Jakarta, Sept. 5 -- Indonesia's Environment Ministry has assured the public of continued cloud seeding under weather modification operations in West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan to prevent and suppress wildfires, with a focus on highly combustible peatland areas.

"Weather modification operations are an important intervention in wildfire handling; they are particularly needed to help wet peatland and support ground suppression teams," said the ministry's Director of Land Fire Control, Dasrul Chaniago in a statement received here on Saturday.

According to Chaniago, such operations must proceed hand in hand with patrols, hotspot mapping, ground containment efforts, peatland wetting, water management enhancement, public involvement, co...