A fire has completely destroyed around 40 acres of forest cover within the Randenigala sanctuary.The devastation has been caused to a region close to the Randenigala reservoir, according to reports.

Attempts by villagers to control the blaze have proved futile.The fire which broke out last Wednesday had raged for two days posing a threat to wild life,reports from the region said.

The cause of the blaze has still not been ascertained.