Valuing Improved Firefighting Access for Wildfire Damage Prevention in Mediterranean Forests

To effectively combat wildfires, ground teams must reach the fire site via road network within critical response time. However, low-standard forest roads can reduce firetruck speeds and delay fire response times. This study aimed to investigate how improving road standards affects firefighting access within critical response time and contributes to reducing timber losses. This study was conducted in Antalya, the city most affected by wildfires in Türkiye. In the study, highly fire-prone forests were first identified based on a fire probability map of Antalya, developed through a GIS-based MCDA model incorporating the Fuzzy-AHP method. Then, the highly fire-prone forests and their corresponding timber volume were determined. Finally, the economic value of timber saved from fire and the present net value of total road costs were determined. As a result of improving forest roads, the forest areas that could be reached in time increased by 11.04%, making an additional 81,867.53 hectare of highly fire-prone forests accessible. The amount and economic value of timber products saved in this area were 971,195.55 m3 and €37,689,301, respectively. The cost of improved roads was €37,386,622 while the resulting positive net economic value of €302,679 indicates that investing in forest roads improvements is a viable option.