Researchers are using controlled burns to build a stronger evidence base for peatland restoration and fire prevention programs in Indonesia.
When fire strikes Indonesia, public attention is usually focused on the thick haze, ecosystem damage and the surge of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. Yet one fundamental question is rarely asked: How accurate are the emission estimates from forest and land fires, particularly in peatland ecosystems? The answer is that a significant degree of uncertainty still exists in these calculations.
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This gap in information prompted The Nature Conservancy's Indonesia affiliate, Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN), together with the National Research and Innovation Agency and Tanjungpura University, to conduct a prescribed peatland burning experiment in Singkawang, West Kalimantan. The region was selected because it is prone to forest and land fires, particularly in peatland ecosystems, and because local communities here have a longstanding tradition of using fire to clear land for cultivation.
Our goal is to generate empirical data that can improve the accuracy of peat fire emission calculations.
Why Peat Fires Matter for Climate Change
Indonesia is home to one of the largest tropical peatland ecosystems in the world. Over thousands of years, peat soils have stored enormous amounts of carbon within water-saturated soil layers. Under natural conditions, these ecosystems serve as highly effective carbon sinks and reservoirs. However, when peatlands become degraded, dry out and eventually burn, these carbon stocks can be released into the atmosphere in large quantities in the form of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) all of which contribute to global climate change.
Forest and land fires in Indonesia frequently occur on peatlands. In 2026, for example, the Ministry of Forestry reported that approximately 50 percent of fire-affected areas were located within peatland ecosystems. This figure is significant because peat fires generally produce far greater emissions than fires on mineral soils. Not only does the vegetation burn, but the carbon-rich organic soil layers themselves are consumed by fire.
In Indonesia, peat depth, hydrological conditions, degree of degradation, vegetation type and fire history can all influence fire behavior and the amount of carbon released. As a result, the use of generalized emission factors often falls short of adequately representing actual field conditions.
Small Differences, Dramatically Different Estimates
The volume of emissions generated by forest and land fires serves as a key basis for developing Indonesia’s national greenhouse gas inventory, assessing climate targets and formulating land management policies. But the figures currently used still contain relatively high levels of uncertainty. This is because most estimates come from a combination of satellite data, emission factors and assumptions about field conditions that cannot always be directly verified.
For example, the extent of burned areas can be mapped through remote sensing technologies. However, burned area is only one component of emissions calculations. To determine how much carbon has been lost, researchers must also understand how deeply the peat has burned, the carbon content of the affected layers, moisture levels, and the completeness of the combustion process and emissions released from the peat soil. Each of these variables can differ from one location to another, even within the same landscape. Small differences can lead to dramatically different emission estimates.
The diversity of Indonesia’s peatlands further magnifies this challenge. Peat depth, hydrological conditions (or water levels), degree of degradation, vegetation type and fire history can all influence fire behavior and the amount of carbon released. As a result, the use of generalized emission factors often falls short of adequately representing actual field conditions. Consequently, uncertainty in emissions calculations remains high.
Why Emissions Uncertainty Matters
This uncertainty is not merely a technical issue. Large discrepancies in emission estimates can affect how governments plan climate change mitigation, set emission reduction targets and make decisions about how to invest in peatland restoration. The more accurate the data, the stronger the basis for decision-making available to governments and other stakeholders.
At the same time, the need for more precise data is becoming increasingly urgent. Indonesia has established a range of commitments to support low-carbon development and climate change mitigation. To achieve these goals, the government requires an emissions accounting system that is robust, transparent and scientifically credible.
Through direct field measurements, the research team seeks to better understand the relationship between peat burn depth and carbon loss, observe changes in the physical and chemical properties of soil after fire.
Controlled Burns and Invaluable Data
Amid the peatland landscape of Singkawang, researchers carried out controlled burns on three plots measuring 10-by-10 meters each. Over the course of three days, the activity was supported by Manggala Agni—the Ministry of Forestry’s specialized forest and land fire management unit—as well as the Fire-Aware Community (Masyarakat Peduli Api), a village-based volunteer group involved in fire prevention and suppression. Every stage of the process was carefully monitored to measure emissions released during the burn and to assess changes in peat soil conditions.
Through direct field measurements, the research team seeks to better understand the relationship between peat burn depth and carbon loss, observe changes in the physical and chemical properties of soil after fire, and monitor greenhouse gas emissions before, during and after burning events. Such information is invaluable for refining the emission factors from peat emissions currently used in national calculations.
More broadly, field research can help answer several questions for which data remain limited: How much do vegetation and peat layers each contribute to total emissions? How do fluctuations in groundwater levels influence carbon release? How long do fire-related greenhouse gas emissions continue after the flames have been extinguished? Answers to these questions are essential for advancing scientific understanding of tropical peat fires.
Mengaitkan Restorasi Gambut dengan Bukti Lapangan
Data yang lebih andal dapat memperkuat inventarisasi gas rumah kaca nasional, meningkatkan kualitas pelaporan iklim, dan menjadi dasar yang lebih kuat untuk restorasi gambut dan pencegahan kebakaran. Penelitian yang mengurangi ketidakpastian ilmiah pada akhirnya mendukung kebijakan yang lebih efektif di lapangan.
Untuk memperkaya dataset dan mendapatkan (data) dampak dari El-Nino, percobaan pembakaran terkendali serupa akan dilakukan pada pertengahan tahun ini.
Kebakaran gambut mungkin tidak bisa dihilangkan sepenuhnya dalam waktu dekat. Namun ketidakpastian dampaknya bisa terus dikurangi. Melalui penelitian lapangan yang ketat dan pengumpulan data empiris, Indonesia memiliki peluang membangun fondasi ilmiah yang kuat untuk memahami salah satu sumber emisi terbesar di kawasan tropis.
Pada akhirnya, pengelolaan gambut yang efektif bergantung tidak hanya pada kemampuan mencegah dan memadamkan api, tetapi juga pada pemahaman akurat tentang apa yang dilepaskan ke atmosfer saat gambut terbakar.
Tanpa data yang kuat, kebijakan iklim berjalan dengan asumsi. Dengan data yang kuat, kebijakan dapat berdasar pada bukti.
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