Indonesian authorities deployed aircraft to scatter dry ice over South Sumatra in an experimental attempt to disperse wildfire haze. The trial aims to lift smog from the lower atmosphere amid the country's worst fire season in a decade.
Indonesian authorities have launched an experimental weather modification trial to combat toxic haze caused by wildfires. On Thursday, aircraft scattered pellets of dry ice—solid carbon dioxide—over the city of Palembang and surrounding areas in South Sumatra province, one of the regions most severely affected by the smog.
The operation involves 1.5 tons of dry ice, according to authorities. Unlike traditional cloud seeding, which uses compounds like silver iodide to trigger rain, this method aims to physically alter the haze layer. Dudung Abdurachman, the coordinating minister for political and security affairs, stated that the dry ice is intended to "break down" haze in the lower atmosphere "so that it can rise upward."
"If this trial is successful, we will continue with other areas that are central to the haze, such as Central Kalimantan and its surroundings," Abdurachman said. He added that the trial was conducted under the direct instruction of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to help tackle the haze in South Sumatra.
Indonesia is currently experiencing its most dire wildfire season in a decade, exacerbated by an unusually strong El Niño event. According to independent forest monitoring platform Nusantara Atlas, more than one million wildfire hotspots have been recorded this year, burning almost 900,000 hectares of land. The haze has drifted across borders, causing air quality to plummet in neighboring Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
In response to the crisis:
In Central Kalimantan, the ISPU air pollution index exceeded 1,200 on Wednesday, which is four times the "hazardous" level of 300, according to environment ministry data cited by The Guardian. Tens of thousands of people have sought treatment for respiratory illness linked to the haze.
While the government hopes the dry ice will improve visibility and air quality, experts warn that the solution may be temporary. Rick McRae, an adjunct professor from the University of New South Wales’ bushfire research group, told The Guardian that the method offers "some potential for local relief that might work for a while."
"Weather systems are all moving from east to west. So if you’re in a town under that and you clear the smoke, there’s gonna be more blowing all the time," McRae said. "It’s not going to be simple and it’s not going to be a permanent fix in any way."
Public frustration has mounted over the government's response. A class action lawsuit was filed last week accusing the government of "gross negligence." Meanwhile, Indonesian police have named more than 200 individuals and nine companies as suspects in connection with the fires, which are often linked to the practice of "slash and burn" land clearing for crops such as palm oil.
The dry ice trial represents a shift in Indonesia's strategy from extinguishing fires to managing the atmospheric effects of smoke. However, experts note that dispersing haze does not address the root cause: the ongoing fires in peatlands, which can burn underground for weeks. As climate change intensifies wildfire risks, the regional nature of the haze highlights the need for cross-border cooperation and long-term land management solutions rather than temporary weather modifications.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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