The importance of forest roads in forest management is proved by several studies. Forest roads are fundamental for forest operations, surveillance of territory, recreational activities. But these infrastructures play a key-role in fire fighting activities too. In fact, all ground-based operations are strictly related with the presence of forest roads as access to fire edge. In spite of this important role, forest roads are often planned and built without considering their use in fire fighting, and this occurs also in literature, where few studies are dedicated to analyse the importance of forest roads in fire fighting. In fact, wood harvesting is normally the main reason why a forest road is built. This is a very important aspect to be considered especially in Mediterranean areas, where fire events are quite frequent and fire fighters organisation are well structured. Moreover, it is rarely considered that a well-developed and well-maintained forest road network is the answer to different needs in fire management. The objective of this contribution is to show the results of a deep review of the actual state of the art in managing forest roads in fire-prone environments. Many aspects have been faced considering the basic principles to obtain efficient road network for fire fighting activities, taking into account the main roles, the most important aspects and the reported experiences to be considered in forest road network planning and maintenance in fire-prone areas. The most important themes treated are related with: i) the analysis of the functions of forest roads in fire prevention and suppression; ii) the importance of forest road planning and building considering also their importance for protecting forests against fires: iii) the construction and maintenance characteristics to be considered for building and maintaining an efficient forest road network against fires; iv) the importance of fire prevention and the related role of forest roads. Special attention has been dedicated to maintenance activities, because a not well-maintained forest road is a not efficient forest road, and it represents a useless economic and environmental cost. Results and evidences emerged in this study highlighted the possibilities of forest road enhancement under the perspective of forest fire fighters.

FOREST ROAD NETWORK IN FIRE-PRONE ENVIRONMENT: PLANNING, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE FOR AN EFFICIENT ROLE IN FIRE FIGHTING / Andrea Laschi, Cristiano Foderi, Fabio Fabiano, Francesco Neri, Martina Cambi, Barbara Mariotti, Enrico Marchi. - ELETTRONICO. - (2018), pp. 244-244. (Intervento presentato al convegno FORMEC INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF FOREST MECHANIZATION).

FOREST ROAD NETWORK IN FIRE-PRONE ENVIRONMENT: PLANNING, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE FOR AN EFFICIENT ROLE IN FIRE FIGHTING

Andrea Laschi;Cristiano Foderi;Fabio Fabiano;Francesco Neri;Martina Cambi;Barbara Mariotti;Enrico Marchi
2018

Abstract

The importance of forest roads in forest management is proved by several studies. Forest roads are fundamental for forest operations, surveillance of territory, recreational activities. But these infrastructures play a key-role in fire fighting activities too. In fact, all ground-based operations are strictly related with the presence of forest roads as access to fire edge. In spite of this important role, forest roads are often planned and built without considering their use in fire fighting, and this occurs also in literature, where few studies are dedicated to analyse the importance of forest roads in fire fighting. In fact, wood harvesting is normally the main reason why a forest road is built. This is a very important aspect to be considered especially in Mediterranean areas, where fire events are quite frequent and fire fighters organisation are well structured. Moreover, it is rarely considered that a well-developed and well-maintained forest road network is the answer to different needs in fire management. The objective of this contribution is to show the results of a deep review of the actual state of the art in managing forest roads in fire-prone environments. Many aspects have been faced considering the basic principles to obtain efficient road network for fire fighting activities, taking into account the main roles, the most important aspects and the reported experiences to be considered in forest road network planning and maintenance in fire-prone areas. The most important themes treated are related with: i) the analysis of the functions of forest roads in fire prevention and suppression; ii) the importance of forest road planning and building considering also their importance for protecting forests against fires: iii) the construction and maintenance characteristics to be considered for building and maintaining an efficient forest road network against fires; iv) the importance of fire prevention and the related role of forest roads. Special attention has been dedicated to maintenance activities, because a not well-maintained forest road is a not efficient forest road, and it represents a useless economic and environmental cost. Results and evidences emerged in this study highlighted the possibilities of forest road enhancement under the perspective of forest fire fighters.
2018
FORMEC 2018 – Improved Forest Mechanisation: mobilizing natural resources and preventing wildfires September 25th -27th, 2018. Madrid, Spain
FORMEC INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF FOREST MECHANIZATION
Andrea Laschi, Cristiano Foderi, Fabio Fabiano, Francesco Neri, Martina Cambi, Barbara Mariotti, Enrico Marchi
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1142360
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