When a bushfire tore through Cobrico in Victoria's southwest igniting the peat bog underneath, toxic levels of carbon monoxide caused the temporary relocation of 20% of residents and those in surrounding areas. Peatlands cover about 5% of the earth's surface and when ignited require trained and experienced firefighters to extinguish them due to the challenges of dealing with underground combustible material. Flooding is the only workable solution. The fire that tore through Cobrico, a small dairy town in Victoria's south-west, burned over 15,000 hectares of land in a peat bog. Made up of organic matter such as leaves, grass and root systems decaying over thousands of years, once ignited, peat burns similarly to briquettes; it burns at a high heat releasing smoke and unseen toxic fumes. Fine particles, water vapour, and gases including carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides are just some of the by-products of peat fires. They are a challenge to manage as they require a significant amount of water running continuously through them to extinguish effectively. If left to burn, they can burn for months or even years spreading through the organic matter up to 10m below the surface, potentially damaging prime farming land.
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