Peatland Fires Research Articles

Gaseous, particulate matter, carbonaceous compound, water-soluble ion, and trace metal emissions measured from 2019 peatland fires in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan

This study aimed to develop field emission factors of gaseous pollutants, PM2.5, OC/EC, water-soluble ions, and trace elements and to estimate the total gas and particulate emissions from peatland fires. This study was conducted in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, in September 2019 during the main fire episode. Gas samples were collected using the LGR-ICOS analyzer at a flow rate of 0.5 L/min. In comparison, particulate pollutant samples were collected using two Airmetrics Mini Volume Portable Air Samplers at a flow rate of 5 L/min with Quartz fiber and PTFE filters. For further analysis, quartz fiber filters were used for carbon aerosols and water-soluble inorganic ions, while PTFE filters were used for trace element analysis. The gaseous emission factors determined in this study for CO2, CO, and CH4 were 1589.5 ± 41.8 g/kg, 236.5 ± 25.7 g/kg, and 5.4 ± 1.3 g/kg, respectively. Meanwhile, the emission factors for PM2.5, OC, EC, water-soluble inorganic ions, and elements were 27.8 ± 41.8 g/kg, 18.1 ± 8.9 g/kg, 0.25 ± 0.06 g/kg, 1.7 ± 0.7 g/kg, and 62.5 ± 32.3 mg/kg, respectively. With peat burned density of 0.11 g/cm3, a burned depth of 37 cm, and a total area burned of 317,749 ha, peatland fires in Central Kalimantan in 2019 had emitted CO2, CO, PM2.5, total carbon aerosol, water-soluble ions, and elements about 34.9 ± 0.9 Tg, 5.3 ± 0.6 Tg, 0.6 ± 0.3 Tg, 0.4 ± 0.2 Tg, 36.7 ± 15.9 Gg, and 1.4 ± 0.7 Gg, respectively.

Peat fires in Brunei Darussalam: considerations for ASEAN haze cooperation and emerging regional infrastructure development

This paper sheds light on the extent of the haze problem in Brunei Darussalam and on Brunei's unique position in contributing to the haze through fires occurring in disturbed parts of its peatlands. Brunei's peatland fires, which have their roots in infrastructure development, juxtapose drastically with the drivers of peat fires in other parts of southern Southeast Asia, which are mainly due to small‐ or large‐scale agriculture development. Our discussion highlights how Brunei's status as both a small state in ASEAN and a minor producer of smoke haze has resulted in Brunei remaining at the sidelines of haze diplomacy and cooperation at the ASEAN level. Further, the paper points out a lack of attention to the role of infrastructure development on peatlands in driving fires and haze in the country and how this is also increasingly becoming an issue in neighbouring countries, where massive infrastructure projects are underway, cutting through Borneo's peatlands.

KOMUNIKASI LINGKUNGAN: UPAYA MEWUJUDKAN ARBORETUM GAMBUT SEBAGAI EKOWISATA DI KABUPATEN BENGKALIS

The Peat Arboretum is one of the PT. Pertamina RU II, Sungai Pakning which is managed by the Kampung Jawa community group. This research was motivated by the discovery of land that was saved from peatland fires around Kampung Jawa in the 2013-2015. Basically, the people of Kampung Jawa are people with low education and lack of public awareness of environmental sustainability as an edutourism area. Therefore, this research aims at how PT. Pertamina RU II Sungai Pakning through its CSR activities communicated in building community participation to realize the Marsawa Peat Arboretum as ecotourism in Bengkalis Regency. In this study using qualitative research methods with a descriptive approach. research subjects were determined based on purposive sampling technique. Data collection techniques were carried out through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation. The results of this study indicate that the environmental communication carried out by PT Pertamina in the CSR program in realizing the Peat Arboretum as ecotourism is carried out through several stages, namely assessment, planning, production and action and reflection. Of the four, community participation in realizing the Peat Arboretum as ecotourism in Bengkalis Regency has been effective, this can be seen from the voluntary community involvement in programs that lead to social change. The four stages are educational, solution and comprehensive efforts in realizing the Peat Arboretrum as Ecotourism in Bengkalis Regency.
 

