Determination of Changes in Forest Road Network in Fire-Affected Areas by UAV

Forests occasionally confront serious threats due to their dynamic nature. The most dangerous of these threats are forest fires, which seriously harm ecosystems in many nations, including Türkiye. Forest roads are essential to fighting fires and preserving forests because they may physically restrict fires and give firefighters access. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are well-known Remote Sensing (RS) technology, are employed as a key data source in the rapid and accurate analysis of forest ecosystems, with Geographic Information System (GIS). The integration of these technologies facilitates the successful management of forests and fighting fires. This study evaluates the condition of the forest roads damaged by fire in southwest Türkiye, which has a typical Mediterranean climate, pre- and post-fire. Using UAV and satellite imagery was used to examine road parameters, including road length, density, opening-up ratio, and average road slope pre- and post-fire. The results demonstrated that the post-fire forest road network has grown significantly, and the quality of these new roads was low. Post-fire roads are necessary for fighting fires and restoring forests, but their hasty construction can have a detrimental effect on the ecosystem. UAV technology is a very useful instrument, for providing precise and in-depth data for post-fire forest inventory assessments.