The scientific article “GIS-based methodology for prioritization of preparedness interventions on road transport under wildfire events”, co-authored by researchers from the Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Engineering Structures (ISISE), was awarded the VII Jose Maria Sarriegi Scientific Dissemination Award (call 2025).

This prestigious award, given by a jury composed of representatives from the University of Navarra and the Catastrophe Observatory of Asociación Cluster Catástrofes, and sponsored by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, recognizes outstanding academic research on disaster management published in high-impact scientific journals.

Among the co-authors of the award-winning article are ISISE researchers Hélder Manuel Silva Sousa and José António Campos Matos, as well as Dr. Erica Arango, who, at the time of the article’s publication, was a doctoral student at EEUM.

The research addresses the impact of climate change on the increased frequency and intensity of forest fires, exacerbated by the growing proximity of communities to natural areas. The study highlights the importance of road infrastructure in the evacuation of people and access for emergency teams during fires, proposing a new methodology based on geographic information systems (GIS).

The School of Engineering congratulates the award winners!