Potential Analysis Of Peatland Fire In Ogan Komering Ilir District

Based on data from CIFOR (Center for International Forestry Research), there are 3 million hectares of wetlands in South Sumatra, with an area of 1.73 million hectares of peatland. Around 796,000 hectares of peatland are located in the district of Ogan Komering Ilir. Almost every year peatland fires occur in this area. Therefore, it is necessary to mitigate the disaster of peatland fires by analyzing the potential level of vulnerability to peatland fires in Ogan Komering Ilir Regency. There are five sub-districts that are sampled in this study, namely Kayuagung, Tulung Selapan, Pedamaran Timur, Pangkalan Lampan, and Pedamaran District. The parameters reviewed were based on the type of land cover, the maturity level of the peatlands, and the water level of the peat soil. In addition, the potential for peatland fires is seen from the intensity of rainfall. Because the potential for peatland fires is higher if they occur during the dry season where rainfall intensity is low or during dry months. The results showed the potential for peatland fires based on the characteristics of peatlands in Ogan Komering Ilir Regency has a moderate to high level. While the analysis is based on the intensity of rainfall, the potential for peatland fires from July to November which is a dry month with rainfall intensity < 100mm. .

Evaluasi Komunikasi Lingkungan Dalam Pengelolaan Ekosistem Gambut di Kelurahan Teluk Meranti, Pelalawan

This research was motivated by the large number of forest and peatland fires that occurred in 2019 in Teluk Meranti District. One of the causes of the Hitan and peatland fires is human factors. Lack of understanding of humans working around peatlands. This research aims to analyze the evaluation of environmental communication in managing the peat ecosystem in Meranti Bay. This study used descriptive qualitative method. Data collection techniques are carried out through interviews, observation and documentation. Data analysis techniques begin with data collection, data reduction, data presentation, ending with drawing conclusions. The results of this research indicate that the Evaluation of Environmental Communication in the management of the Peat Ecosystem in Meranti Bay has gone well. Evaluation includes research carried out, then evaluation which includes communication development, namely Focus Group Discussions, Community Responses.

ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY-BASED PEATLAND FIRE PREVENTION STRATEGIES

Peatland is a wetland ecosystem characterized by high organic matter accumulation and low decomposition rates. Rasau Jaya Tiga Village is one of the villages in the Rasau Jaya District with a soil type dominated by peat soil. Hence, the majority of its people are active in agriculture. As a form of effort to reduce the occurrence of land fires, it is necessary to conduct research on community-based peatland fire prevention strategies in the village of Rasau Jaya Tiga with a descriptive quantitative research type. The sample used was farmers in the village of Rasau Jaya Tiga with a data collection technique in the form of a community-based peatland fire prevention strategy questionnaire. The results showed that the most widely used strategy for preventing peatland fires was canal blocking or blocking canals, with 45 respondents. In comparison, the strategy for preventing land fires by pointing as many as 39 respondents, and the number of respondents with a strategy for preventing land fires using wood vinegar was 28, and as many as five respondents still use the strategy of burning the land in agricultural activities.

Reduction of Carbon Emissions from Tropical Peat Land Fire Disasters Using Weather Modification Technology

Reduction of Carbon Emissions from Tropical Peat Land Fire Disasters Using Weather Modification Technology

Morphological Characteristics and Chlorophyll Content of Dominant Weed Leaves After Peatland Fires in Oil Palm Plantation Areas

The weeds are high adaptability plants after peatland fires. The response of the dominant weeds growing after the fire is an important factor in weed control efforts to increase the yield of oil palm plantations on post-fire peatlands. The present study was conducted at the Kurao oil palm plantation, Lubuk Basung, West Sumatra, Indonesia. The weeds were collected by using the Quadrat method with random placement of 20 plots in post-fire and unburnt locations. The leaf morphological characteristics were determined by the descriptive method. While the chlorophyll content of leaves was measured by using calorimetry in the spectrophotometer. A total of 25 species and 17 families of weeds were collected in the present study. The Peperomia pellucida is the most dominant species collected with an important value index of 36.41% and follows by Ageratum conyzoides with an important value index of 28.99%. In the present study, we confirmed the differences in all aspects of the morphological characteristics of Peperomia pellucida leaves between post-fire and unburnt locations. Meanwhile, in Ageratum conyzoides leaves only show differences in several aspects. Furthermore, there were differences in the chlorophyll content of Peperomia pellucida, while Ageratum conyzoides did not show any differences in chlorophyll content.

