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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

23rd March 2016 19:51:06 Hours

Troops Doused Spreading Fire at Diagama

More than a group of 100 Army, Air Force, Police, forest rangers, civilians and environmentalists jumped into action and took necessary steps to bring a fast spreading wild fire under control in the hilly area of Diagama, Bopaththalawa to the north west of Horton’s Plains in Nuwara Eliya on Monday (21).

The fire that broke out late night on Sunday (20) was brought to the notice of 3 (V) Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) troops at Nuwara Eliya who swiftly reached the area and brought it under control by midnight, the same day. 

But the fire that has spread to the south of the Diagama farm was still continuing, prompting the Sri Lanka Air Force helicopters to spray more than 55,000 water litres while more than 80 personnel at ground level were busy containing the spread of fire. 

However, the troops and other fire fighters succeeded in bringing the entire fire under control by late evening on Monday (21) at about 5.00 p.m. 

The fire has unfortunately damaged more than 600 acres of forest area.