Army personnel have been deployed to help control the forest fire that broke out in the Nonpareil Reserve in Balangoda. The fire, which has been raging for several days, is reported to have already destroyed over 1,000 acres of land. The Army, along with the Disaster Management Unit of the Ratnapura District, is engaged in firefighting efforts. Although strong winds in the area have made it difficult to fully contain the fire, it is reported that some progress has been made in bringing the blaze under control.