Wildfires have increased due to drought and invasive species, adversely impacting forest health. This is compounded by increased traffic volumes and has resulted in a range of responses in adaptive vegetation management from state departments of transportation (DOTs). States where wildfires have increased in frequency and intensity have adopted innovative solutions in emergency response and mobilization. Lessons learned can be passed along to other states as drought and invasive species challenges have increased wildfire risks across the country. A baseline study of known risk factors and current best management practices being adopted by state DOTs is needed to establish an ongoing national adaptive roadside management strategy. This baseline would be enhanced with continued documentation of incident response to each successive fire event.

The objectives of this research are to (1) identify the range and magnitude of historic case study responses to wildfire on state highway roadsides throughout the country; (2) recommend best practices for state DOTs for cases where the fire source is traffic-related, and where the highway roadside is managed to serve as a fire break and aid in emergency response; (3) develop management recommendations for state DOTs in the life cycle of roadside vegetation management; and (4) prepare suggested language for consideration by the AASHTO Committee on Environment and Sustainability for future revisions of the AASHTO Guidelines Roadside Vegetation Management on Integrated Vegetation Management response using chemical control, mechanical control, and site restoration for cultural control.

Direction from the AASHTO Committee on Research & Innovation: Eliminate the Benefit-Cost Analysis.