Pidurutalagala ( Sinhala : පිදුරුතලාගල , pronounced [ˌpidurutaˈlaːɡələ] , Straw Plateau Rock ), or Mount Pedro in English, is an ultra prominent peak and the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka , at 2,524 m (8,281 ft). [1] It is situated North-North-East from the town of Nuwara Eliya and is easily visible from most areas of the Central Province . Its summit is home to the central communications array of the Government of Sri Lanka and armed forces and serves as an important point in the country's radar system. The peak is currently designated as an "Ultra-high security zone", and is protected by a large military base; the peak is strictly off-limits to the general public. On 1 March 2010, a small wildfire broke out over the mountain's forest cover. The fire destroyed 3 acres (0.012 km 2 ) of forest, before being doused by the Sri Lanka Air Force and ...