The Department of Forest Conservation has issued a public warning urging people to avoid setting fires in protected areas and forests during the dry season, as such actions pose a severe threat to sensitive ecosystems, particularly in the central hills.
According to Director General Nishantha Edirisinghe, 11 wildfires have already been reported in protected areas this year, with the most affected districts being Badulla, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Matale, Ratnapura, Monaragala, and Kegalle. He further emphasized that strict legal action will be taken against anyone found responsible for deliberately starting fires.
Meanwhile, a fire broke out in the Rawana Ella Reserve in Badulla yesterday, near the popular Ella Gap viewing area. E.M.L. Udaya Kumara, Badulla District Disaster Management Assistant Director, stated that strong winds and dry conditions have made firefighting efforts difficult. Authorities suspect that the fire was deliberately started, and an investigation is underway to identify those responsible.
