Malaysian law strictly prohibits the burning of peatland due to the high carbon density of the soil. Research shows that Malaysian peat contains up to 70 times more carbon than mineral soils found in other regions, meaning fires do not stay on the surface but burn deep into the ground. Unlike some soils that have a natural mineral floor to stop fire spread, Malaysian peatland maintains high carbon levels even at significant depths. This creates flameless, subterranean fires that are nearly impossible to extinguish and release massive amounts of stored carbon into the atmosphere.
