RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date:  Monday, June 12, 1989

INCIDENTS

89-124 - Yellowstone - Takeover of Old Faithful Visitor Center

Just after 3 p.m. on the afternoon of Friday, June 9th, 18-year-old B.H.
of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, walked into the visitor center at Old
Faithful, drew out a .30 caliber Ruger revolver, and ordered everyone inside
to lie down. Women and children in the building were released within a few
minutes, but B.H. held eight hostages for the next three hours. The
hostages included an employee of the Yellowstone Natural History
Association, two seasonal interpretive rangers and five male visitors. Park
rangers responded, cordoned off the area and employed rangers trained in
hostage negotiation to talk with B.H. via phone. Ranger Joe Evans served
is incident commander. Ranger Bundy Phillips conducted telephone
negotiations with B.H., who had his gun trained on the hostages much of
the time. Although B.H. was calm while on the phone, a check with the
Baton Rouge sheriff's office revealed that he was listed as a missing person
who was suicidal and had threatened to take someone with him when he went.
At 6 p.m., B.H. suddenly told everyone to leave, and the hostages quickly
left the building. At 8 p.m., he put his gun down and walked out of the
visitor center. B.H. was taken into custody and transported to Jackson,
Wyoming, where he will undergo a psychiatric examination. B.H. told
rangers that he had planned the incident, and that he had intended to carry
it off at either Grand Canyon or Yellowstone. (John Chapman, RCR, RAD/RMRO,
via phone report to RAD/WASO; supplemental information from 6/10 Associated
Press story).

89-125 - Joshua Tree - Arson

On the night of June 9th, a wildland fire was started by two military white
phosphorous incendiary grenades near Keys View. Because of quick response
by park, BLM and California Division of Forestry engine crews, the fire was
limited to two acres. This was the second arson fire in four days in the
monument. The park is conducting a joint investigation into the fires with
the Marine Corps' Criminal Investigation Division and the Naval Intelligence
Service. The fire at Keys View is thought to be related to an attempted
burglary of a pipe safe at that location. Attempts were made to shoot the
lock off the safe, and interpretive signs, trash cans and pamphlet boxes
were also shot full of holes. Over 100 rounds of expended brass were found
in the area. (Paul Henry, CR, JOTR, via faxed message to RAD/WASO).

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION (Planning Level II)

a) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

* Bear Fire - Carlsbad Caverns - 500 acres:

The fire, which was started by lightning, is burning in steep canyon
terrain. Dry fuels and gusty winds are hampering suppression efforts.
About 180 firefighters from the NPS, BLM, USFS and BIA have been assigned to
the fire; three helicopters and two air tankers are also being employed.
The park has suspended all backcountry use, but the caverns and associated
facilities remain open. Estimated containment: 6/12.

* Unnamed Fire - El Malpais - 1,493 acres:

The fire is burning in very rough lava terrain, which is making line
construction difficult. Estimated containment: 6/13.

b) OTHER AGENCY

* Long Fire - Gila NF - 200 acres:

A Type I team has been committed. The fire is burning in 30-year-old
logging slash and is a threat to high value timber. Spotting is a potential
problem. Estimated containment: 6/12.

* Spring Fire - Lincoln NF - 100 acres:

The fire was started by a burning building, and is now burning in steep
terrain. Dry fuels and low relative humidities are causing control
problems. Estimated containment: 6/13.

2) FIRE ACTIVITY - 69 fires for 1,242 acres in last 24 hours.

3) ANALYSIS - Thunderstorm activity throughout the southwest continues to
produce new ignitions. The majority of the new starts are being caught on
initial attack. Local resources are being heavily committed in the
southwest. Two Type I crews and a Convair 580 are still committed to the
Nelson Fire in British Columbia.

4) PROGNOSIS - New starts as well as holdover fires are expected to continue
to surface due to predicted lower humidities and dry lightning.

(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530 MDT, 6/12/89; supplemental information on
Bear Fire from 6/10 Associated Press story).

CALENDAR

Asterisks indicate new or revised entries:

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, ND 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).

October 22 - 27 - Rendezvous XIII, joint meeting, Association of National
Park Rangers and Employee and Alumni Association, Arlington Resort Hotel and
Spa, Hot Springs, Arkansas.

November 5 - 10 - "Homespun to High Tech: Interpreting for Urban Audiences",
workshop. National Association of Interpretation, St. Paul/Minneapolis,
Minnesota. Contact NAI, PO Box 1892, Fort Collins, CO 80522 (303-491-6434)

(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

Farabee at aviation management course in Boise.

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