Firewall in the forest: what are, types and how they help prevent forest fires

The firewalls are strips of land clear of vegetation that are created inside the forests with the aim of slowing down or stopping the advance of a forest fire. They function as a physical barrier that interrupts the passage of fire by eliminating combustible material, such as branches, dry leaves and shrubs.

These spaces may vary in width, depending on the type of vegetation, the slope of the land and the risk of fire in the area. Some firewalls are made manually or with machinery, while others are maintained with controlled grazing or even by means of prescribed.

There are several types of firewalls, and their design depends on the use they want to give, on the characteristics of the land and the level of fire risk in the area:

• Natural firewalls: These are areas where vegetation is already scarce by nature, such as rivers, lakes, rocky areas or dirt roads.
• Artificial firewalls: They are open stripes on purpose, usually with heavy machinery or manual tools. They are cleaned with vegetation, leaving only the bare ground or with a minimum layer of vegetation coverage to prevent the fire from moving forward.
• Agricultural or livestock firewalls: these are areas used for crops or grazing, which are strategically located to serve as a strip of containment of fire.
• Permanent and temporary firewalls: the permanent are fixed structures, maintained throughout the year, while the storms are created only in certain times, such as during the dry season or when there is alert due to fire risk.

The main function of the firewalls is to interrupt the advance of fire by eliminating the material that could continue to feed. But in addition, they offer other important advantages:

• They limit the propagation of fire: when creating a strip without vegetation, the fire loses the “fuel” that it needs to continue advancing.
• They create safe areas for the work of firefighters and brigades: the firewalls allow the equipment to work with greater security, since they provide them a vegetation free space from which they can fight the flames without the immediate risk of being surrounded.
• They facilitate access to remote areas: Many firewalls are built as roads or are used as access paths.
• They serve as defense lines in controlled fires: the firewalls are used as a safe limit so that these burns do not get out of control and do not affect other areas of the forest.
• They reduce the risk in nearby inhabited areas: when there are homes, farms or other constructions near the forest, the firewalls can act as a protective barrier, preventing the fire from reaching them.

The plants used in the firewalls must meet certain characteristics:

• Under flammable content: species are chosen that do not arrange easily, that is, they have a high moisture content in their leaves or that do not release volatile oils that favor combustion.
• Little height: Porte vegetation is preferred (herbs or low shrubs) that does not facilitate the fire and spread to the highest trees.
• Fast growth and easy maintenance: some plant species are used because they help to cover the soil quickly, avoiding erosion and facilitating the regeneration of the area, but without becoming a risk.

Examples of vegetation used in firewalls

• Grass and low pastures, such as Festuca Arundinacea either Agrostis capillaris.
• Low growth legumes, such as white clover (Trifolium reng) or the alfalfa (Medicago sativa), which also help enrich the ground.
• Resistant and low -risk bushes, such as black broom (Cytisus Scoparius) in controlled areas.
• Sign of low bearing plants, adapted to the local climate and do not favor the spread of fire.

Advantages of firewalls

• They help stop fire spread. By eliminating flammable vegetation, they create a physical barrier that can stop or slow down the advance of fire.
• The firewalls serve many times as paths or passage paths, which allows firefighters and brigades to reach the affected areas faster.
• They allow the equipment to work in a more controlled environment and with less risk of being surrounded by the flames.
• They protect infrastructure and inhabited areas.

Firewall limitations

• They do not guarantee that the fire stops completely.
• They require constant maintenance.
• They can cause environmental impact.
• They do not replace other prevention measures.
• Design, build and maintain firewalls requires resources, specialized personnel and coordination between institutions.
• They can generate a false sense of security.

Although firewalls are a very useful tool in the fight against forest fires, they do not guarantee for themselves that the fire stops completely. Its main function is to slow down or interrupt the advance of fire, eliminating the plant material that could continue to feed the flames. However, there are several factors that can make a fire jump or cross a firewall:

• Strong wind: bursts can drag embarrassment on several meters away, even beyond the clean strip of the firewall.
• Height and intensity of the flames: in very aggressive fires, the flames can be so high that they manage to pass over the firewall.
• Pronounced earrings: the fire raises quickly on steep slopes, and in those cases the firewall can be insufficient if it is not well designed.
• Building firewalls: if the vegetation has grows again in the firewall strip or there are flammable materials present, it loses effectiveness.

The responsibility of building and maintaining the firewalls falls to various institutions and actors, depending on the country, the region and the type of land:

• Public Administrations: In most countries, regional, provincial or national governments are the main ones responsible for planning and executing firewalls in public mountains or protected areas.
• Forest Brigades and Fire Prevention Services: Teams Specialized in Forest Management and Fire Fighting are those who perform much of physical work.
• Contracted companies: The authorities sometimes delegate these tasks in private companies specialized in forest works, which have heavy machinery and trained personnel to operate on difficult land.
• Local volunteers and communities: There are environmental volunteer programs where citizens collaborate in the cleaning of mountains and maintenance of fire zones.

How much is a firewall in the forest?

The width of a firewall varies according to the slope, type of vegetation and local regulations, but usually ranges between 10 and 30 meters. In high -risk areas it can be higher.

What is the difference between a firewall and an auxiliary girdle?

A firewall is a strip without flammable vegetation that stops or slows fires. An auxiliary girdle is an area with controlled vegetation that reduces the fuel load but is not completely cleaned.

What maintenance does a firewall need in the forest throughout the year?

It requires periodic tasks such as unbroken outbreaks, pruning and cleaning of plant waste, especially before the fire season.

What machinery is used to create firewalls in forest areas?

Bulldozers, backhoes, tractors with unbroken stracts and specialized forest machinery such as motor motion or vegetation crushers are used.

Do the firewalls affect the forest ecosystem?

Yes, they can affect the habitat of some species and ecological connectivity, but if they are designed correctly they can minimize the impact and serve as ecological or biodiversity corridors.

Is it possible to reforest or reverse areas used as firewalls?

Yes, it can be reversed with species of low inflammable risk or controlled vegetable coverage that allow compatible fire prevention and ecological restoration.

Can drones be used to supervise firewalls in forests?

Yes, drones allow fast and precise inspections of the state of the firewalls, detect dense vegetation or outbreaks and plan maintenance tasks with greater efficiency.

If you want to read more articles similar to firewood in the forest: what are, types and how they help prevent forest fires, we recommend that you enter our category of other environment.