Fires at The Wet Peatland

     The peatland which has wet land is not fires naturally, except in the unusual summer. It’s the same as Vietnam war, where the peatland was contaminated by chemicals and fired by napalm bomb. This fire was extinguished when it was middle in wet land.(Burning Issues 2013)

     Recently many peatland wet forest have been being changed to be industrial forest by companies. In the process, it causes peatland became drain because of the making of canals. After being drain, peatland wet forest are missing the natural disposition, as like its character in organizing water way.this problem causes the number of fire cases increase.

     Not only the below problem which can make the wet land become drain, but also excavation canals can cause it. The dryness happens in the surface and the inside of the peatland. If the fire comes from thr inside of peatland or called ground fire, so it will naturally happen without any influence of wind. This case is well known by “smoldering combustion” ( fire happens without oxygen “as influence”)

To prevent this case the companies should manage their canals well.

Source: Article by Bejo Slamet “Manajemen Hidrologi dilahan gambut”

Translated by: azharaffan21@gmail.com