Indonesia attempts for artificial rain to douse forest fires

Jakarta is set to produce artificial rain in Singkil, Bengkalis, and Siak to douse forest fires that are spreading a thick, noxious haze around southeastern Asia.

Pekanbaru: More than 40 helicopters dropped nearly 240 million litres (63 million gallons) of water and 160 tons of salt for cloud seeding as part of the firefighting efforts to expire forest fires in Indonesia, country's Disaster Mitigation Agency said on Saturday.

Indonesia has sealed off 30 companies amid a row with Malaysia over forest fires that are spreading a thick, noxious haze around southeastern Asia.

"Right now there are a lot of clouds in Riau that allow us to make artificial rain. We will produce artificial rain in three locations, Singkil, Bengkalis, and Siak and make significant rain," said Bonar Hutagaol, an expert from the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency.

The plantation companies, including a Singapore-based company and four firms affiliated with Malaysian corporate groups, are under scrutiny and waiting for decisions on possible punishment, said Sugeng Riyanto, the law enforcement director at Indonesia's Forestry and Environment Ministry.

Nearly every year, Indonesian forest fires spread health-damaging haze across the country and into neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore. The fires are often started by smallholders and plantation owners to clear land for planting.

Indonesia's Forestry and Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar told reporters on Friday that the government will prosecute a number of companies as a deterrent to setting fires.

The move came days after she disputed that the smoke was coming from Indonesia, noting that hotspots were also detected in Malaysia's Sarawak state.