Fire Island, barrier beach, 32 mi (52 km) long, off the south shore of Long Island, SE N.Y., separating Great South Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. Robert Moses State Park is at its west end. Once accessible only by boat, Fire Island is now linked with Long Island by bridge and causeway, but automobile access is limited; ferry services connect it with South Shore towns. A retreat of New York City residents, Fire Island has long been noted for its varied communities, including resorts favored by gay vacationers. The Fire Island National Seashore (est. 1964) embraces all of the island except the state park (see National Parks and Monuments, tablenational parks and monuments, table).
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