By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 22: Sarawak’s peatlands must not be allowed to dry out, as falling water levels can turn the State’s natural carbon stores into highly flammable ground.
In a news report by TVS, WWF-Malaysia Conservation director Dr Jason Hon said Sarawak’s vast 1.7 million hectares of peatland are an important environmental asset and economic resource that must be sustainably managed.
“Sarawak’s peatlands are an important asset that contributes to environmental protection and economic resources and must be managed sustainably to maintain and enhance their long-term social and economic benefits.
“In their natural state, peatlands function as carbon stores and can retain water, acting as a buffer against fires. However, when they become dry or degraded, water levels drop, and the peat becomes highly flammable,” he said in a statement today.
He said peat fires are particularly difficult to manage as they can burn beneath the surface for weeks or months, releasing large amounts of smoke and greenhouse gases.
“The recent peat fires in Sri Aman, Daro, and Kuala Baram illustrate how this can occur on a larger scale and serve as a reminder of the difficulties and high costs involved in managing fires once they break out,” he said.
To reduce peatland fire risks, Hon said long-term preventive measures are needed, including keeping water levels high and strengthening fire prevention and early warning systems.
He urged a broader approach to haze, saying climate change is bringing hotter weather and increasing the risk of prolonged dry conditions associated with El Niño, which are expected to continue until early next year, further increasing risks to both the environment and people.
“Haze needs to be viewed as a structural problem stemming from how land is managed, rather than simply an emergency that needs to be addressed during every dry season,” he said. — DayakDaily
