Ongoing Peat Fires in Kalimantan Demand Intense Volunteer Efforts
Since early July, extensive peatland fires in Indonesia’s Kalimantan region have destroyed more than 200,000 hectares of forest and farmland. The affected area includes one of the world’s largest tropical peat ecosystems, which stores vast amounts of ancient carbon. The peat fires emit significant levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane, earning the label of a "carbon bomb."
Thousands of volunteer firefighters, including local Dayak and Banjar community members, are combating these persistent fires. They rely on hand tools, wheelbarrows, and portable water pumps to tackle underground peat fires, which are notoriously difficult to extinguish and prone to flare-ups. Volunteer firefighter Dwi Sujatmoko shared that controlling these subsurface fires is a constant struggle; uncontrolled fires cause extensive damage to both humans and wildlife. Sujatmoko himself has been working nonstop for over a month, suffering from breathing difficulties and eye irritation due to toxic smoke exposure.
Peat Fires Amplify Cross-Border Haze and Health Impacts
The peatland blaze has intensified haze across Southeast Asia, affecting countries such as Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. Air pollution levels in some areas have reached up to 75 times the World Health Organization’s recommended limits. Indonesia’s Ministry of Health reported that between July and August, over 50,000 people required hospitalization for respiratory infections linked to forest fires, including around 12,000 children under five.
Professor Susan Page of the University of Leicester’s School of Geology and the Environment highlighted the severe threat posed by particulate matter and carbon monoxide from the fires to cardiovascular and pulmonary health. She emphasized that prolonged exposure to this polluted haze represents a major health hazard.
Dry Conditions and Land Use Practices Escalate Fire Risks
Experts link the current fire crisis to decades of land use changes in Indonesia. Large-scale deforestation, drainage of peatlands, and plantation development in Kalimantan have altered the natural hydrology, substantially increasing peat susceptibility to fire. Traditional hillside farming practices once maintained ecological balance, but modern mechanized drainage has dried out peat soils, escalating fire likelihood.
Susan Page noted that drained peatlands continue to release carbon dioxide even without burning, with fires representing an extreme form of carbon loss.
Volunteers Face Water Shortages and Physical Strain
Extinguishing peat fires requires saturating the soil to a slurry state to prevent reignition. However, water scarcity is complicating suppression efforts. Frontline firefighters face exhaustion and long separations from families amid health risks. Local residents reported that two volunteer firefighters from Central Kalimantan recently died due to deteriorating health conditions.
Firefighter Fahrin Ramadhianto described the smoke’s smell as akin to burning rotting wood, reflecting the stubborn and hazardous nature of peat fires. Despite harsh conditions, volunteers remain committed to their work, hoping for rain to alleviate drought and fire risks.
Fire Crisis Underscores Indonesia’s Environmental and Development Challenges
The persistent Kalimantan fires spotlight the ongoing tension between ecological conservation and economic development in Indonesia. Peatlands serve as vital carbon sinks and biodiversity habitats; once their wet state is compromised, fire and carbon release risks intensify.
The government and society face urgent challenges in balancing development with peatland preservation. Currently, without signs of abating fires, the resilience of volunteer firefighting efforts and the availability of water and favorable weather are crucial to containment measures. Meanwhile, regional authorities continue to focus on identifying fire sources and implementing control policies. These actions will significantly impact Indonesia’s climate commitments and have broader ramifications for global carbon emission mitigation.