Invisible Zombie Fires

The Challenge

• Peat fires can smoulder invisibly underground. They release toxic gases and large quantities of carbon into the atmosphere, which accumulate near the Earth’s surface and pose a serious risk to human well-being.
• There is limited knowledge about how these fires start, spread, and, importantly, how to put them out.
• Peatlands are found worldwide, and many are drying out due to climate change and human development. These conditions make them susceptible to fire, including previously water-logged peatlands in the Arctic.
• Research into peat fires is making it possible to identify these invisible toxic fires, predict their ignition, and ultimately extinguish them.