Indonesia deploys dry-ice drops to break up haze from Sumatra and Kalimantan fires

Indonesia’s BMKG has started a weather-modification program that drops dry ice from aircraft to break the atmospheric inversion that traps smoke from forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The solid carbon dioxide sublimates, rapidly cooling the air above the inversion layer and encouraging vertical air movement, which can lift the haze. Unlike conventional cloud seeding that aims to generate rain, this method targets stability to disperse pollutants when rain-producing clouds are absent.

BMKG tracks the operation’s success through visibility ranges and PM2.5 concentrations, noting gradual improvements in Palembang, South Sumatra. Officials say continued data analysis is needed to confirm the long-term impact of the dry-ice seeding. The effort reflects a novel approach to managing seasonal haze that disrupts transport and public health.