Fire Island

Fire Island is a 34-mile long barrier island approximately seven miles south of Long Island across the Great South Bay. The island extends from Jones Beach Inlet in the west to Moriches Inlet in the east. It is the only barrier island in the United States that runs east to west.

Fire Island Map

The origin of the name is unclear. The island may have been named after Fire Island Inlet, which first appeared on a deed in 1789, and the inlet’s name may have started as a simple spelling error. The number of inlet islands has varied over time, and it is likely that “five” or the Dutch word “vier,” meaning four, was misspelled on early maps as “fire.”

Fire Island Beach appeared on charts in the 1850s, and folklore suggests the name arose from land-based pirates or “wreckers,” who built beach fires at night to lure cargo ships onto shore. Some say poison ivy gave Fire Island its name, either for its red leaves in autumn or its fiery itch.

In 1653, Isaac Stratford of Babylon set up a shore whaling station on the Island (the name, Whalehouse Point, still exists). In 1825, the Federal government constructed a lighthouse at the extreme western tip of Fire Island.

Most of the communities on the island were established in the early part of the 20th century. Some started out as vacation resorts, others as religious communities.

The early 1960s was a period of great anxiety among Fire Island residents. State Parks Commissioner Robert Moses appeared on the verge of winning approval of his long-time dream of paving a parkway from one end of the island to the other.

Moses' plans were derailed but the threat of the same scheme reappearing at some future date prompted members of the Fire Island communities to band together to support the creation of the Fire Island National Seashore (www.nps.gov), encompassing all the territory from Robert Moses State Park in the west to Suffolk County's Smith Point Park in the east.

Within the Fire Island National Seashore are 17 communities, each with a unique appeal. From west to east, these communities are:

  • Kismet
  • Saltaire
  • Fair Harbor
  • Dunewood
  • Lonelyville
  • Atlantique
  • Robbins Rest
  • Corneille Estates
  • Ocean Beach
  • Seaview
  • Ocean Bay Park
  • Point O’Woods
  • Cherry Grove
  • Fire Island Pines
  • Water Island
  • Davis Park / Ocean Ridge
  • Watch Hill (National Seashore Headquarters)

While Fire Island is connected to Long Island by the Robert Moses Causeway to Jones beach, in general, these communities can only be reached by ferry service from Bay Shore, Patchogue and Sayville, New York. The ferry company also runs a water taxi service during the summer to go from one community to another.

Fire Island National Seashore

Fair Harbor, like all of the other communities on Fire Island, is a part of the Fire Island National Seashore. It is a unique situation—with private land ownership within a national park—and it presents some special challenges as well as advantages for the community. To find out more about the Seashore please visit www.nps.gov/fiis.

Fire Island Weather

To check the weather conditions on Fire Island click here.