News
Widespread forest fires a burning issue among environmentalists, conservationists
Over 400 hectares of forest have been destroyed by fire this month raising serious concerns among environmentalists.
While they warned of serious repercussions on both the biodiversity and the eco tourism industry, authorities say ignorance, inadequate funding and the inability to apprehend perpetrators were major obstacles to controlling the situation.
Of the 400 hectares gutted by these fires, 236 hectares were destroyed in the Moneragala district and 100 hectares each in the Polonnaruwa and Badulla districts respectively.
Conservator General of Forests, Anura Sathurusinghe said, “Most of the fires reported were intentional and quite often these result from hunting activities or chena cultivations, while the prevailing drought supplies the necessary fuel in the form of dried leaves etc. It takes time for us to reach these places when a fire breaks out, and therefore, it spreads. We need community support to battle these fires. Funding is our biggest problem, as we have to identify these fire zones from time to time, and clear them.”
“We are trying to purchase new equipment such as fire rakes and boots, while having to train our people to control these fires,” he said
“It is very difficult to identify the culprits, but sometimes we get tips from people nearby, but it doesn’t happen always. If caught, the perpetrator can be fined up to Rs 50,000 or be given a two to five-year sentence,” he said.
Many forest fires are triggered by train commuters whose carelessly thrown cigarettes land on dry forestry sparking off fires that spread rapidly, the Sunday Times understands.
Commenting on this Mr. Sathurusinghe said, “Kurunegala and Galgamuwa areas were prone to such fires, and we established a fire protection fence near the railway lines, which worked.”
A source from the Wildlife Conservation Dept said, “There were no fires reported from the Randenigala and Ravana Ella areas, which are usually prone to fires. This is because we created a fire belt, which is a path cut through the forest, that prevents the fire from spreading.”
She added, “Controlled, small scale forest fires are necessary, because the tender leaves that sprout after these fires, are fodder for deer and other animals that feed in the area.”
The Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka, a group of volunteers and sponsors dedicated to protecting Sri Lanka’s last remaining rainforests said, “We are concerned about the rise and intensity of forest fires throughout our country. In almost all cases, these fires are caused by human activities.”
They urged the Wildlife Dept, the Forest Dept and Police to take immediate steps to arrest poachers who start forest fires to facilitate their illegal hunting activities.
Disaster Management Ministry Deputy Director, Sarath Lal Kumara said, “These fires are causing severe consequences to the environment. Important plants, waterways are destroyed. There is an increased risk of landslides, and also have an adverse effect on weather patterns, causing droughts in the future.”
“We believe that the best way to tackle this problem is by creating awareness, as many of the offenders go undetected, while the police will not make any arrests without proof.”
He urged vacationers to be more mindful and responsible when discarding their waste.
“We have made several arrests. Recently we arrested two people in Polonnaruwa. Many of the areas that are prone to outbreaks of fire, are either sanctuaries or reserves. A person commits an offence just by entering these places,” said police media spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana.