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Ella fire fuels concerns over harm to environment and tourism
View(s):By Dilushi Wijesinghe and Palitha Ariyawansa
Last week’s fire that tore through Ella Rock, destroying more than 600 acres of land, has had ripple effects on wildlife, tourism, and air quality and increased the threat of landslides.
The blaze that began on February 13 around 4 p.m. raged for two days before the authorities managed to extinguish it.
Environmentalists expressed concern over the harm caused by the fire to the 4.774-acre Ravana Ella sanctuary, which is home to around 220 bird species, as well as deer, rabbits, wild boar, porcupines, monkeys, and junglefowl.
Long term solutions needed to protect Ella
Already, the affected areas and their surroundings have witnessed soil erosion attributed to the fire, prompting the authorities to warn about the increased risk of red-hot rocks tumbling onto the Ella-Wellawaya road, endangering people and passing vehicles.
“The main issue after such fires is that the surface becomes unstable, loosening rocks. This significantly increases the risk of soil erosion, especially during the rainy season,” Badulla District Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Director Udaya Kumara said.
The disaster also had an immediate impact on tourism, a key part of Ella’s economy. Many tourists watched in anguish as the fire raged. One foreign couple, accompanied by their young child, was in tears seeing the destruction to the scenic forest reserve.
Fortunately, the firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to the Ravana Ella waterfall area, a popular tourist attraction.
Explaining the emergency response process, Mr. Kumara said, “Forest conservation and wildlife officers are the first responders. If they are unable to contain the fire, they inform us. After confirmation by the police, we coordinate with the Tri Forces and other authorities depending on the severity of the situation.”
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) assisted in firefighting efforts. However, helicopters equipped with Bambi buckets were not deployed, as confirmed by SLAF Spokesman Group Captain Eranda Geeganage.
Asked why the aerial firefighting method was not used, the DMC director said the past experience showed that helicopters were not seen to be effective. “They cost more than a million rupees per mission and sometimes take too long to arrive from Ratmalana. We have decided not to use helicopters unless they are absolutely necessary.”
The authorities suspect arson as the cause of the fire. Deputy Inspector General of Police Sujith Wedamulla said, “We believe human activity is responsible, and a large-scale operation is underway to apprehend those involved.”
Despite the scale of the fire and fears of environmental damage, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) said there was no major environmental impact detected at its Badulla monitoring station. However, the NBRO’s Environmental Studies and Services Director, Sarath Premasiri, said the absence of a detectable impact could be due to a change in wind patterns during the fire.
Calling for long-term solutions to the regular forest fires in the Ella area was Wildlife Conservation Forum secretary Nayanaka Ranwella. “Ella is one of Sri Lanka’s most valuable tourist destinations. Protecting it must be our priority. Short-term expenses pale into insignificance in comparison to the long-term value of preserving the environment,” he said.
This is not the first time Ella Rock has suffered such devastation. A similar fire in 2016 caused widespread damage. While initial estimates suggest that 600 acres burned in the recent blaze, some environmentalists believe the actual impact may be even greater.
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