A viable disaster management plan must be urgently prepared to save the fragile Himalayan ecosystem from recurring forest fires. According to reports available , the devastation caused by forest firesthis year in the Garhwal Himalayas was extensive with more than 80,000 hectares of forests turned to ashes by the first week of may. In 1995, fires in the Uttar Pradesh hills had destroyed more than 3,75,000 hectares of forest wealth.