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'Unprecedented' wildfires in tropical peatlands during 20th century
https://news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-environment-science-and-economy/unprecedented-wildfires-in-tropical-peatlands-during-20th-century/Russell Parton
A new study reveals an unprecedented increase in wildfires in tropical peatlands during the 20th century.
Peatlands store vast quantities of carbon below the Earth’s surface – more than all the world’s forest biomass combined – but when they catch fire large amounts of the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere.
…
The increase in wildfires was mainly confined to the Southeast Asia and Australasian regions, where drainage for agriculture, deforestation and land conversion has left peat soils more vulnerable to ignition.
But in less accessible peatland regions across South America and Africa, there were no such increases, although lead author Dr Yuwan Wang warns these regions could experience more wildfires too as population density increases and commercial agriculture and infrastructure expands.
…
Wang, Y., T. R.Feldpausch, G. T.Swindles, et al. 2026. “Unprecedented Burning in Tropical Peatlands During the 20th Century Compared to the Previous Two Millennia.” Global Change Biology32, no. 3: e70717. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70717A new study reveals an unprecedented increase in wildfires in tropical peatlands during the 20th century.
Peatlands store vast quantities of carbon below the Earth’s surface – more than all the world’s forest biomass combined – but when they catch fire large amounts of the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere.
…
The increase in wildfires was mainly confined to the Southeast Asia and Australasian regions, where drainage for agriculture, deforestation and land conversion has left peat soils more vulnerable to ignition.
But in less accessible peatland regions across South America and Africa, there were no such increases, although lead author Dr Yuwan Wang warns these regions could experience more wildfires too as population density increases and commercial agriculture and infrastructure expands.
…