Indonesia unleashes 3.2 tons of dry ice from above as wildfire smoke engulfs Southeast Asia

Indonesia has taken to the skies to tackle persistent wildfire haze, dropping more than 3.2 tons of dry ice over Palembang to clear smoke choking parts of the country and its neighbors.

"Thankfully, over the previous four days, we have achieved quite significant results, as reflected in the improvement in visibility. Visibility is usually low in the morning, but after the dry ice is dispersed, it continues to improve, reaching between 3,500 and 7,000 m by the afternoon," said Colonel Pnb Asep Wahyu Wijaya, Commander of Sri Mulyono Herlambang Air Base.

The National Disaster Management Agency-led operation has focused on the skies around Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport, where thick smoke from peatland fires has disrupted flights.

Unlike traditional cloud seeding, which encourages rainfall, the technique uses dry ice to disrupt atmospheric conditions that trap smoke near the ground, allowing the haze to disperse.

Early reports showed visibility improving from just 650 m to as much as 6,000 m. However, officials said the haze often returned by evening, while experts warned that clearing the skies would do nothing to extinguish the fires still burning below.

The aerial operation is scheduled to continue until Oct. 25.

Indonesia is battling its worst wildfire season in more than a decade, fuelled by land clearing, agricultural burning and severe dry weather. Smoke from the fires has spread across Southeast Asia, affecting neighboring countries including Malaysia and Singapore.