Fire in the Knuckles Range of Sri Lanka fully under control
Fire in the Knuckles Range of Sri Lanka fully under control
27 June 2011
published by www.colombopage.com
USA — Sri Lanka Forest Conservation Department says that the fire that erupted in the Knuckles Forest Range in the Central hills has been completely extinguished.
The fire erupted on Saturday night has destroyed flora and fauna in 50 acres, the Department said.
The officials fought 14 hours to extinguish the fire that was spreading fast due to dry weather conditions, a spokesman for the Forest Conservation Department said.
The difficulty in access to the origin of the fire contributed to the delay in extinguishing it.
Sri Lanka Air Force helicopters, around 75 Army personnel, police, the officers of the Forest Conservation Department and the residents of the Knuckles Range joined in the effort to extinguish the fire.
Police investigations are underway to ascertain the cause of the fire.
The Knuckles Forest range is of significance as it was added as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO last year. It covers parts of Kandy and Matale districts and is home to almost one-third of the island’s flowering plant species.
