Nearly hundred acres of the forest reserve near the St. Claire’s falls in Talawakelle have been destroyed in a fire that erupted this afternoon (10), stated the Talawakelle Police.
The fire which started near the St. Claire’s falls and spread towards the Hatton-Nuwara Eliya main road was controlled by the members of the Lindula Municipal Council.
Although there had been a risk of a Rain Tree (Mara), which had caught on fire, falling on to the road, the Municipal Council members had managed to avoid this by breaking down the tree.
Police suspect that some groups who may have set fire to the forest during the prevailing extreme dry weather climate caused the wildfire.
Meanwhile, a pasture of the Rosita Farm in Kotagala under the National Livestock Board also caught on fire this afternoon.
An official of the farm stated that fire had destroyed over 10 acres of the pasture.
Environmental organizations urge the public to inform the nearest police stations on any regarding the group who set fire to forest reserves.
