West Nile Detected At Watch Hill On Fire Island

FIRE ISLAND, NY — Traps at the Carrington Tract and Watch Hill at Fire Island National Seashore continue to detect West Nile Virus in mosquito samples — the fourth and sixth virus detection at these sites this year, the National Park Service said Thursday.

The latest positive samples were taken at the Carrington Tract on Sept. 9 and at Watch Hill on Sept. 16.

The Carrington tract is a federal tract of land between Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove, while Watch Hill is a federal tract of land between Davis Park and the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness area.

Traps are set by the seashore as part of the mosquito management program, which is a collaborative effort between the park service and Suffolk County Department of Health Services – Arthropod-Borne Disease Laboratory.

The mosquito monitoring program helps assess risk levels and select actions for public safety.