2015 severe peat fires and air pollution near the former mega rice project area in central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Authors:
Hiroshi Hayasaka and Alpon Sepriando

Book:
Proceedings of the 15th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Kuching

Keywords:
el-nino, modis, mrp, peat-fire, pm10

Documentfile:
ipc16p323-326a421hayasakasepriando.pdf

Summary:

SUMMARY

Severe air pollution due to biomass burning occurred again in Indonesia during the 2015 super El Niño. In this report, air pollution data measured at Palangkaraya, near the northern part of the Mega Rice Project (MRP) area in Kalimantan, are analyzed in conjunction with fire and precipitation data, and satellite imagery. During super (very strong) El Niño conditions in 2015, the dry season lasted about 150 days from late May to late October, with low precipitation (=1.0 mm day−1; average precipitation in dry season = 3.9 mm day−1). Forest and peat fires became active around mid August, about three months after the onset of the dry season, followed by a period of severe air…