World · Vietnam Bureau
Indonesia deploys military aircraft to seed clouds amid escalating forest fire crisis
Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency has intensified cloud seeding operations using military transport aircraft to combat widespread forest fires. The intervention employs dry ice and sodium chloride dispersal during a window of favorable atmospheric conditions.
LSN Vietnam ·
Indonesian authorities have expanded cloud seeding efforts as the nation grapples with forest fires that have already triggered over 283,000 respiratory illness cases. The country's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has deployed Hercules and CN-295 military transport aircraft to conduct aerial seeding operations aimed at inducing rainfall over affected regions.
The aircraft disperse dry ice and sodium chloride into cloud formations during periods when atmospheric conditions are most conducive to precipitation. Officials anticipate favorable weather conditions will persist over several days, providing an extended operational window for the cloud seeding campaign.
Despite the severity of the fires, Indonesia's aviation infrastructure has remained largely functional, with no major airport closures reported. However, the public health toll continues to mount, with respiratory illnesses linked to smoke exposure becoming a significant concern across the region.
The cloud seeding initiative represents one of several measures being undertaken to contain the fire crisis. Regional support has also emerged, with Malaysia sending firefighting assistance to help Indonesia manage the escalating situation.
Photo: Thick smoke haze dims the sun over a residential area in Kalimantan, Indonesia, August 2026. PadukaYash via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).