Government approves programme to prevent, control forest fires

• A total of 150 forest fires have been reported so far this year, and around 2,600 hectares of forests have been destroyed

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama   
Cabinet approval had been granted for the implementation of a programme to prevent forest fires and extinguish forest fires.   
The programme will be implemented with the support of the government and other relevant parties at the national level.   
A total of 150 forest fires have been reported so far this year, and around 2,600 hectares of forests have been destroyed, the Cabinet ministers said.   
“It was reported that forest fires are common in the Badulla, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Matale, Moneragala, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Puttalam and Ratnapura districts,” they said.   
The causes of these forest fires are man-made, especially during dry weather conditions, and they are rapidly increasing, the Ministers said.