After the wildfire that swept through the East End in March 2025, local officials and residents are focused on protecting homes and communities from future fires.

The Southampton Central Pine Barrens Community hosted a public meeting Thursday to educate residents about wildfire prevention and gather feedback for a new wildfire protection plan.

"We're not talking hypotheticals," said Jason Smith, science and stewardship manager for Central Pine Barrens.

Wildfires have long posed a threat in the Pine Barrens, where residents have experienced firsthand the destruction they can cause. Residents recalled previous major fires in the region, including a wildfire near their community last year and the massive fire along Sunrise Highway that burned for days in 1995.

"Many, many homes were evacuated. They lost a lot of fire trucks. And in the pines, it was a disaster. So, yeah, we're very interested in this whole program," said Linda Penfield of Remsenburg.

The Southampton Central Pine Barrens Community is developing a new wildfire protection plan designed to identify high-risk areas, educate residents on how to safeguard their homes, and create strategies to reduce wildfire risk. According to Edward Schneyer of the Office of Emergency Management, some of the greatest wildfire risks exist where residential neighborhoods border wooded areas.

Officials used Thursday's meeting to collect community feedback as the plan takes shape.

"This is a really good opportunity for the public to come to us and tell us what they're most scared about," Smith said.

Experts encouraged residents to take steps to protect themselves and their property, including cleaning roofs and gutters, clearing vegetation away from homes, packing a go bag, and creating an evacuation plan.

"Everyone has a role to play in reducing wildfire impacts. And so no matter who you are, there's a way you can get involved," said Ari Porter, lead project manager at SWCA.

Experts noted that the Pine Barrens are a fire-dependent habitat, meaning periodic fires are necessary for the ecosystem to thrive. They said the goal is to balance the needs of the environment while protecting the communities that live within and around it.