Fire Island is a barrier island and provides some storm risk protection to the mainland communities of Long Island. Fire Island National Seashore encompasses most of Fire Island and has a variety of management areas. A breach was formed in the Fire Island Wilderness by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.  Since then the wilderness breach has remained opened and studied. This opportunity for natural processes to proceed unimpeded allows biologists to extensively monitor the wilderness breach, providing an opportunity to inform future breach management decisions at Fire Island and elsewhere.