Identifying Peatland Fire Detection and Spatiotemporal Distribution: Implications for Land Use and land Cover Changes in Riau Province, Indonesia

This research investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of peatland fires in Riau Province, Indonesia, from 2018 to 2023, and their impacts on land use and land cover (LULC). The study integrates hotspot data from MODIS and ESRI Global Land Cover to identify fire occurrence patterns and assess the resulting land use changes. Peak fire activity occurred in 2019, with 6,773 hotspots recorded, leading to significant land degradation. By 2023, 45.76% of peatlands had been converted to cultivated land, primarily for agricultural purposes, while forest cover declined by 46.85%. Cropland expanded by 2,010.25 km<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup>, and urbanization showed gradual growth, with built-up areas increasing. Additionally, geospatial analysis was conducted to examine the impact of fires on land use and land cover changes around the 2018-2023 hotspot buffer areas. The results indicate that approximately 84.20% of the buffer area experienced no land use change, with forests, agricultural land, and open areas remaining stable. However, 8.63% of the area underwent deforestation, as forest land was converted to agricultural use, contributing to a 4.01% increase in cultivated land, primarily from forests or open areas. Urbanization affected a small fraction of the area (0.07%), while 1.39% experienced land degradation, characterized by vegetation loss and declining soil quality. Additionally, around 1.70% of the area showed signs of recovery through natural or human-assisted reforestation efforts. This research highlights the critical necessity for comprehensive fire prevention strategies, sustainable land management practices, and restoration initiatives to address the environmental degradation of peatland ecosystems.