Fire Island Lighthouse Closed Until Further Notice: NPS

FIRE ISLAND, NY — Fire Island's iconic lighthouse is taking a breather.

The National Park Service (NPS) announced on Monday that the Fire Island Lighthouse Tower is temporarily closed due to recent damages.

On the morning of March 4 an exterior panel on the northeast side of the Fire Island Lighthouse separated from the structure, a release said.

However, the damage to the lighthouse is more cosmetic than it is structural. Out of abundance of caution half of the terrace will be closed on the north side and boardwalks leading to the north side of the lighthouse will be closed until further notice and the lighthouse structure will remain temporarily closed until further notice, NPS said.

The lighthouse's Facebook page also shared a post about its closure on Saturday.

“Fire Island National Seashore was aware of the potential failure and began looking into both
short- and long-term solutions," said FireIsland National Seashore Superintendent Alexcy Romero. "The park has been conducting weekly monitoring; the northeast section of the terrace has been closed off for three months anticipating this failure to occur. The park is looking into stabilization options of the outer façade as an emergency repair.”

The park also advises visitors to stay out of closed areas.

Although the tower is temporarily closed, the Lens Building and Keepers Quarter are still open
and accessible to the public, NPS said.