01394pab a2200145 454500008004000000100001800040245004700058260000900105300001500114362001200129520102100141650002501162650001701187773004401204180718b2004   xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d  aKaushik, A.D.  aForest fire as a natural disaster in India  c2004  ap.475-482.  aApr-Jun  aAmong disasters, the forest fire has been emerging as the most common disaster since last decade, disturbing the bio-diversity, the ecology and environment of a region. The forests of Western Himalayas are more vulnerable to forest fire as compared to those in Eastern Himalayas. In 1995 forest fire had destroyed more than 3.75 million hectare of forest wealth in Uttaranchal alone. Of the total inventoried forest area of the country, on an average 8.92 per cent is affected by frequent fire and 44.25 per cent by occasional fire. Today, the most forest fires are the result of human neglect. The best way to control a forest fire is to prevent it from spreading by creating Fire Breaks in the shape of small clearings of ditches in the forests. Burning of forests and grasslands also add to already serious threat of global warming and pollution and may be a global source of methyl bromide, which is ozone depleting substance. In India there is as yet no proper action plan to control forest fires. - Reproduced.  aForest fires - India  aForest fires  aIndian Journal of Public Administration