Forestry Ministry Conducts Weather Modification in Riau to Mitigate Forest and Land Fire Risks
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) is conducting a weather modification operation in Riau as part of efforts to suppress the potential for forest and land fires (karhutla) while also optimising weather conditions to support prevention measures.
Director of Forest Fire Control at the Ministry of Forestry, Thomas Nifinlur, confirmed in a statement from Jakarta on Thursday that the Ministry is contributing to the weather modification operation (OMC) over the next nine days, from 14 to 22 April 2026, through 14 sorties or flights to increase land humidity via watering and replenishing reservoirs and other water reserves.
Thomas explained that Riau is one of the areas prone to karhutla that has already entered the dry season earlier in February 2026. So far, the OMC in Riau has been carried out in three phases with support from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and is still in extension since the declaration of emergency alert status in Riau Province.
The Riau Provincial Government has issued Riau Governor’s Decree Number KTPS 102/11/2026 on the Determination of Emergency Alert Status for Forest and Land Fires in Riau Province for 2026, from 2 February to 30 November 2026.
Thomas stated that based on calculations of the area affected by karhutla, the Ministry of Forestry recorded a total of 55,324.2 hectares (ha) for the January-March 2026 period. The three provinces with the highest fire incident areas so far are West Kalimantan at 25,420.73 ha, Riau at 8,555.37 ha, and Riau Islands at 4,167.78 ha.
Thomas added that in response to this, karhutla control measures are being intensified, both through prevention and mitigation efforts.
OMC has been part of the innovation in permanent karhutla prevention solutions since 2015, where the paradigm in karhutla control focuses on prevention aspects alongside patrol activities, awareness-raising, campaigns and public education literacy, as well as the formation of Fire-Concerned Communities.
“Mitigation efforts are carried out through patrols and aerial operations, as well as ground firefighting operations conducted, among others, by Manggala Agni of the Ministry of Forestry together with other parties in the field,” said Thomas.