Weather Modification Operations remain the government’s main tool to tackle forest and land fires

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Weather Modification Operations (OMC) remain one of the government’s flagship strategies in the prevention and management of forest and land fires (karhutla) in several high-risk areas across Indonesia. The Head of the National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB), Suharyanto, in a statement received in Jakarta on Thursday, said that in the past seven years Indonesia has not experienced large fires like those in 2019. Suharyanto explained that the government has prepared a number of strategic steps to anticipate karhutla in 2026, including strengthening cross-sector synergy among ministries/agencies, both at central and regional government levels, with the business sector and with communities. In addition, a karhutla readiness parade was held involving at least 1,000 joint personnel in Pekanbaru, Riau. The troop deployment parade and ground and air assets were led by Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs (Polkam), Djamari Chaniago, and Forestry Minister, Raja Juli Antoni. Suharyanto added that BNPB together with related ministries and agencies this year also conducted weather modification operations using the available rain-cloud potential to address potential karhutla. In this regard, Riau is one of the priority provinces for weather modification operations.