Deputy Minister of Tourism Dr. Ruwan Ranasinghe has issued a statement regarding the firefighting operations in the area around Ella Rock, expressing concern over false information being spread on the matter.

He charged that various media outlets are spreading false information regarding the firefighting in the area around Ella Rock in the Ella tourist area, a world-famous tourist destination.

The statement states that the defence sector is of the opinion that the previous attempts to extinguish the fire in the mountainous area by helicopters on various occasions were unsuccessful due to the high wind conditions in the area and that it was decided to decide on the correct action to be taken to extinguish the fire that broke out at the meeting held on 14 February between the Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha and the Commanding Officer of the Diyatalawa Air Force Base. Accordingly, the fire extinguishing operation was launched. 

On 15 February, the Assistant Director of the Badulla District Disaster Management Centre, A.L.M. Udaya Kumara said that the forest fire that broke out in the Ella Rock mountain range, a highly sensitive area within the Ravana Ella forest reserve, has now been brought under control.