RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date:  Monday, May 15, 1989

INCIDENTS

89-90 - Lake Mead - Fatal Shooting by Park Rangers

On the afternoon of May 13th, two park rangers responded to the report of an
unoccupied drifting canoe in the Devil's Cove area of the park's Temple Bar
District. When they exited their boat at a nearby beach camping area, they
were confronted by a 33-year-old male with a large knife. The rangers tried
to get him to drop his knife for 15 to 20 minutes, but were unsuccessful.
As they climbed back into their boat, the man lunged at them with the knife.
The two rangers then fired on and killed the man. No further information is
available on the incident at present; a follow-up report will appear as soon
as possible. (Capt. Ed Winkle, USPP, and dispatch, LAME).

89-91 - Mount Rainier - Climbing Fatalities

Last week, L.D., 26, S.N., 27, P.D., 26, and
R.M., 33, all of the Lake Tahoe area, began an ascent of Mount
Rainier. The four men divided into two teams when they got near the top of
the peak, and L.D. and S.N. gained the summit on Thursday. On their way
down, they found R.M.'s body at the 13,700 foot level, but found no sign
of P.D. They continued their descent and alerted park rangers, who
dispatched 30 searchers and three helicopters to look for P.D. On
Saturday, the crew of an Army Chinook helicopter spotted his body at the
9,400 foot level on Carbon Glacier on the mountain's north side. A crew of
six to eight climbers were prevented from retrieving the body because of
thunderstorms which made it unsafe to fly in the area, but were to try again
yesterday. It is thought that P.D. slipped off Liberty Ridge and fell
to his death. (Mark Forbes, RAD/PNRO, and Associated Press report).

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION

a) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

* Wilderness Ridge Fire - Guadalupe Mountains:

The fire broke out in the park last Friday. Initial reports indicated that
only 12 acres had been consumed, but that winds were blowing at 50 mph and
that the acreage was growing. A squad of NPS firefighters has been assigned
to the fire, and a Type II crew and air support have been ordered. There's
no estimate of control.

* Margaret Basin Fire - Big Bend - 2,500  acres:

The fire did not grow significantly over  the weekend.  Only 500  acres  have
burned in the park.

b)  OTHER AGENCY

* West End Fire - Loxahatchee NWR - 30,000 acres:

Operations are being handled primarily by water and air, as the fire is
inaccessible by ground. There's no estimate of containment.

* Mexico #2 Fire - Coronado NF - 705 acres:

The fire has been contained.

* Camp Fire - Lincoln NF - 542 acres:

The fire's spread has slowed considerably, although a few runs were
experienced on Sunday. Containment is expected today.

2) FIRE ACTIVITY - 172 fires for 4,332 acres reported over the weekend.

3) ANALYSIS - Fire activity has moderated in the southwest and southern
areas as cooler weather and increased humidity and precipitation prevail.

4) PROGNOSIS - Favorable weather conditions forecasted for the next few days
should continue to slow activity in the south, east and southwest. No
resource shortages anticipated.

(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 1800 MDT, 5/14/89; Judi Zucker, BFM, Boise).

OFFICE NOTES

1) Here's an update on the drug testing program: Several park
superintendents have requested waivers concerning drug testing of seasonal
law enforcement rangers. Please be advised that waivers are not being
granted. All seasonal law enforcement rangers must be tested and results
received before EGD. To date, approximately 450 rangers have been tested.
Ranger Activities and Labor and Employee Relations personnel have been
working closely with the Department's drug coordination staff to work out
logistical problems in this program. The Department has over 140 collection
sites throughout the U.S., and additional sites are being added on a weekly
basis. Your suggestions on new collection sites in close proximity to the
parks is strongly encouraged. The testing site needs to be in a town or
city with a population of at least 5,000 people which contains a doctor's
office. Suggestions for other sites that don't meet the population criteria
are welcome if many folks are to be tested there at one time. Suggestions
can be made telephonically to Marsha Lee or Erin Broadbent at FTS 343-4434.
They have recently provided the regions with a complete listing of current
collection sites. For planning purposes, most negative test results are
reported back to the regions or parks within 72 hours of collection. Your
patience and recommendations on how we can further improve services is
appreciated. (Dave Matthews, Drug Testing Coordinator, DOI).

CALENDAR

Asterisks indicate new or revised entries:

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 USFS.
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 - "Our 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.

September 11 - 17* - "Managing America's Enduring Wilderness Resource",
conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sponsored in part by the National Park
Service. Contact David W. Lime, College of Forestry, 110 Green Hall,
University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108 (612-624-2250).

September 17 - 22* - Annual conference, American Water Resources
Association, Tampa, Florida. The themes will be water laws and management
and wetlands concerns and successes. Contact AWRA, 5410 Grosvenor Lane,
Bethesda, MD 20814 (301-493-8600).

(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

Kreis on SL, Hodapp on AL.

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