 by an enormous effort from multiple fire companies drawn from all over the region. For days we watched helicopters going back and forth over the ridge with giant water buckets swinging below. Eventually, a Canadian air tanker flew down to help douse the flames.

On Saturday, all we know for certain is that it all started over in Sam's Point Preserve, somewhere near Verkeederkill Falls. We've been hearing that it was caused by a cigarette, and reported by a hiker. We await further information on that with considerable interest.

As things progressed that first day we watched photos coming in via social media from all across the Wallkill valley. We also became aware, through the sound of distant engines, that the fire fighting resources of all our local fire companies were mobilized. Cragsmoor, Ellenville, Walker Valley, Shawangunk, Pine Bush and many more were already engaged. p> On Sunday helicopters began flying in and out, and overhead. That night the chatter on Facebook and telephone was about what was burning on the other side of the mountain. The sight of fire fronts crisscrossing the Shawangunk Ridge's east flanks was scary. Personally, I was relieved it was a mile away, at least.

Monday things kicked up several gears. The fire had been moving steadily north through the night and by morning picked up speed and veered westward. Around two in the afternoon I noticed a worrying dark plume of smoke billowing skywards to the north my home. At the same time the smell of smoke returned and it was much stronger now. The plume continued to grow, oscillating between black and white smoke as the fire front consumed trees and then made do with brush and leaves before hitting the next group of trees. I headed up the road with camera in hand. And I crossed that threshold between a "news event" that happens to others and something more personal.

Meenahga Road was now occupied by Cragsmoor and Ellenville fire trucks filling up with water from our friends' pond. They were wetting down the trees and ground around the Wilhelm's lovely home, which was close enough to the fire now to need protection.

At North Gulley I saw the fire front breaking over the top of the mountain about half a mile away, up above the Indian Rock trail. I was less than half a mile from our home, gauging what could happen if the wind shifted a certain way.

And yet there was never any call for anyone to evacuate. Not even the Wilhelms, who were considerably closer to the blaze. Rumors about evacuations had begun to fly, but they remained rumors and were countered by notices from the Ulster County sheriff that no evacuations were happening.

Fire trucks continued to fill up from the pond and wet down the woods, helicopters flew back and forth until it became too dark. Everyone went to bed praying for the rain that had been predicted.

And it came. Once more, the drama of a huge forest fire up here on the Shawangunk Ridge ended with blessed rain, soaking the ground, cutting the fire's progress off and damping everything down to hotspots. Tuesday we woke up to a cold fog obscuring everything, and no smell of smoke. Throughout the day rain came and went, and every time it came we celebrated and thanked the heavens, the lord, the gods.

Today as I write we're catching up on the statistics. We're informed that the fire is still burning in a few hot spots. Helicopters are still thudding back and forth. Fire crews are out there with forest rangers and everyone from Minnewaska Park and Sam's Point Preserve, seeking out places where the fire is still smoldering and making sure it gets put out. The figure quoted now is that this fire consumed 2,000 acres. At the peak of things on Monday, the state Incident Management Team reported that 227 firefighters were engaged. We know that units from all over Dutchess, Orange and Sullivan counties responded, backing up Ulster County's firefighters once again. On Sunday, Governor Cuomo ordered state emergency personnel into the effort as well.

Once again, the grand Shawangunk Ridge bears a livid black scar across its side and top... just like the 2000 plus acres that burned seven years ago, or the nearly 3,000 that went up last Spring.

After that one I went out into the burned over area six months after the blaze passed through. What I found was oddly surreal. The ground was covered in lush green growth. Sticking out of that were the blackened remains of dead brush and small trees. Rising above that were living trees, their trunks scorched, but with fresh leaves. And over it all a clear blue sky with white clouds.