Farmers’ Food Security in Forest and Peatland Fires Prone Areas of South Kalimantan, Indonesia

Forest and peatland fires in Indonesia affect the lives of farmers near the prone areas, and their food security is impacted. This research aimed to examine the level of food security and identify the factors influencing it in the forest and peatland fires of South Kalimantan. One hundred farmers, considered vulnerable to peatland fires, from two subdistricts, namely Gambut District and Sungai Tabuk District, were interviewed. The study employed the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) method, consisting of nine food conditions questions and logistic regression analysis. This study shows that the majority of farmers experience mild food insecurity. Land status, family size, fire rate, and land size affected the farmers’ food security. Disaster mitigation education may help reduce the impact of forest and peatland fires on farmers’ food security. Additionally, support from various stakeholders will strengthen food security efforts. Keywords: farmers, fires, food security, forest, peatland

Mitigasi Bencana Dengan Pembuatan Plang Dan Piezometer Di Desa Pasiran Kabupaten Bengkalis

Pasiran Village is a peat land area covering an area of 750.00 Ha. With the many negative impacts that will be caused by peatland fires, it is necessary to make preparedness efforts by making several evacuation route signs, fire-prone signs, and also making piezometers as a benchmark for awareness of peat water levels in the area. The method used is descriptive qualitative because it raises from the problems that occur in Pasiran Village, namely related to peatland problems and mitigation efforts. The gathering point area in Sandan Village is in Samikun Hamlet where the area is a fairly large field and is in the middle of residential areas. Burn-prone signs are installed around peatlands located adjacent to the plantations of Pasiran villagers. The piezometer made is a simple piezometer made from paralon and bamboo pipes. This effort is expected to provide benefits to the entire community of Pasiran Village.

Fire Weather Conditions in Plantation Areas in Northern Sumatra, Indonesia

Peatland fires in Indonesia tend to be more active during El Niño-related droughts, with the exception of fires in North Sumatra. As North Sumatra is located north of the equator and is affected by the winter and summer monsoons, fires tend to be more active not only during the dry main season from January to March, but also in June and August due to short-term droughts. Due to these complex fire trends, no appropriate fire-related indices have been found in North Sumatra. In this paper, 20 years of fire (hotspot (HS) data from 2003 to 2022, weather data (hourly and daily), and various satellite data were used to analyze fire weather conditions in Dumai plantation areas. Analysis results of 20 fire incidents (largest fires (HSs) of each year) showed the following fire weather conditions: high wind speeds (>19 km h−1), high temperatures (>33 °C), and low relative humidity (<50%). Based on the results of fire and weather analyses, several fire-related indices selected from various satellite-measured data were examined. Precipitable water vapor has the highest negative correlation with fires. It is hoped that this new fire index will be used for fire prevention not only Sumatra but also in other areas in Indonesia.

The Synergy of Local Government and Academia in Addressing Peatland Fires in Siak Regency with a Technology-Based Approach

This study aims to explore the synergy between the local government and academia in mitigating peatland fires in Siak Regency. In the fields of social humanities, science, and technology, this study uses an exploratory qualitative method. The study reveals the important role of the local government in disaster mitigation through regional regulations, policies, and synergy between related departments. Through the regional regulation on forest fire prevention and handling, the local government has involved the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and other supporting units in mitigation efforts. In addition, academics have also contributed by developing a technology-based peatland fire detection system. The main results of this study show that collaboration between the local government and academia is very significant in peatland fire mitigation efforts. The role of the local government through Governor's Decree No. 9 of 2020 and Regent's Decree No. 4 of 2022, as well as synergy between departments, encourages more effective steps in preventing and handling peatland fires. In addition, the contribution of academics to producing a technology-based peatland fire mitigation technology design opens up the potential for innovative and sustainable solutions. These findings have significant implications, as they highlight the importance of collaboration between the local government and academia in facing the challenges of peatland fire mitigation in Siak Regency. This synergy allows a better understanding of the problem, the development of more effective policies, and the application of advanced technology in preventing and handling peatland fires.

