Weather Modification Operation Carried Out in Berau to Tackle Forest and Land Fires

A Weather Modification Operation (OMC) has been carried out in the airspace of Berau Regency, East Kalimantan, as part of efforts to prevent and tackle forest and land fires (Karhutla) and to address drought in the Berau area. The operation used a Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft owned by Smart Cakrawala Aviation, registered PK-SNP, which took off from Kalimarau Airport on Jalan Kalimarau, Teluk Bayur Village, Teluk Bayur District, Berau Regency. According to information from the weather modification operation post of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) for East Kalimantan, Berau Region, the aircraft took off at 20:46 WITA and landed back at 22:25 WITA, with a flight duration of approximately 99 minutes on a Berau–local area route. The OMC implementation team consisted of a pilot and co-pilot, two flight scientists, and two personnel responsible for dispersing seeding material in the form of non-iodised sodium chloride (NaCl) salt, totalling one tonne, packed in 50 sacks weighing 20 kilograms each. The weather modification operation is one of the mitigation measures to support forest and land fire prevention efforts in Berau Regency, particularly in facing weather conditions and the potential for drought that could increase the risk of forest and land fires. Through the weather modification operation, it is hoped that weather conditions will be more conducive to supporting Karhutla prevention efforts and maintaining environmental safety and sustainability in Berau Regency.