Prescribed Burns Planned on South Monomoy Island Today

CHATHAM – You may see some smoke on the Lower Cape today coming from South Monomoy Island, as firefighters and officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service conduct prescribed burns.

The burns scheduled for last month had to be cancelled due to weather conditions.

Approximately 33.5 acres of the island will be burned today in order to improve nesting conditions for two federally endangered species of terns (common and roseate), and to cut down on excessive brush growth.

Over 30,000 shorebirds use Monomoy as a stopover area when migrating in the spring and fall, according to wildlife officials.

Layers of dead beach grass will be the prime target, they said.

The burns will take place between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., weather permitting.

For safety, the island will be closed to the public for the entire day.