Indonesia’s peatland fires surge during rainy season, signaling alarming shift in fire patterns

More than 5,000 fire hotspots blazed across Indonesia’s carbon-rich peatlands in January, marking a troubling departure from typical fire seasons. The alarming figure comes despite Indonesia experiencing an intense rainy season that caused massive flooding in Sumatra just months earlier.

Independent monitoring group Pantau Gambut recorded 5,490 hotspots within the country’s peatland ecosystems—ancient, waterlogged landscapes that function as massive carbon storage vaults. Government data also showed a sharp increase, with NASA satellite imagery revealing 110 fire hotspots nationwide in January 2026, compared to just 29 the previous January and 18 in December.

The surge is particularly concerning because peat fires traditionally occur during dry seasons, not during heavy rains. “Fire risk in peat landscapes is no longer confined to the traditional dry season, but increasingly driven by degraded hydrology and land-use pressures,” explained Pantau Gambut campaigner Putra Saptian. This shift suggests Indonesia’s fire patterns are fundamentally changing.

The root of the problem lies in decades of peatland destruction. Logging and plantation companies have drained these naturally waterlogged ecosystems by digging extensive canal networks, preparing the land for cultivation. This process transforms the deep layers of partially decomposed vegetation—which can extend several meters underground—into highly flammable organic matter. Nearly 1,800 of January’s hotspots occurred within company concessions, highlighting the direct link between industrial land use and fire risk. These fires release enormous amounts of stored carbon dioxide, contributing significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions.