Only the tip of the iceberg is visible. The same goes for peat wildfires.
Peat burns particularly well thanks to its high organic content, emitting one hundred times more CO2 than forest fires each year.
Researchers have examined how the process of suppressing a blaze can be shortened under the earth, substantially reducing the millions or billions of liters of water required to douse the flames.
In tests they added a plant-based agent of anionic and non-ionic surfactants, reducing the surface tension of the water.
This water entered the soil quicker, ultimately lowering the pump flow rate by 63% and suppression time by 26%.
Less energy for pumps, and up to 50% water is saved per hectare. Cool.
