After the Filter of Haze

This photo was taken in my flight from Jakarta to Sumatra, where my research group Imperial Hazelab conducted a field campaign studying smouldering peat fires. In this photo, the magnificent landscape was obscured by thick smoke and haze from burning peatland. In densely populated areas such as the place we visited in Indonesia, haze crisis can devour homes and businesses and claim lives. Peatlands store massive amounts of carbon and play a significant role in earth’s ecosystem. But global warming and changes in land use put peatlands in high fire risks. Studying peatland fires is an emerging topic in climate change.