Description
Riau's Recurring Forest and Land Fires, Experts Emphasize Key Peatland Water Management and Community Role
Forest and land fires (karhutla) in Riau are once again a serious threat every dry season. The recurring pattern of fires, particularly on peatlands, demonstrates that this issue has not been fully addressed, both ecologically and in terms of management.
Prof. Haris Gunawan, Senior Researcher at the Center for Excellence in Science and Technology (PUI) for Disaster and Peatland at the University of Riau, emphasized that forest and land fires in Riau are inextricably linked to the destruction of the peat ecosystem, particularly its hydrological system.
"Peatland is highly dependent on water. When the water is lost, the land cover is damaged, and the peat is degraded, the risk of fire becomes very high," said Haris.
Haris explained that a peat ecosystem safe from fire must be ecologically intact, meaning an undisturbed ecology, where all its components remain intact. There are three main interrelated elements: water, vegetation cover, and the peat itself.
If these three elements are damaged, peat fires become difficult to control. The fires not only burn on the surface but also spread underground (smouldering), requiring a long time and significant resources to extinguish.