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View all search resultsCloud seeding helps induce rain as Riau continues to battle wildfires
A cloud seeding operation has helped in firefighting efforts as Riau continues to battle hot spots and wildfires that have burned through at least 564 hectares across several regions over the past three weeks.
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A firefighter battles a peatland fire on July 10, 2025, amid extreme heat in Rimba Panjang, Riau. (AFP/Wahyudi)
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weather modification operation in Riau conducted by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has been deemed a success in producing rain to help battle the wildfires raging in the province.
The BNPB sent a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan on Monday to Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base in Pekanbaru for the weeklong operation, which aims to disperse 8,500 kg of table salt, or sodium chloride (NaCl), for seeding clouds to induce rain.
Jim Gafur, emergency head at the Riau Disaster Mitigation and Firefighting Agency (BPBDPK), said the single turboprop plane could carry and spread 1,000 kilograms of NaCl, during a single flight.
“As soon as it arrived in Pekanbaru on Monday, the aircraft immediately conducted a salt dispersal operation from 4:47 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. along the eastern coast of Riau, where forest fires are still raging,” Jim said on Wednesday.
“In addition to extinguishing hot spots, the weather modification operation also aims to rewetting peatlands, which are prone to fire,” he continued, adding that there were still clouds in the area to allow seeding for potential rainfall.
According to Jim, severe forest fires over the past week had razed at least three regions in Riau: Bengkalis regency, which has the highest number of hot spots to date, Pelalawan regency and Dumai city.
A joint team of personnel from the BPBD, the Indonesian Military, the National Police and the Forestry Ministry’s Manggala Agni national wildfire brigade, as well as local residents, had been unable to douse the fires completely due to dry peatland and strong winds.
