The Effects of Peat Maturity Level on Vulnerability of Fire in Terms of Burning Points

Abstract One of the technical obstacles to using peatlands for agriculture is irreversible drying, in which the peat soil experiences extreme dryness, and is unable to absorb water again, increasing the risk of fires. To address this issue, it is necessary to study the moisture content of the burning point at various peat maturity levels to prevent peat fires. There are two methods of determining the moisture content of the burning point that will be compared, namely oven drying and sun drying. The purpose of this study was to determine the best drying method in determining the moisture content of the peat's burning point and to determine the type of peat that burns the fastest. This research is preliminary research at preventing peat fires. The study was conducted on three types of peat namely Fibric, Hemic and Sapric. It lasted for 3 months, with peat samples taken from the PUNDU area in East KOTAWARINGIN Regency, Central Kalimantan. The research method was carried out by determining the absorption of peat to water, burning speed, and moisture content using the Gravimetric method. Data were analysis using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a 5% level of significance. The results showed that sun drying is preferable for determining the moisture content at the burning point of peat, as it is more accurate and natural compared to oven drying. The moisture content of the burning point of peat by oven drying was 121.26%, significantly higher than the 76.49% observed with sun drying. The burning point moisture content of Fibric (156.71%) was not significantly different from Hemic (134.15%), but higher than that of Sapric (63.23%). Fibric and Hemic peat burn faster because they are not completely decomposed compared to Sapric peat.