Work continues this month on a New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation effort to prevent wildfire spread at Napeague and Hither Hills State Parks in Amagansett and Montauk.
The $1 million project is to create fuel breaks to prevent the potential spread of wildfire and remove dead trees and debris in swaths adjacent to private residences in wooded areas that have been decimated by southern pine beetle infestation.
Crews have been removing woody vegetation within seven separate fuel breaks totaling approximately 12,000 linear feet at up to 25 feet wide, according to a statement from the Parks Department, using forestry mulchers, chain saws, chippers, and other heavy equipment. The fuel breaks are being made on State Parks property where pitch pines are adjacent to residences.
All vegetation within 10 feet of the west side of Marlin Drive has been removed, Tom Dess, director of Montauk Downs State Park, said last week, and all vegetation within 10 feet of Dunes Lane was being removed and approximately 550 feet of fuel breaks created around 8 Dunes Lane, all on Napeague. The project also calls for approximately 5,550 feet of fuel breaks behind residences on the east side of Cranberry Hole Road, approximately 1,750 feet behind residences on the southwest side of Bay View Avenue, approximately 440 feet behind 9 Shipwreck Drive, and approximately 740 feet just north of 90 Napeague Harbor Road.
Necessary tree cutting is to occur before Feb. 28, while northern long-eared bats hibernate in overwintering roosts. Additional future work will be part of a long-term effort to manage the impacts of the southern pine beetle and restore the natural communities within the parks.
“The dead trees and woody debris from the southern pine beetle infestation has unfortunately increased the amount of fuel in the system and has potentially decreased access for responders in the event of a wildfire,” George Gorman, the Long Island State Parks regional director, said in a statement. “Out of extreme caution, this project will install a series of fuel breaks to provide emergency responders quicker access to difficult terrain to fight a wildfire, should one occur.”