Building capacity for estimating fire emissions from tropical peatlands; a worked example from Indonesia

Tropical peatlands are globally significant in the terrestrial carbon cycle as they are comprised of a large forest carbon sink and a large peat carbon store—both of which can potentially be exchanged with the atmosphere on decadal time frames. Greenhouse gas emissions from fire-disturbance and development of tropical peatlands over the last few decades, and the potential for ongoing emissions, highlights the need for policy to slow or halt emissions and to activate mechanisms to sequester carbon through restoration of degraded peatlands. The UN REDD + scheme provides a means for developing countries to receive payments for avoided deforestation and forest degradation, but the steps to achieve REDD+ compliance are rigorous and the details required can be a barrier to activating benefits—especially for peatlands where repeated cycles of fire interrupt forest recovery and create a range of recovery classes. Therefore, to improve estimates of peat fire emissions and of carbon balance of tropical peatlands, the biomass and combustion factor parameters need to be developed and applied according to forest recovery stage. In this study we use published activity data from the extensive 1997 fires in the peatlands of Indonesian Borneo to detail a transparent and accountable way to estimate and report emissions from tropical peatland fires. This example for estimating and reporting emissions is provided to assist REDD+ countries to efficiently develop their capacity for improving emissions estimates from fire-impacted tropical peatlands.

Repeated fires in forested peatlands in sporadic permafrost zone in Western Canada

Wildfires play a crucial role in northern boreal peatland ecosystems, influencing the functioning of these ecosystems by affecting vegetation composition and biomass, peat accumulation patterns, and soil carbon stocks. Northern peatland ecosystems are under pressure due to climate warming and increasing anthropogenic stress. The frequency and severity of wildfires is predicted to increase in the coming years. Therefore, understanding long-term natural fire dynamics and their effect on peatland functionality will provide crucial information for peatland management and preservation policies. To investigate the long-term fire history of Western Canada and its effect on peat accumulation and vegetation succession, we analyzed macroscopic plant remains and charcoal within peat cores taken from five peatlands in the region. Records of the most recent fire events were derived from fire scars and documented fires in the study area. Regional long-term peatland fire patterns were examined by pooling together macroscopic charcoal records and calculating 100 year moving averages. All studied sites, except the northernmost one, demonstrated repeated fires throughout the past 1500 years, suggesting that fires have been an integral part of the peatland ecosystem in Western Canada. Compiled charcoal records indicated a peak in fire activity, with the highest abundance of charcoal for the period from the 1300s to the 1550s and decreasing fire activity during recent centuries. The clear and consistent post-fire increase in the abundance of Sphagnum mosses suggests a relatively rapid recovery of peatland ecosystems after burning. The regeneration pattern, where pre-fire vegetation repeatedly re-establishes, suggests that from a long-term perspective, fires do not necessarily have a negative effect on peatland functioning and peat accumulation. In conclusion, peatlands could remain as effective carbon sinks if their natural state is secured.

Edukasi Water Management kepada Masyarakat: Mencegah Kebakaran Lahan Gambut dan Pemanfaatan Lahan Gambut untuk Pertanian di Desa Kuta Padang Kabupaten Aceh Barat

Education activities on water management and peatland utilization were carried out in Kuta Padang Villages, Bubon Subdistrict, West Aceh Regency. Involving 20 participants, including village officials, this water management education emphasized the importance of peat rewetting (Rewetting) and canal closure as the main strategies in addressing degradation and the risk of peatland fires. Through the Focused Group Discussion (FGD) method, participants were taught about fluctuations in groundwater levels, the identification of canal blocking construction, and the utilization of peatlands for agriculture. The results of the activity showed an increase in community understanding of the impact of peatland ecosystem damage and its connection to land fires. Education also discussed fluctuations in groundwater levels as a crucial element in water management, providing a better understanding of groundwater dynamics in peatlands. The selection of efficient food and horticultural crops for shallow peatlands became a focus in land utilization for agriculture.

