In 1988, the region's most serious wildfire whipped through causing damages to the adjacent ecology and to an Inca monument zone still under exploration; still producing discoveries of Inca constructs. Undoubtedly, many other monuments will be discovered in the next hundred years. Use of untrained fire suppression personnel, lack of a structured firefighting plan, and use of dated firefighting technologies fighting these 1988 fires caused more damage to the ecosystem than relatively weak efforts at suppression saved. These archaeological area wildfires recur annually. It is entirely possible even more serious fires than those seen to date will cause permanent, irreversible damage to Machu Picchu and environs.

Although external and internal tourism is experiencing continuous growth, a Master Plan for Fire Protection for Machu Picchu is vital to the security of this growth and to assure the permanency and profitability of investments in tourism. The Machu Picchu International Fire Protection Project was born.