Early Dry Season: Government Prepares 35 Weather Modification Operations to Prevent Forest Fires

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Forestry, Rohmat Marzuki, has announced that preparations are underway to mitigate forest and land fires (karhutla), including approximately 35 weather modification operations (OMC) scheduled throughout the year owing to the potential threat of an early El Niño.

Speaking following the 43rd Forestry Day ceremony in Jakarta on Monday, Deputy Minister Rohmat Marzuki explained that in response to the potential earlier dry season, the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) is collaborating with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), and private sector partners to conduct land moistening through weather modification operations.

“The budget for OMC operations is substantial and must be carried out consistently. We have established a timeline whereby we require no fewer than 35 OMC operations throughout this year,” stated Deputy Minister Rohmat Marzuki.

The BMKG has also issued warnings regarding El Niño, which was previously forecast to occur in 2027 but is now anticipated to materialise between mid-2025 and 2026 with weak to moderate intensity.

Regarding funding, the Deputy Minister explained that OMC operations will be conducted through collaboration with BNPB, with involvement from the private sector, particularly holders of forest utilisation business permits (PBPH).

OMC operations are conducted across provincial administrative areas, particularly those historically vulnerable to forest fires.

“One provincial administrative area with focal points on districts and cities where massive forest fires have occurred,” said the Director-General of the Ministry of Forestry’s Legal and Governance Division, Dwi Januanto Nugroho.