Restoring degraded peatlands in Indonesia reduced wildfire hotspots by up to 22% in restored areas during the 2019 El Niño. Indonesia’s peatland fires have repeatedly intensified during El Nino related droughts, with major fire seasons recorded in 2015, 2019 and 2023. The 2015 fires burned around 2.6 million hectares and caused billions of dollars in economic losses.
Researchers compared restored and unrestored peatlands in Sumatra and Kalimantan. They found that rewetting measures, including canal blocking and deep wells, helped reduce fire risk across nearly 4,000 square kilometres of effectively restored peatland.
Deep wells were generally more effective because pumped water could directly rewet dry peat and help fight fires. Canal blocking can also work but requires suitable locations, clusters of blocked canals and regular maintenance.
Indonesia had restored around 1.6 million hectares of peatland by 2024. Researchers say continued restoration and importantly protection of intact peatlands will be essential as climate change increases the risk of severe drought and wildfire.