<![CDATA[Peatland fires are a recurring environmental and public health problem in many regions of Indonesia, particularly in areas characterized by extensive peat soils that are highly vulnerable to degradation during the dry season. This community service program aimed to improve community knowledge, awareness, and active participation, particularly among housewives, in preventing peatland fires through a community-based educational approach. The activity was conducted in Belanti Village, one of the peatland fire-prone areas in South Sumatra Province. A total of 46 participants, consisting of housewives, were involved in the program. The methods employed included interactive counseling sessions using PowerPoint presentations and educational posters also group discussions. Community knowledge improvement was evaluated using pretest and posttest questionnaires. The analysis used the Paired Sample T-Test showed a p-value of 0.000, indicating a significant difference in participant’s knowledge levels before and after the educational intervention. Furthermore, the average knowledge score increased from 26.5 before the intervention to 71.7 after the intervention. These findings demonstrate that community-based education, particularly by involving groups of housewives, is effective in strengthening preparedness and mitigation efforts against peatland fires. This program is expected to serve as a sustainable community engagement model in supporting peatland fire prevention and protecting public health.]]>
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