Sri Lanka, Aug. 13 -- A fire broke out yesterday evening (12) in the Dikkiyaya Pudulla Kanda Reserve, located within the Rideemaliyadda Divisional Secretariat area. By nightfall, the blaze had spread across approximately 150 acres, according to local residents.

Locals suspect that the fire may have been deliberately set by hunters who frequent the reserve to track wild animals. The fire reportedly began around 4 pm and continued to spread until it was naturally extinguished by nightfall.

The reserve is an important watershed area, home to wildlife including deer, bulls, and pigs. Environmentalists have also warned that the reserve shelters rare species unique to Sri Lanka, raising concerns over the ecological impact of the fire.

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