THE FOREST FIRES AREA

This line of work studies the impact and response of vegetation to fires and the degradation processes related with fires.

Preventive selviculture:

In dry Mediterranean areas, plant communities that have grown after forest fires are frequently found, dominated by shrubby species which, in turn, present a high risk of spreading new fires. When managing such areas, it is necessary to address reducing the risk of fire and improving plant composition and biodiversity simultaneously to favour the presence of shrubby and arborescent species that are capable of rapidly sprouting if a forest fire breaks out. 

Our research works study the structure of fuel and the most suitable management techniques to facilitate woodlands becoming less vulnerable to fires.

Burnt woodlands management:

This programme develops procedures to identify and assess risks in woodlands that have been victims of forest fire and to implement recommendations to alleviate the effects of fire in the short and mid term. Our broad experience in assessing the ecological impact of fires has allowed us to develop a specific methodology to identify the most vulnerable areas and to make recommendations for the most urgent restoration actions.

Forest fires under climate change conditions:

The interactions among changes in soil use, socio-economic changes and climate change on forest fires are analysed. Adjustment management proposals are put forward to face changes in the climate change-associated pattern of fires.