Decrease in Two Natural Fires in Yakutia
Let's dive into the wildfire situation in Yakutia, straight up.
It seems that the authorities in Yakutia are putting some unconventional measures into action to combat wildfires—artificial rain induction. Aisen Nikolaev, the region's head, shared this during a live broadcast on "Russia 24." This technology was brought to the table in 2021, following a string of massive wildfires.
Since then, they've been experimenting with it, collaborating with Roshydromet and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of Russia.
Nikolaev expressed his satisfaction with the decision, stating, "I reckon this is a bloody smart move we made post-2021. Instead of fighting these infernos on a vast territory, it's far better to prevent them from sparking in the first place."
Artificial rain isn't about quelling existing infernos, but more about reducing the fire danger class and preventing brand-new blazes. According to Nikolaev, the results validation is a no-brainer—a significant drop in the number of fires compared to the three preceding years.
As of now, two aircraft—a Yak-40 "Meteo" from Roshydromet and a specialized An-26 from "Polar Airlines"—have been enlisted. Artificial rain operation kicked off as early as May, reportedly helping to prevent mid-May fire outbursts in several regions.
Nikolaev points out that the mid-May showers, which supposedly curbed the rising wave of fires in several regions, were a direct consequence of these operations. "With just two fires for such a colossal expanse as Yakutia, that's quite a lot," he noted.
Currently, two wildfires are registered in the republic, both under control and posing no threat to populated areas. There have been no new fires reported. Compare this to the same date in 2024, when Yakutia had 35 wildfires covering an area of 86,300.5 hectares.
However, it's essential to note that clear, comprehensive studies evaluating the effectiveness of artificial rain induction technology in Yakutia are not abundant in the open literature. While it's a known fire-suppression tactic in some contexts, its impact in Yakutia specifically and its year-to-year comparison remain undocumented in readily accessible sources.
The experimentation with artificial rain induction, a technology introduced in 2021 to combat wildfires, has shown promising results in reducing the number of wildfires in Yakutia. As part of this initiative, two aircraft have been enlisted, and the controlled application of artificial rain has reportedly prevented mid-May fire outbursts in several regions. Nevertheless, extensive scientific research evaluating the long-term effectiveness of this technology in Yakutia is still needed to fully understand its impact and potential benefits for environmental science, especially in addressing climate change and weather-related wildfire occurrences.
