The Government Prepares To Prevent Peat Fires Through Weather Modification

Firefighters carried out the process of cooling the burning peatlands in Natai Baru Village, Pangkalan Bun, West Kotawaringin, Central Kalimantan, Monday (2/1/2023). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government through the Peat and Mangrove Restoration Agency (BRGM) in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has prepared efforts to prevent peatland fires through weather modification technology. "At very vulnerable locations, we are working with BNPB to carry out weather modification technology in the hope of adding water reserves through artificial rain-making," said the Head of BRGM Hartono in a hearing meeting with Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives in Jakarta, Monday. His party is committed to continuing to focus on the restoration of degraded peat due to the degraded peat restoration is one of the prevention efforts, especially peatlands that are experiencing over-drained. Revised peat fields through canal construction have potential over-drained during the dry season. Thus, the La Nina effect can be mitigated." BRGM works also with BRIN, BMKG, and BNPB. We always inform seven regional heads whose regions are prone to peat fires about the latest conditions in their region," Hartono said. Weather modification activities are not only carried out by the Indonesian government to prevent and cope with peatland fires, but every year as a form of catastrophic mitigation. In 2021, weather modification technology operations have taken place in four provinces, namely Riau, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, and Jambi with rainfall yields increasing by two to 69 percent when compared to natural rainfall. Weather modification operations are carried out by packing sodium chlorie salt into the clouds to create condensation in Cumulonimbus clouds in order to immediately reduce rain. This method could be done using aircraft or fired from the ground using rockets. Meteorology, Climatology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicts the potential threat of forest and higher ground fires entering the dry season which is expected to begin in April-May 2023, especially areas that have forest areas and peatlands in Indonesia. Based on data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (LHK), Indonesia peatland area occupies a 4th position in the world with an area reaching 13.9 million hectares.