Mitigating Wildfires in West Papua, BNPB Conducting Weather Modification

Manokwari: The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) is conducting weather modification operations in West Papua Province to address haze and help manage forest and land fires.

West Papua Governor Dominggus Mandacan said on Wednesday that weather modification operations would commence once an aircraft carrying eight tons of salt had landed successfully.

"The plane carrying the salt logistics arrived at Rendani Airport in Manokwari this morning, so the weather modification operations will begin today," he confirmed.

The operation is prioritizing three districts: Fakfak, Teluk Bintuni, and Kaimana. However, he said the operations could also be extended to Manokwari and its surrounding areas.

According to Dominggus, the weather modification operations are expected to mitigate the risk of forest and land fires and haze in West Papua, which can disrupt aviation and public mobility.

Weather modification was considered an effective solution after ground-based firefighting faced several challenges, including limited personnel and difficult access to fire sites.

"We currently have four tons of salt available. Each operation can carry one ton, allowing us to conduct four flights. We hope this effort will deliver the best results," the governor remarked.

Meanwhile, weather modification coordinator Fais Ramadhan said they had prepared eight tons of salt, with the amount used in each operation depending on the availability of cumulus clouds.

His team continued to coordinate with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to ensure the operation using a Smart Aviation Cessna Caravan achieved the expected results.

"The operation is scheduled to conclude on October 15, 2026. Any extension will depend on further instructions from the BNPB. The cloud-seeding activities are being carried out based on recommendations from the BMKG," Fais noted.

As of October 13, 2026, the BMKG recorded 73 hotspots in West Papua: 68 moderate, 4 high, and 1 low.