Abstract Manager

Recent climate change-influenced natural disasters in British Columbia such as the 2021 atmospheric river event and record-setting 2023 wildfire season have had significant and devastating impacts to road infrastructure. In addition to the direct effects of these extreme events, there are also secondary mechanisms which can exacerbate these effects. One such mechanism is through vegetation management. For example in addition to the direct impacts of fires themselves, post-fire landscapes are prone to slope failure due to a lack of intercepting vegetation and hydrophobic soils. In addition, the way that we respond to disasters can also contribute to a feedback loop which makes disasters more likely in the future. For example, exposing mineral soils for fireguards and roadside wildlife fence building promotes the spread and growth of invasive species which can be more flammable, increasing the likelihood of roadside fire starts. Even the act of rebuilding infrastructure itself is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, contributing to climate change and extreme weather events.

Despite these risks, with proper planning and management, we also have opportunities to mitigate these effects. For example, careful roadside development and focused vegetation management promotes the growth of native species that are more resilient to disaster and act as carbon sinks, and rapid, post-fire rehabilitation can help reduce the effects of road runoff and increase slope stability. By preventing and mitigating the most severe effects of climate change, we not only reduce the direct impacts to our infrastructure, but also sever the feedback loop that contributes to further climate change-induced disasters. In order to be effective, these strategies require foresight, preparation and, importantly, cross-jurisdictional coordination.