Pekanbaru, Riau, May 3 -- The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has started weather modification operations in Riau province to anticipate forest and land fires that occur often in the region during the dry season.

Head of the emergency division of the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) of Riau, Jim Ghafur, said here on Saturday that the operation has been on since Friday.

For the operation, one special aircraft has been deployed for Rokan Hilir district, which is one of the regions that are vulnerable to forest and land fires every year.

"The Cessna aircraft will carry out cloud seeding in potential clouds to trigger artificial rain. This is expected to wet the peatlands that are starting to dry out due to the dry sea...