Application of Technology in Mitigation of Forest and Peatland Fires in Riau Province to Support National Security

Letak geografis, demografis, sosiologis dan historis Indonesia menjadikan wilayah Indonesia rentan terhadap bencana. Salah satunya adalah provinsi Riau yang besaran luas bahaya terdampak untuk jenis bencana kebakaran hutan dan lahan berkisar 3.481.249 Ha. Upaya penanggulangan bencana harus memanfaatkan ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi secara optimal sehingga mempermudah dan mempercepat proses penanggulangan bencana, Untuk itu penelitian ini ditujukan untuk mengetahui peran teknologi seperti teknologi modifikasi cuaca, sistem pemantau air lahan gambut, dan aplikasi Lancang Kuning dalam penanggulangan ancaman bencana karhutla. Penelitian ini dilakukan secara kualitatif dengan teknik pengumpulan data melalui wawancara kepada pihak-pihak yang terlibat. Penerapan teknologi ini terbukti berhasil menjaga langit di Provinsi Riau tetap biru. Tentunya kerjasama antar berbagai pihak baik sipil, militer, atau masyarakat turut serta dalam mensukseskan upaya mitigasi dalam mencegah ancaman kebakaran hutan dan lahan di provinsi Riau.

Pengaruh Curah Hujan dan Terjadinya Kebakaran Hutan dan Lahan Gambut di Kabupaten Tanjung Jabung Timur, Provinsi Jambi

East Tanjung Jabung Regency is one of the easternmost districts of Jambi Province and has the largest peatland area in Jambi Province. The research aims to determine the effect of rainfall and its relation to hotspots as an indicator of forest and peatland fires in East Tanjung Jabung Regency, Jambi Province. The data used in this study were sourced from NASA FIRMS for hotspots and NASA POWER for rainfall, which were analyzed descriptively and correlationally. The results of the study show that the number of annual hotspots from 2018 to 2022 is 1696, with 1075 points on peatlands and 621 others on mineral lands. The increase occurred in 2019 by 1636 points due to fire incidents that covered 5,151.02 ha. The results of the correlation analysis show that rainfall with hotspots does not have a significant correlation with a strong negative correlation coefficient, so an increase in hotspots is followed by a decrease in rainfall, and vice versa.
 Keywords: forest and land fire, hotspot, rainfall, Tanjung Jabung Timur Regency

Wildfire likelihood in Canadian treed peatlands based on remote-sensing time-series of surface conditions

While peatland fires are less common than upland fires, long periods of moisture deficit can increase fuel availability and lead to greater fire risks in peatlands. Peatland fire likelihood is crucial as these ecosystems serve as natural fire breaks under normal hydrological conditions but can easily turn into fuel sources under drought conditions. Furthermore, peatland fires have significant implications for atmospheric pollution, releasing fine particulates, carbon, and mercury emissions. Current frameworks for estimating wildfire likelihood predominantly rely on fuel-moisture indices developed for upland environments, which cannot adequately capture the hydrological and fuel-moisture conditions specific to peatlands. Additionally, common fuel-moisture indices are reliant on station-derived meteorological data, which are scarce in remote areas and therefore imprecise over large portions of sub-Arctic Canada and the boreal forest.Remote sensing data represents a proxy for near real-time surface conditions for remote locations, such as moisture and vegetation, where a time series of remotely-sensed metrics provides information about patterns and trends in local conditions over longer periods. With this in mind, we used SAR (Sentinel-1), multispectral (Sentinel-2) and human infrastructure data as a predictor of wildfire probability in treed peatlands of Canada. We developed a fire probability model based on metrics drawn from a seasonally decomposed time series of SAR backscatter and common multispectral indices of greenness, soil moisture and vegetation moisture. Sample sites were derived from an existing treed peatland map, then the Canadian Forest Service National Burned Area Composite dataset was used to identify fire events within those areas. This study presents a robust and versatile framework for training fire probability models that leverage remote sensing data and temporally-invariant ancillary predictors. Fire probability in peatland locations, given current conditions, was predicted through a model algorithm called extreme gradient boosting. To obtain fire probabilities over a four-week timeframe, the output of the binary classifier was calibrated, transforming its raw scores into more accurate probabilities. This approach showcases the effectiveness of machine learning methods in harnessing seasonally-decomposed remotely sensed time-series to improve fire prediction.The most important predictors of fire likelihood in treed peatlands were found to be multispectral moisture-related indices (Tasseled cap Wetness and Normalized Difference Moisture Index) and the distance to human infrastructure, which may indicate an overrepresentation of human-caused fires in the predictions. Using subsets of predictors, different iterations of the model demonstrate that incorporating SAR backscatter data can enhance the accuracy of fire likelihood predictions. However, models relying solely on SAR data exhibited lower performance, indicating limited applicability of SAR backscatter in treed peatlands without more advanced filtering and a correction method.The fire likelihood model presented here adds seasonally-detrended time series metrics from remote sensing observations to inform fire risk, independent from meteorological data. Such models could be implemented for a near-real time assessment of fire conditions that could complement the existing framework for fire risk predictions in Canada.

