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As El Niño strengthens, Indonesia's hidden peat fires burn underground
Key Takeaways
- Indonesia's 2026 fire season is surging under severe drought and a strengthening El Niño.
- Peat fires smolder underground and can last months, making them hard to detect and extinguish.
- By one estimate, peat fires emit three times more fine particles, five times more sulfur dioxide, three times more organic carbon, and twice as much methane and carbon monoxide than typical tropical forest fires.
- NASA's Aqua satellite with MODIS observed active fire detections across Indonesia on September 1, 2026.
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DT Editorial Team··via sciencedaily.com