Study Finds 20th‑Century Wildfire Surge in Peatlands
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- The study reports an unprecedented rise in tropical peatland wildfires during the 20th century compared to the previous two millennia, according to a paper in Global Change Biology (2026).
- Peatlands store more carbon than all world forest biomass combined, and when they burn they release large amounts of stored carbon into the atmosphere.
- Wildfire activity in tropical peatlands declined for over 1,000 years, tracking natural climate fluctuations such as drought length and severity.
- Southeast Asia and Australasia saw a dramatic increase in peatland fires in the last century, driven by drainage for agriculture, deforestation, and land conversion.
- South America and Africa showed no comparable fire increase, but the authors warn rising population and expanding agriculture could raise future risk.
- Dr. Yuwan Wang of the University of Exeter urges large‑scale peatland conservation, sustainable resource management, and ecosystem restoration to curb carbon emissions.
Why it matters: The surge in peatland fires releases massive carbon stores, accelerating atmospheric CO₂ and climate warming, while threatening the carbon‑dense ecosystems that buffer emissions. Conservation and sustainable land management could curb these emissions, benefiting climate goals and communities dependent on peatland stability.