Fine and ultrafine particle emission factors and new diagnostic ratios of PAHs for peat swamp forest fires

Peatland fires are one of the major global sources of atmospheric particles. Emission factors for fine (PM1 and PM2.5) and ultrafine (PM0.1) particles and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from plants in the peat swamp forest (PSF), including Melaleuca cajuputi leaves, M. cajuputi branches, M. cajuputi bark, Lepironia articulata (Retz.) Domin, forest leaf litter and peat were measured in a laboratory combustion chamber. From these measurements, new PAH diagnostic ratios for fine and ultrafine particles were proposed for identifying the forest burning source. The new emission factors for PM were PM0.1: 0.03–0.33, PM1: 0.69–2.11 and PM2.5: 1.12–4.18 g/kg; for PM-bound PAHs, the factors were PM0.1: 5.7–166.0, PM1: 31.5–1338.9 and PM2.5: 36.3–3641.1 μg/kg. The predominant PAHs for PSF burning were Pyr, BbF, DBA (in PM0.1), Flu, DBA, BghiPe (in PM1), and BbF, DBA and BghiPe (in PM2.5). We also presented new diagnostic ratios for PSF burning, including BaP/(BaP + Chr): 0.39–0.75, BaP/(BaP + BbF): 0.21–0.47 and BaA/(BaA + Chr): 0.36–0.53. Moreover, the physical and chemical characteristics of ambient fine and ultrafine particles in the Kuan Kreng forest during the 2019 forest fire (FF) and 2021 non-forest fire (NFF) periods were investigated. The mean PM0.1, PM1 and PM2.5 concentrations during the FF period were approximately 3.5–4.4 times as high as those during the 2021 NFF period. New PAH diagnostic ratios of BaP/(BaP + BbF) versus BaP/(BaP + Chr) were able to identify PAH burning sources in PM1 and PM2.5 but were less clear for PM0.1, which was dominated by a single source – M. cajuputi. Chemical mass balance studies identified peat forest burning emissions as the main source of fine and ultrafine particles during the FF period. This study suggests that the new PAH diagnostic ratios can be used to identify the burning source for more precise source apportionment.

Prediction of Peatlands Forest Fires in Malaysia Using Machine Learning

The occurrence of fires in tropical peatlands poses significant threats to their ecosystems. An Internet of Things (IoT) system was developed to measure and collect fire risk factors in the Raja Musa Forest Reserve (RMFR) in Selangor, Malaysia, to address this issue. In this paper, neural networks with different layers were employed to predict peatland forests’ Fire Weather Index (FWI). The neural network models used two sets of input parameters, consisting of four and nine fire factors. The predicted FWI values were compared with actual values obtained from the Malaysian meteorological department. The findings revealed that the five-layer neural network outperformed others in both the four-input and nine-input models. Specifically, the nine-input neural network achieved a mean square error (MSE) of 1.116 and a correlation of 0.890, surpassing the performance of the four-input neural network with the MSE of 1.537 and the correlation of 0.852. These results hold significant research and practical implications for precise peatland fire prevention, control, and the formulation of preventive measures.