The volunteers risking their lives to defuse Indonesia's wildfire 'carbon bombs'
Summary
Volunteers in Indonesian Borneo are fighting large wildfires that have burned about 200,000 hectares of land since July. These fires are releasing massive amounts of carbon from tropical peatlands, causing air pollution and health problems across Southeast Asia.Key Facts
- Fires in Indonesian Borneo have burned around 200,000 hectares of forest and farmland.
- The fires are fueled by dry conditions linked to a "Super El Niño" weather pattern.
- Peatlands, which store large amounts of ancient carbon, are burning underground and releasing greenhouse gases.
- Tropical peatlands in this area can be more than 20 meters deep and hold thousands of tonnes of carbon per hectare.
- The released carbon includes carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane, which contribute to climate change.
- Smoke and haze from the fires have spread across multiple countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines.
- Air pollution levels have reached values up to 75 times above the World Health Organization's safe limit.
- Volunteer firefighters, many from local indigenous groups, work with basic tools to control the fires despite health risks.
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