Local communities in Indonesia’s Muaro Jambi district, eastern Sumatra, are employing early technology warnings to get a head start on peatland fires. The region is experiencing its worst wildfire crisis in years, intensified by drought and a strong El Niño delaying the rainy season.
Peatlands, which store significant amounts of carbon, are highly susceptible to rapid fire spread. In a recent incident, a small fire quickly escalated into a major blaze that overwhelmed limited water resources. State firefighters and disaster agency staff were deployed, but the fires continued to burn across peatland areas, including within protected zones like Berbak-Sembilang National Park.
Source: Mongabay