Fire risk analysis based on groundwater level in rewetting peatland, Sungaitohor village, kepulauan Meranti district, Riau province

Abstract

The hydrological condition of peatlands is one of the important factors affecting peatland’s vulnerability to fire. The groundwater level (GWL) of peatlands or so-called groundwater depths is an indicator in determining the hydrological balance of peatlands. In normal conditions, peatlands are not prone to fire because they are able to hold and absorb water. Drainage on a large scale on peatlands causes the peat water level to drop so that the peat experiences water loss and is prone to fire. The disruption of the hydrological balance of peatlands can be seen in the wet month, when the water level is not much different from the conditions on a dry moon, which is still below the surface, causing peat to become flammable. The focus of this study was to determine the level of risk of fire vulnerability based on groundwater levels in peatlands, which was carried out restoration efforts, in the form of rewetting. This study, as a piece of early warning information on forest fires on GWL measurements of >40 cm, especially in the peatlands of Sungaitohor Village, Tebingtinggi Timur District, Kepulauan Meranti Regency, Riau Province. Groundwater level measurements were carried out directly in the field by installing 66 monitoring well points placed on different land uses (33 in unburned areas and 33 in burnt areas) during February - June 2019. The results showed that this region, in general, had a high level of risk of forest and land fires. The highest level of fire risk based on GWL >40 cm (danger category) was 99.63% in March. The high value of GWS >40 cm in this region made very susceptible to forest fires. In addition, extreme weather worsened the condition of peatlands into drought and was prone to fire.