Large-scale, recurrent fires have dramatically affected Indonesia’s peatlands in recent decades. Burning of peat and peat forests has had environmental impacts of concern on a regional and global scale, including high greenhouse gas emissions, acrid smoke and haze, and loss of critical carbon sinks and biodiversity. Major fires affected the Middle Mahakam peatlands in East Kalimantan during the drought years of 1982/83 and 1997/98, and minor fires have occurred on an annual basis. These fires arose from widespread community burning for livelihood activities in the peatlands.
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