A fire erupted suddenly on Friday afternoon at The Mount, a spot on 106th Street near Fifth Avenue where the Central Park Conservancy composts organic material and collects trees and branches that were knocked down in storms. Flames shot as high as 20 feet and some paths had to be closed. “The cause of the fire is not clear at this time but there is a possibility that the dry weather conditions may have played a role,” the Central park Conservancy said in a statement. Firefighters got the fire under control within a few hours and no one was reported injured, but the Conservancy continues to monitor and pour water on the area.

West Side Rag reader Jodi Kendall saw the fire and snapped the pictures above and below. She also sent us this description: “We first noticed the fire while walking around the Central Park Conservatory [Garden] on Friday afternoon… From a distance, it appeared to be a controlled fire that grew too strong in the windy conditions… As we walked westbound through the park, we saw the firefighters putting out the flames.”