Lampung BPBD: Weather Modification Operation from 26-30 August to tackle forest fires and drought
The Head of the Lampung Provincial Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Rudy Sjawal Sugiarto, stated that the Weather Modification Operation (OMC) is being carried out from 26 to 30 August to tackle forest and land fires (karhutla) as well as drought.
“The Weather Modification Operation in Lampung will be maximised over the coming days to increase water coverage in the Lampung region,” said Rudy Sjawal Sugiarto in Bandarlampung on Thursday.
He said that during the Weather Modification Operation on 26-30 August, the focus will be on handling forest and land fires, particularly in the Way Kambas National Park (TNWK) area in East Lampung Regency.
The operation will also be directed at areas experiencing drought, including agricultural regions that serve as food production centres.
“Up until 30 August, or approximately five more days, we can maximise this to increase water coverage in Lampung Province, especially in reservoirs where several reports have indicated they are already experiencing drought, and in agricultural areas that serve as food production centres,” he said.
He explained that the Weather Modification Operation is a follow-up to a request from the Governor of Lampung to BNPB through Letter Number 300.2.1/2507/VI.08/2026 dated 24 July 2026.
“The Weather Modification Operation is a supporting measure for the ongoing firefighting efforts, both through ground firefighting and water bombing. The hope is that rain can help wet the areas in need, thereby supporting the firefighting process and reducing the potential for new hotspots to emerge,” he said.
According to him, in addition to the Weather Modification Operation, the Lampung Provincial Government has also prepared water bombing operations to extinguish detected hotspots. To support aerial firefighting, two BNPB-assisted helicopters have arrived in Lampung since Tuesday (25/8). The two aircraft consist of an AS350B3e helicopter registered PK-DAP and a Sikorsky UH-60A helicopter registered N360UH.
Both aircraft are on standby to carry out water bombing on detected fire hotspots, with priority handling in the TNWK area. Meanwhile, for the first sortie of the Weather Modification Operation, the aircraft was directed to the East Lampung area and parts of South Lampung.
Based on BMKG satellite imagery monitoring, there are a number of hotspots with moderate to high intensity levels in the area.
For the afternoon to evening period, BMKG is monitoring the potential for cloud growth in the West Lampung, Tanggamus, Central Lampung, and North Lampung areas. The determination of seeding locations will continue to be adjusted based on cloud development and the presence of hotspots.
Furthermore, current atmospheric conditions mean that rain cloud growth is relatively limited, therefore seeding is carried out by utilising clouds that grow naturally and have the potential to produce rain.
“Indeed, given the current circulation conditions, it is very difficult to find clouds with the potential to produce rain. As long as there is potential for reasonably good cloud formation and the area has hotspots, we will seed it as much as possible to wet the area,” he explained.