The U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recently released the TechBrief Impacts of Wildfires on Highway Assets, examining how increasingly severe wildfire events affect transport infrastructure.
Drawing on research, case studies and interviews with transportation agencies, the report concludes that while fires can directly damage roads and infrastructure, the greatest long-term risk comes from post-fire flooding, debris flows and damaged drainage systems.
For drainage asset owners, designers and local governments, the findings reinforce the importance of selecting resilient materials capable of maintaining structural integrity during and after extreme fire events.
Read our summary of the TechBrief’s key findings and the implications for infrastructure owners here