The damage is estimated on the direct monitory value of the plantation at the time of fire. Most of the forest plantations are small in size and scattered over the country. Therefore, the risk is also scattered. However, the risk of a big fire is not very high due to the small size of plantations. Almost all fires are ground fires and crown fires are very rare.
Young plantations are more vulnerable compared to old plantations.
Very few fires last longer than 24 hours and most are in the range of 3-10 hours. The agents causing natural forest fires such as dry thunderstorms or volcanic eruptions are not present in Sri Lanka. Therefore, all most all forest fires in Sri Lanka have a human origin carelessness seems to be the main cause of forest fires. Throwing cigarette butts when travelling by train or walking through forests. Burning of debris by workers who are maintaining highways and railway tracks without taking proper precautionary measures.