Jakarta, Sept. 4 -- Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported intensive weather modification operations to contain wildfires in Jambi, involving the dispersal of 8,000 kilograms of sodium chloride (NaCl) salt into the atmosphere using helicopters.

Acting Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, Berton Panjaitan, said in Jakarta on Friday that cloud seeding was conducted through eight sorties from August 26 to Sept 2, totaling 15 hours and 32 minutes of helicopter flights.

Panjaitan explained the operations aimed to release NaCl into clouds to boost precipitation and accelerate wildfire suppression, as fires had scorched more than 1,879 hectares, mostly flammable, hard-to-reach peatland...