Vegetation fires in the peatlands of sumatra and borneo in 2008

Abstract

In this study we used Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) hotspot (i.e. active fire) detections, peatland distribution maps and an up-to-date 100 m resolution land cover map of peatland areas to investigate spatial distribution and characteristics of fire activity in Sumatra and Borneo islands in 2008. The analysis included basic fire distribution statistics between peat and non-peat areas, and a deeper land cover based analysis on the characteristics of fires in peatland areas. In total, around 20000 hotspots were registered by MODIS sensor in the islands of Sumatra and Borneo (which contain majority of the peatlands in the western part of insular Southeast Asia) in 2008. Nearly one third of the hotspots were located in peatlands that covered hardly over 10% of the study area. Fires were not only found to be more concentrated on peatland areas but fire characteristics suggested use of fire as a tool in large scale land clearance in peatland areas. This observation was supported by land cover based analysis within peatland areas that implied presence of large land clearance fires especially in the classes of degraded peat swamp forests (PSF), industrial plantations and cleared areas (i.e. areas under conversion or intensive management).