CAMDEN — A fire spreading near the top of Ragged Mountain in the early morning, Aug. 26, was discovered by a biker riding the trails. He called 911, Knox Regional Communications Center dispatch, as the smoke rose above the rocks and flames began to grow. With the Midcoast in a severe drought and Maine woods now tinder-dry, crews from Camden Fire Department and the Snow Bowl raced up the mountain in side-by-sides and four-wheelers, equipped with tools and water to fight the fire.

Knox RCC had mapped the spot where the mountain biker stood still with his phone, and sent a satellite image of his location to the crews.

When Camden Snow Bowl employees first arrived at the fire, the smoke was rising from burning timber, branches, pine needles, moss and lichen. The fire was spreading toward a ravine filled with old and dried trees. (Photo courtesy Ted Davis/Camden Snow Bowl)

At the base of the mountain, Camden firefighter Bennett Cohen lifted the fire department's drone into the sky, and further pinpointed the fire and its persistent creep through what firefighters call the duff, "a layer of decomposing organic materials lying below the litter layer of freshly fallen twigs, needles, and leaves and immediately above the mineral soil," according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.

That was just before 8 a.m., and crews fanned out around the fire, which was at an outcropping of rocks known as Crow's Nest. That cliff is where skiers stop and take in the view over Penobscot Bay during winter when the snow is deep, before they desend through the glades. During the summer, Crow's Nest is a short northward hike from the triple chairlift, a perch just above the Nor'easter trail.

Just 30 minutes later, the fire department called for more assistance as the fire continued to smolder through the moss and lichen, and sneaking into the ground — a collective fear — for underground fires can smolder for months, burrowing deep under rocks and ledges and spreading through the woods, igniting timber fires.

The cause of Aug. 25 Snow Bowl fire may have been just that: Maine Forest Ranger Mike Foley arrived at the Snow Bowl just before 11 a.m. and following an investigation, he determined that there had been several campfires in the area and it was difficult to trace from where the fire originated.

"He said that it was likely a fire that was kindled over the weekend and had been burning underground since then," said Camden Fire Chief Chris Farley.

As the crews chipped away at the fire with rakes, shovels, pick axes and backpack water tanks another crew lead by Camden Snow Bowl snowmaker Derek Dostie began the process of turning on the water system that pushes water up the mountain to the top of the triple chairlift for making snow during the winter. 

"We will have water up there in 20 minutes," said Snow Bowl Operations Manager Richelle Gagne, soon after 9 a.m.

Dostie opened the valves at the pump station at the edge of Hosmer Pond and, with the help of two pumps, set a flow in motion up the water line to the top of the chairlift. From there, water was directed over to a hydrant at Nor'easter. And from there, Snow Bowl employees hooked up the fire hose, which was carried up the cliff and over the rocks where the firefighters opened the nozzle.

The two pumps, said Dostie, would push 450 gallons of water per minute at 600 psi to the summit, down the line to the Nor'easter hydrant and up the fire hose, all with plenty of pressure.

Firefighters confirmed that to be the ase when they were safely back down the mountain and the fire was out. They doused the ground with water, soaking roots and extinguishing all flammable material and sources.

Dostie had initiated a second boost to that water pressure by turning off the return line, which normally takes water not used in the snowmaking process in a closed loop back down the mountain to Hosmer Pond. 

The Camden Snow Bowl allows no fires on the portions of Ragged Mountain owned by the Town of Camden. That was reinforced by new signs that Ranger Foley gave the Snow Bowl before he left. 

"Kindle No Fires In This Area. Keep Maine Green."

Snow Bowl employees helping at the Crow's Nest fire included Devon Spaulding, Matt Bally, Hayden Christie, Kyle Leonard, Jeff French, Derek Dostie and Ted Davis.

Camden firefighters helping to extinguish the mountain fire were Andy Skrivanich, Katey Christianson, Earle Holt, Lauren Tribuzio, Gabe Zacchai, Jack Orestis, Matt Heath, Alex and Bennett Cohen, Kevin Callahan, Jacob Wilder and Derek Jay.