Forest Fire Scorches 3,000 Acres in Ulster Park - New York Times - Annotated

• By CARA BUCKLEY

  Published: April 21, 2008

• A fast-moving forest fire that twice jumped trenches dug to hold it back has scorched 3,000 acres of the Minnewaska State Park Preserve near New Paltz, N.Y., an official said on Sunday.
• Only minor injuries were reported in the fire, which started on Thursday in the northeast quadrant of the park, about 90 miles north of New York City in Ulster County.

• Helicopters were dumping 500-gallon tanks of water drawn from a park lake onto the leaping flames.

  Sunday’s cooler weather, higher humidity and foggier conditions helped slow the blaze’s advance, said Capt. Dan Walsh of the rangers.

  All roads into the 20,000-acre park were closed, Mr. Roy said.

  He said it was the largest forest fire there in nearly 60 years.