The Impact of Rewetting Peatland on Fire Hazard in Riau, Indonesia

Muh Taufik (), Mudrik Haikal, Marliana Tri Widyastuti, Chusnul Arif and I. Putu Santikayasa
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Muh Taufik: Department of Geophysics and Meteorology, IPB University, Jalan Meranti Wing 19 Lvl 4 Darmaga Campus, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
Mudrik Haikal: Department of Geophysics and Meteorology, IPB University, Jalan Meranti Wing 19 Lvl 4 Darmaga Campus, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
Marliana Tri Widyastuti: School of Life and Environmental Science, Sydney Institute of Agriculture, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Chusnul Arif: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Kampus IPB Darmaga, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
I. Putu Santikayasa: Department of Geophysics and Meteorology, IPB University, Jalan Meranti Wing 19 Lvl 4 Darmaga Campus, Bogor 16680, Indonesia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Rewetting peatland is an ongoing effort in Indonesia to restore the hydrological cycle and carbon balance of the ecosystem. However, quantifying the impact of rewetting on mitigating fire remains a challenge. Here, we assess the impact of large-scale rewetting on fire risks and occurrences (duration, coverage area, and the number of events) in 2015–2021. The weather research and forecasting (WRF) model was integrated with a drought–fire model to spatially quantify fire hazards in Riau, Sumatra. The results show that rewetting has resulted in decreasing the frequency of extreme events in the study area (pre- and post-rewetting, respectively, were seven and four events). Although the area influenced by extreme events reduced following rewetting by 5%, the mean duration of extreme events increased. Our findings reveal that widespread prolonged extreme fire hazards only occurred during drying El Niño events in 2015 and 2019. The findings obtained in this case study provide quantitative evidence of the reduced fire hazard resulting from peat restoration in Indonesia. Further, the findings assist in assessing the success of peatland restoration programs and improve our knowledge of the ability to monitor and forecast fire risks in tropical peatlands.

Keywords: extreme events; fire characteristics; peat restoration; tropical peatland; weather research and forecasting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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