RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           CC: RAD Information Net

Day/date:  Monday, May 8, 1989

INCIDENTS

89-82 - Glen Echo - Parking Lot Collapse; Rescue

On the evening of May 5th, torrential rains in the Washington area led to
the flooding and partial collapse of a parking lot in Glen Echo park; 63
vehicles fell into the resulting gorge in the earth, and nine of these were
swept all the way into the Potomac River 400 yards away. The incident began
around 9:30 pm, when rocks, trees, mud and other debris carried down an
embankment clogged a drainage tunnel, causing flooding of the parking lot
below. The backup sent water out into the lot at a force that caused the
lot's sand and gravel surface to collapse. Two people who were attending a
dance at Glen Echo's Spanish Ballroom were caught in the flood and were
rescued by Sgt. David Duffey and Officer Willian Lovegrove of the Park
police, who waded out into the water and threw them a rope. The park was
closed throughout the weekend. (Washington Post).

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION

a) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

* Topeka Fire - Grand Canyon - 300 acres:

A prescribed fire escaped a designated burn area last Thursday and burned
about 300 additional acres before being contained on Saturday evening. A
prescribed burn team had been blacklining a 900-acre block along a powerline
road south of Grand Canyon Village since Monday and had completed 200 acres
when a Weather Service forecast for gusty winds and dry lightning was
received. The fire management officer decided that the best strategy for
terminating the blacklining was to complete another 2,100' along a ridgetop.
The burn escaped when some brush torched and gusty winds carried embers
across the road. Grand Canyon requested interagency support, and two
hotshot crews and a total of 140 people were assigned to the fire. Aerial
retardant was used extensively.

b) OTHER AGENCY

* Reservoir Fire - Coconino NF - 70 acres:

A Type II Team, 11 crews, 12 engines and two helicopters have been committed
to the fire. One unoccupied cabin has burned. The fire is now contained.

* Canoncito Fire - Santa Fe NF - 200 acres:

The fire was reported as contained on Sunday.

2) FIRE ACTIVITY - 109 fires for 1,339 acres reported over the weekend; the
year-to-date total is 18,208 fires for 422,265 acres.

3) ANALYSIS - Fire activity continues in the southwest. Nine smokejumpers
and aircraft have been prepositioned at Silver City.

4) PROGNOSIS - Continued fire activity is expected in the southwest. No
resource shortages are anticipated.

(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 1800 MDT, 5/7/89; report on Topeka Fire from
Don Forester via Rick Gale, BFM, NPS, Boise).

CALENDAR

Asterisks indicate new or revised entries:

May 7 - 10 - Regional Safety Managers Conference, San Antonio, Texas.

Sponsored by WASO Branch of Loss Control Management. Conference will be
held in conjunction with the DOI safety and occupational health seminar.
Contact Dick Wilburn, Loss Control Management, WASO (FTS 343-7015).

May 8 - 12 - Resource Threats Workshop, Rocky Mountain NP, Colorado. The
workshop will focus on the National Environmental Policy Act, but will
include other legislation that can be used to influence federal, federally-
licensed or private undertakings that potentially impact NPS resources.
Contact Frank Buono, Albright (602-638—2691) or Jake Hoogland, Environmental
Compliance, WASO (FTS 343-2163).

May 8 - 12 - North Atlantic Region Chief Rangers' Conference, Cape Cod NS,
Massachusetts.

May 8 - 12 - "Practical Approaches to Riparian Resource Management",
educational workshop, Billings Plaza Holiday Inn, Billings, Montana.
Jointly sponsored by several Federal and state land management agencies.
For further information, contact Andrea Darling at 406-652-5197.

May 18 - 20 - "High-Intensity Fire in Wildlands: Management Challenges and
Options", conference, Ramada Inn North, Tallahassee, Florida. For further
information, contact Tall Timbers Research Stations, Route 1, Box 678,
Tallahassee, FL 32312 (904-893-4153).

May 23 - 26 - "Fire Policy and Strategies in Wilderness and Parks, Past and
Future", symposium, Bozeman, Montana. Sponsored by the NPS and USPS.
Contact Paul Weingart (403-586-8625) or Jim Saveland (912-744-0252).

May 31 - June 5 - WASO/Regional Chiefs of Interpretation Workshop,
Yellowstone, Wyoming. Topics will include Servicewide interpretation and
education and Yellowstone fire interpretation for the summer of 1989.
Contact Mike Watson, Interpretation, WASO, for further information.

June 5 - 9* - wilderness Management School, Teton Valley Ranch Camp, Kelly,
Wyoming. Sponsored by the Student Conservation Association. The objective
of the school will be to "bring together wilderness managers from many
agencies with diverse experience to exchange ideas and field techniques
relevant to current issues in wilderness management." Topics will include
campsite assessment, monitoring trail conditions and water quality, managing
and monitoring special uses and managing and monitoring the wilderness
recreation experience. There will also be presentations and discussions on
wilderness management matters. Cost: $325, which covers instruction,
materials, tools, lodging and meals. A 15% tuition discount is available to
parties of three or more registering together. For more information,
contact Missi Booth Goss at 206-547-7380.

June 12 - 16 - Aviation Management Workshop, Boise, Idaho. Contact Butch
Farabee, RAD/WASO (FTS 343-4188 or 202-343-4188).

June 19 - 22 - "Cur National Grasslands", forum, Kirkwood Motor Inn,
Bismarck, North Dakota. Topics include review of historical and economic
importance of national grasslands. Keynote speaker will be Dale Robertson,
Chief, US Forest Service. Conference celebrates the 50th anniversary of
national grasslands. Contact Joe Sainas, Forest Service, 1824 N. 11th
Street, Bismark, NC 58501.

July 23 - 26* - "Meeting Global Wildland Fire Challenges", Boston,
Massachusetts. Contact National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch
Park, Quincy, MA 02269 (617-770-3000).

July 30 - August 2* - "Making Conservation Happen - Together", annual
meeting of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada. The meeting includes sessions on international soil and water
conservation issues, water quality, watershed management, wildlife
management and conservation during mining and reclamation. Contact SWCS,
7515 NE Ankeny Road, Ankeny, Iowa 50021.

(Calendar appears in each Monday's morning report. If you know of a
conference, meeting or training session with Servicewide interest and
implications, please provide the specifics to Bill Halainen in Ranger
Activities).

STAFF STATUS

Dabney in San Diego at Western region chief rangers' conference. Loach in
Taos at ARPA conference, Hodapp at resource threats workshop in Rocky
Mountain, Kreis on leave. Andy Ringgold is the acting division chief.

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone: FTS 343-4874/6039 or 202-343-4874/6039
Telefax: FTS 343-5977 or 202-343-5977
CompuServe: WASO-RANGER