Pine Barrens

The forum, hosted by the state pine barrens commission, will discuss controversial plans aimed at reducing wildfire risk in Flanders-area pine barrens region.

The members of the state pine barrens commission need to be reminded of their statutory obligations, according to L.I. Pine Barrens Society executive director Richard Amper.

Environmentalist Richard Amper says firefighters' access to woodlands is "fine" and worries about impacts of proposed clearing on the pine barrens ecology.

Fire access lane clearing will finally begin in the Flanders pine barrens this summer, thanks to the efforts of the new chief of the Pine Barrens Wild Fire Task Force.

The county and state should clear and maintain fire lanes on publicly owned preserved land in the pine barrens, Suffolk County Legislator Jay Schneiderman...

A petition at Change.org asks Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone to clear the fire lanes in Flanders pine barrens, to allow firefighters access to fight wildfires on the 11,000 acres of publicly owned preserved land.

When tragedy strikes in the Flanders pine barrens, grim-faced politicians will posture in front of TV cameras and create more special commissions to study the problem — but in fact, they are the problem. Opinion column by Denise Civiletti

Fire chiefs angry with government land stewards over condition of preserved land. Video shows struggles of volunteer firefighters battling a wildfire in Flanders Saturday, where dead, downed trees on the county-owned preserve damaged three brush trucks, one of which had to be towed out of the woods.

Firefighters were able to contain a wildfire in the Flanders pine barrens this afternoon, despite strong, gusty winds and downed dead trees on the forest floor. EXCLUSIVE VIDEO FROM THE SCENE.

Hundreds of homes are tucked into 11,000 acres of preserved pine barrens in the Flanders Fire District, where a lack of maintenance by the government entities that own the woodlands has created a dangerous situation, according to Flanders Fire Chief Joe Petit.