Forestry Minister: Weather Modification Operations to Boost Forest Fire Response in Central Kalimantan

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said weather modification operations are being stepped up to support efforts to tackle forest and land fires in various areas, including Central Kalimantan.

In a statement in Jakarta on Thursday, the minister said the operations were scheduled for 15–16 October, with aircraft set to depart from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

He said the strategy was necessary because visibility at Tjilik Riwut Airport in Palangka Raya and Iskandar Airport in Pangkalan Bun was not yet sufficient for weather modification aircraft to fly. The government has therefore arranged for flights to depart from Syamsudin Noor Airport in Banjarmasin.

In addition to weather modification operations, the government is preparing to redeploy water-bombing helicopters. The minister said six such helicopters are currently in Central Kalimantan, including at bases in Pangkalan Bun and Tjilik Riwut.

However, flight operations have been hindered by visibility falling short of the minimum threshold.

“The minimum visibility is 5,000 [metres]; they cannot fly in these conditions,” he said.