A POTENTIALLY dangerous phenomenon has emerged amid forest and land fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, where residents reportedly discovered underground coal seams glowing red-hot as thick smoke continued to rise from the ground.
The discovery was reportedly made as residents helped extinguish the remaining fires in a forest area, only to find that repeated attempts to douse the affected ground with water failed to stop the smoke.
According to the TikTok user viralin.aja123, thick white smoke and a strong smell of sulphur continued to emerge from beneath the surface, prompting residents to investigate further.
They reportedly found exposed chunks and shallow layers of coal beneath tree roots, with parts of the coal glowing red from the heat underground.
The discovery complicated firefighting efforts, as the fire appeared to extend beyond surface vegetation and into underground coal deposits.
Unlike ordinary forest fires, underground coal fires can be difficult to detect and extinguish because the burning material lies beneath the surface, allowing combustion to continue even after visible flames have been put out.
Kalimantan, which has extensive coal reserves, contains deposits that are exposed or located close to the ground surface in some areas.
Under certain conditions, heat from surrounding fires can ignite exposed coal, potentially allowing flames to spread along underground coal seams.
Such fires can persist for weeks or even months, depending on the depth of the coal deposits, ground conditions and the availability of oxygen.
The reported discovery highlights the additional challenges faced by firefighting teams during forest and land fires, particularly when underground coal fires make it difficult to determine whether an area has been fully extinguished.
However, the precise location, date and circumstances of the reported discovery have not been independently verified.