ABSTRACT
This article presents a study based on a survey of wildland fire experts in Spain, the objective of which is to determine possible measures that could be taken with regard to road design in order to contribute to the prevention and suppression of forest fires. Twenty experts responded to a series of questions and suggestions about the design of roadways in areas at risk for forest fires and their responses are compiled here. The participants were asked about possible measures that could be taken in the future; they were asked to justify their responses and explain whether they considered the proposed methods to be economically viable. The questions dealt with themes such as the maneuverability of specialized extinguishing equipment, the maintenance of areas adjacent to roadways, preventative forestry measures, fire-resistant vegetative species that could be planted adjacent to roads, water points, smoke detectors and environmental education. They were also asked if roads themselves could act as firebreaks, as anchor points for a backfire, or as heliports, and about the relationship between roadways and water points in forested areas for supplying and managing water reserves. This study, by means of a survey of experts, has served to detect critical elements of forest fires in which roads play an important role. It also paves the way for future research into the design and exploitation of roadways in forested areas to prevent fires and facilitate their suppression.
