JAKARTA/RIAU (Jakarta Post/ANN): A 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 during an interview.
“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. Morning Brief Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning.
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.
“In several locations, such as on Mendol Island in Pelalawan [regency], extinguishing the forest fires was difficult due to limited land access and the absence of a [water bomber] helicopter,” Jim said.
“Consequently, days of efforts to put out the fire via the overland route were not effective.” He said the weather modification operation over Siak and Pelalawan had reduced the number of hot spots from 280 on Monday to 40 on Tuesday.
The Pekanbaru station of the Meteorological, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), which is situated at Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport, reported that it had recorded no hot spots on Wednesday, saying that rain had helped put out dozens of hot spots across most of the province.
“In addition to aircraft for the weather modification operation, we have also made a request for a helicopter for water bombing and patrols to the central government through the BNPB,” Jim said.
He said the request was currently being processed and expressed hope that the water bomber helicopter could be deployed immediately to boost the effectiveness of firefighting efforts in Riau, “especially to suppress the potential for forest fires to spread” amid favorable conditions.
Coming rain
Pelalawan BPBD implementation chief Zulfan said he was grateful for the artificial rain in helping put out forest fires that had been burning for three weeks in five areas in the districts of Kuala Kampar and Teluk Meranti.
“A joint team of various agencies has doused a fire that first appeared in a peatland area in Sungai Upih village,” said Zulfan. “Although we deployed large numbers of personnel, only on Wednesday could the fire be truly extinguished with rainfall,” he said, explaining that the fire had burned through a 564-hectare swath in the two districts.
“This is the largest peatland fire across a single expanse in Pelalawan this year. We are lucky to have rain from the weather modification operation,” Zulfan said.
“Last week, the Pelalawan regency administration sent a letter to the BNPB requesting assistance for a weather modification operation in Kuala Kampar, because the fire kept spreading. Alhamdulillah [Praise be to God], the request was granted,” he added.
The BMKG’s Pekanbaru station has forecast rain over the next few days in most regions of Riau. Indragiri Hilir regency can expect light rain in the early afternoon, while Rokan Hilir, Bengkalis, Siak and Dumai can expect medium to high intensity rain from late afternoon to early morning, along with thunderstorms and strong winds.
Bibin S., forecast and information coordinator at BMKG Pekanbaru, noted there was increased rainfall potential in Riau until March. “Based on the monthly rain forecast, rainfall in March will increase compared to February,” he said. “The intensity is medium, between 150 and 300 millimeters.”
Bibin remarked that the forecast was good news amid the recent hot weather in Riau, which had led to more heat points in several regions.
“Nevertheless, the BMKG calls on the public to not clear land by burning and to increase vigilance, especially in areas with the largest number of hot spots, such as Bengkalis and Pelalawan,” he added. -- Jakarta Post / Asia News Network
