Environmentalists, officials, trade insults over fires

The fires were reported from a number of areas including the Knuckles mountain range , Hambantota, Nuwara Eliya, Monaragala, Anuradhapura and Badulla, Disaster Management Centre (DMC) officials said.

Environmentalists claim the significant loss of animal and plant life was caused by lack of adequate action by the DMC, the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) and the Forest Department.

“The Knuckles range, which is also a World Heritage Site, is known for harbouring endemic animals that can only be found at that area. This fire is more than enough to wipe out several species from existence,” environmental researcher Gayan Wijetunga said.

He explained forest fires were caused by carelessness such as through people throwing cigarette butts onto the ground or when – mostly during the dry season – poachers and farmers set fire to the undergrowth to attract deer afterwards to newly-sprouting plants or to clear land for farming.

Endemic frogs, small mammals, lizards, snakes, tortoises and even big animals are burnt alive during such fires, which spread fast with winds.

Another environmentalist, Supun Lahiru Prakash of the Biodiversity Conservation and Research Circle, also said the DMC, DWC and the Forest Department were slow to respond to forest fires, especially when there were no houses in the area or threat to human life.

He said that when forest undergrowth disappears in fires invasive plant species take over while providing no edible food for the wildlife.

Forest fires, he added, can be a prelude to other disasters such as the drying-up of water springs and landslides.

The use of fires is forbidden in any protected reserves. Use of fire and arsonists can be penalised under the Fauna and Flora Act and the Wildlife Act, but even when villagers captured the culprits the police and the DWC did not pursue charges, Mr Prakash said.

Rangers of the Forest and Wildlife departments should be given equipment to fight fires and training to stop fires, he said.

The DWC Director of Operations, W.S.K. Pathiratna, insisted his department had assisted the Forest Department to manage the fire.

“Prevention is the best way to stop forest fires,” he added. “During hot periods we trim the savannah forests and create fire belts (removal of undergrowth to a length of five metres to prevent fire from reaching other areas). We also have to maintain that,” he said.

He said poachers were now setting fire to parks during droughts to hunt bigger animals, burning and allowing regrowth to attract more animals to the area.

Mr. Pathiratna said anyone who lit a fire in a wildlife reserve would be taken to court and could be fined Rs. 30,000-100,000 but the chances of catching culprits was difficult.

DMC spokesman Pradeep Kodippili said Air Force helicopters had to make more than 50 flights to help firefighting efforts in the Knuckles ranges, and fuel for a single trip cost Rs. 50,000.

“Officials of the three forces and the police, district DMC officials, the Forest Department and the Wildlife Department joined forces when the Knuckles fire broke out and fought it for days to stop the fire from spreading,” he said, rejecting claims that not enough effort had been made to control the conflagration.

“Environmentalists and NGOs claim that we did nothing but actually they are the ones who stay at home and just provide comments,” he retorted.

Police Superintendent Ruwan Gunasekara said Ududumbara police officials were the first to respond to the fire and alerted other police posts as well as governmental departments.

“We are still unaware whether the fire was a result of human activity. If culprits are found they will be punished under the Penal Code under the offence of Mischief by Arson,” he said.

“Investigations of forest fires are difficult but if a culprit is found legal action would be taken against,” he said.

Source : 25/09/2016 Sunday Times http://www.sundaytimes.lk/160918/news/environmentalists-officials-trade-insults-over-fires-209045.html