No forest fire situation currently in the country: Forest Conservation

The Department of Forest Conservation announced today that there have been no forest fire situations reported in the country, and claims of such occurrences are false.

N. Edirisinghe, the Conservator General of Forests, emphasised that all forest fires are man-made and urged the public to refrain from setting fires near forested areas. He noted that there is a recurring tendency for fires to ignite in grasslands and forests adjacent to forest areas during the dry season.

In 2024, a total of 437.9 hectares were consumed by these fires. The Forest Conservation Department is collaborating with relevant institutions to manage and control these incidents. This year, a small number of fires have occurred due to dry weather conditions, but they have been successfully controlled.

The districts most frequently affected by these fires include Badulla, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Matale, Ratnapura, Monaragala, and Kegalle. To date this year, four fires have been reported in the Kandy District, one in Matale District, one in Nuwara Eliya District, two in Ratnapura District, and one in Badulla District.

Recently, a fire broke out on Monday night in a pine forest plantation located in the Galaha area of the Kandy District, affecting approximately 20 acres. Fortunately, it was brought under control by yesterday morning.