Prabowo Instructs BRIN to Develop Technology to Tackle Forest and Land Fires

President Prabowo Subianto has instructed the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) to develop and prepare various technological options to help tackle forest and land fire (karhutla) disasters.

BRIN Head Arif Satria said that President Prabowo’s directive serves as the basis for BRIN to seek and develop technology-based solutions that can be used in handling forest and land fires.

“BRIN has been asked to look for technological options that can overcome this forest and land fire disaster,” said Arif at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday, 28 August 2026.

One of the technologies that BRIN already possesses and is developing is weather modification technology. According to Arif, this technology can be utilised to help produce artificial rain in areas that need it, especially during forest and land fire conditions.

“Indeed, we already have technology for weather modification,” he said.

Arif explained that weather modification technology can be carried out using sodium chloride (NaCl) material measuring 25 microns.

“This is a very, very efficient technology for making artificial rain,” he explained.

In addition to the technology already available, BRIN will also continue to study and develop various latest technologies that are considered capable of supporting forest and land fire management efforts.

“Weather modification technology with various latest technologies, I think we can do it,” said Arif.

Besides weather modification technology, BRIN is also studying a fire extinguishing method using flour that has previously been practised in the community.

Arif said that BRIN has the task of scientifically testing various practices or technologies that develop in society. This testing is needed to determine the effectiveness of the method as well as to determine the possibility of its application on a larger scale.

“BRIN’s task is indeed to scientifically study all practices that exist in society, that have been practised, whether they are correct or not,” he said.

According to him, technologies or methods that emerge from the community are not immediately rejected, but rather need to be validated through scientific study. From the initial study results, the use of flour to help extinguish fires is considered to have a theoretical basis.

“So, technologies that emerge from the community, we try to validate. Well, it turns out that theoretically, hypothetically, yes, it is correct,” he said.