In brief
Liza Tambunan of the BBC flies to central Kalimantan as Indonesia grapples with its worst wildfire season in a decade. The article explains what peat is, why its fires ignite far deeper than the surface, and how they escape containment. By spotlighting local Dayak elders and forest rangers, it weaves indigenous knowledge of land stewardship into the debate on fire management. The haze choking millions of residents also spills into nearby countries, highlighting the trans‑regional impact of peat fires. This piece highlights the cultural and environmental stakes of a crisis that transcends borders.
In the smoky heart of Kalimantan
The BBC’s Liza Tambunan is on the ground in central Kalimantan, a region whose burnt earth is turning a continent gray. The tropical peatlands that once sequestered greenhouse gases are now choked by flames that can stay buried for years, releasing toxic ash across neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.
What is peat, and why is it so stubborn?
Peat is a layer of partially decomposed plant matter that builds up in waterlogged forest soils. When the climate drier and human activity dries it out, peat ignites at a shallow depth and can smolder silently underground. A smoldering peat fire can persist for months with only a shallow, radiating burn that the surface heat cannot smother.
Indigenous fire wisdom
The Dayak people of Kalimantan have a long tradition of managing forest fires through controlled burns timed with the wet season. Chief Sindu, a local elder, explains that his community uses small, deliberate fires to clear undergrowth without penetrating the peat layer. “When we light the fire in the right season, the ground remains moist and the fire stops at the surface,” he says.
Why modern policy struggles
Modern agricultural expansion—particularly oil palm plantations—has often replaced traditional fire methods with large, uncontrolled clearing fires. The resulting peat embers can travel across state borders, turning local land abuses into a trans‑regional crisis. Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment reports that peat fires currently account for about ten per cent of the country’s carbon emissions.
Community resilience and global action
In response, the Dayak council has set up surveillance drones and community fire‑watch teams that work in partnership with scientists from the University of Borneo. Their joint approach—combining age‑old fire‑clearing rituals with satellite monitoring—offers a blueprint for restoring peat and protecting indigenous livelihoods. Global donors are increasingly funding these projects, recognizing that healing the land is also healing cultural values.
As Indonesia battles the smoldering heart of its forests, the urgency of peat fire control becomes a clarion call for the planet: when a local fire becomes a global haze, the world learns that respecting land means protecting culture, communities, and the climate itself.
