Fire Controlled on Windbeam Mountain in Ringwood

At 2:30 PM on Friday August 20, 2010, a fire was reported near the summit of 1,040-foot Windbeam Mountain in Ringwood, near the site of a fire in April 2009. Erskine Lakes, Skyline Lake and Ringwood Volunteer Fire Company responded to the scene and were later joined and relieved by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Friday and Saturday was spent containing the blaze with helicopter bucket drops and digging fire line in the steep and rocky terrain. Mother Nature completed the job with three days of rain starting Sunday. Three firefighters were injured in the approximately seven-acre incident.

North Jersey Trails Chair John Moran inspected inspected the site with volunteers Karen and Frank Schoof:
"Three of us went by on August 31 and the fire mainly seems to have burned numerous cedar trees on the west-facing slope. Grass is already resprouting. A prickly pear cactus seems virtually undamaged even though surrounded by scorched earth--maybe to do with its water content. 

"The trail itself is not in bad shape, still easily followed; perhaps it acted as a fire break. I'm sure things could have been a lot worse without the fire responders. There are still tape barriers across the STC/ HT trails at Windbeam Lane and at the Highlands Trail entry on Stonetown Road, along with various flagged spots in the fire area. We left all in place in case somebody wants them there for inspection purposes." 

Thanks to all the responders who did so much to quickly contain the blaze.