Suffolk Eyes Beetles After Westhampton Brush Fire

Suffolk County officials are taking aim at Southern pine beetles to avoid a repeat of the recent Westhampton brush fire, which some say may have been partly fueled by trees that the beetles killed.

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine is inviting the public to attend his free inaugural Suffolk County Southern Pine Beetle Symposium on April 23 in Riverhead to share tips for fire prevention and mitigation, forest management efforts, beetle biology, homeowner education, and more.

“The infestation of the Southern pine beetle does not only have environmental implications but causes a serious public safety threat to the Pine Barrens and to our residents who reside in the surrounding communities as we witnessed just a couple of weeks ago,” said Romaine, who will be the keynote speaker.

Investigators believe a family trying to make s’mores on a windy day sparked the fire that burned about 400 acres on March 8-9. Romaine said trees downed by the beetles added fuel to that fire. The blaze sparked fears that it could turn into a repeat of the historic 1995 Sunrise Fires that burned thousands of acres of Pine Barrens 30 years ago this August. 

Speakers at the symposium will include experts from the Suffolk County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services, Suffolk County Parks, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Central Pine Barrens Commission and Seatuck.

“Following last month’s brush fire and the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Sunrise Wildfire, we are being proactive and using this opportunity to further inform our communities as to how they can be best informed and prepared this summer,” Romaine said. 

The Suffolk County Southern Pine Beetle Symposium will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on April 23 at Suffolk County Community College Riverhead Campus in the Montaukett Learning Resource Center (MLRC), room 107/108. For more information visit suffolkcountyny.gov.