Wildfires are among the most significant disturbances affecting forest ecosystems worldwide, highlighting the need for efficient planning, accessibility assessment, and rapid emergency response. The condition and functionality of forest and rural road networks play a crucial role in wildfire management, as they provide access for firefighting vehicles, evacuation operations, and post-fire restoration activities. However, road network monitoring is commonly based on field inspections or laser-scanning approaches, which are often time-consuming, costly, and difficult to apply over extensive forest areas.
To address these challenges, kartECO presents INFOROAD, a web-based Geographic Information System (WebGIS) operating as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform for the mapping and monitoring of forest and rural road networks. The system records critical road characteristics, including width, slope, accessibility constraints, dead ends, and vehicle turning points, which directly influence the operational effectiveness and safety of wildfire response activities and personnel. Its capabilities are underpinned by the integration of cutting-edge technologies, including machine learning algorithms and remote sensing methods for automatic road network detection and the mapping of road condition. At the same time, it provides users with core GIS functionalities, namely the visualisation and management of available geospatial data.
The platform contributes to wildfire preparedness by enabling authorities and forest managers to identify potential access limitations, prioritise maintenance interventions during the pre-fire preparation season, and support route planning for emergency operations.
INFOROAD is currently operational in the peri-urban forest of the city of Thessaloniki, Greece, demonstrating its applicability in a real-world forest environment exposed to wildfire risk. A future extension of the tool, using a mobile phone app and AI capabilities to recognise forest road quality and map forest roadside biodiversity, is planned, and specific funding is being explored.
The INFOROAD project (project code: KMP6-0079153) was implemented within the framework of the action “Investment Plans of Innovation” of the “Central Macedonia 2021–2027” programme, co-funded by the European Union and Greece.
This piece was contributed by the INFOROAD team, Eleni Tokmaktsi, Emmanouel Tsiros, Marinos Karteris, and Apostolos Karteris (kartECO Environmental and Energy Engineering Consultancy, Thessaloniki, Greece), and Georgios Mallinis (School of Rural and Surveying Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece), who designed and developed INFOROAD for wildfire preparedness.
