Indonesian volunteers battle Borneo peat fires releasing ancient carbon

September 7, 2026 at 04:13 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Volunteer firefighters in Indonesian Borneo have spent over a month battling wildfires that have burned 200,000 hectares of forest and farmland since early July. The fires are burning through one of the world's largest tropical peatland ecosystems, releasing ancient carbon and creating a transnational haze crisis affecting Singapore, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur.

Key Facts

Wildfires have burned 200,000 hectares of forest and farmland across Indonesian Borneo since early July.
The fires are burning through a 4.5-million-hectare tropical peatland ecosystem, one of the world's largest.
Volunteer firefighters, many from indigenous Dayak or Banjar communities, are using hand tools, carts, and portable fire pumps to fight the blazes.
Peat fires release carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane, earning them the label 'carbon bomb'.
The haze has spread across international borders to Singapore, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur.

The Firefighters

Dwi Sujatmoko, a 35-year-old volunteer firefighter, has spent more than a month breathing toxic smoke while fighting fires in Borneo. He describes the smoke as hitting the nose and burning the eyes, similar to tear gas. Thousands of volunteers, many from indigenous Dayak or Banjar groups, are battling the fires with hand tools, carts, and portable pumps. Sujatmoko warns that uncontrolled fires harm humans, animals, and plants, and underground fires can cause enormous losses.

Peatland Carbon Emissions

The fires are burning through a 4.5-million-hectare tropical peatland ecosystem, one of the world's largest. Peatlands store carbon for thousands of years because waterlogged conditions slow decomposition, according to Dr Nisa Novita of YKAN. When drained or burned, peatlands rapidly release carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane into the atmosphere. This release of greenhouse gases has led to the term 'carbon bomb' for such peatland fires.

Regional Haze Crisis

The haze from the fires has spread across international borders to Singapore, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur. Indonesia is experiencing a wildfire catastrophe amid a 'Super El Niño' that has intensified drought conditions. Thousands of active fire hotspots are spreading across the country, fuelling the region's worst haze crisis in more than a decade.