World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 hr ago
Indonesia says dry ice weather operations brought rain to three provinces
Indonesia’s disaster agency says dry ice flights helped bring rain to three provinces affected by forest and land fires.
The reported rain fell in West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra, while operations were conducted in four provinces.
In Central Kalimantan, visibility improved from under 1,000 metres to 7,000 metres, according to the agency’s head, Kristomei Sianturi.
Dry ice is used to open smoke layers so sunlight can help form rain clouds, and flights using salt are then intended to encourage rainfall.
The agency says the method is effective and plans to continue using it where fires remain, especially in places that have not had rain.
Riau has been removed from the priority list, while South Papua, Central Sulawesi and East Kalimantan have been added because fires are still burning there.
More weather-modification flights are planned as Indonesia works to limit the fires and their effects.
Indonesia’s disaster agency said weather modification using dry ice helped bring rain to three provinces affected by forest and land fires.
BNPB chief Kristomei Sianturi said rain was reported in West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra.
In West Kalimantan, rain fell in 13 districts, according to the agency.
On 21 October, aircraft flew five sorties over Central Kalimantan and one over South Sumatra as part of the operations.
Sianturi said visibility in fire-affected areas had improved from below 1,000 metres to 7,000 metres.
- Who
- Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), led on the issue by Kristomei Sianturi.
- What
- The agency said weather modification operations combining dry ice with other methods helped produce rain in three provinces affected by forest and land fires.
- When
- Sianturi reported the results on 21 October 2026.
- Where
- West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra.
- Why
- The operations aim to help bring rain and address forest and land fires.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
BNPB conducted weather modification operations using salt and dry ice in several provinces, according to an update published by CNBC Indonesia.
BNPB official Berton Panjaitan said the agency would continue weather modification operations to help tackle forest and land fires.
Kristomei Sianturi said aircraft flew five sorties over Central Kalimantan and one over South Sumatra, and reported improved visibility.
- Provinces with reported rain
- West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra
- Rainfall locations
- 13 districts in West Kalimantan
- Sorties on 21 October
- Five in Central Kalimantan; one in South Sumatra
- Visibility
- Improved from below 1,000 metres to 7,000 metres
- Dry ice sorties on 19 October
- Five in Central Kalimantan; three in South Sumatra
3 sources
What people are saying
As of today alone, we flew five sorties in Central Kalimantan and one sortie in South Sumatra. So visibility has opened up; what had been below 1,000 metres is now 7,000 metres.
Of the weather modification operations we carried out in four provinces, three of them succeeded in bringing rain.