- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, June 21, 1989
- Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1989
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Wednesday, June 21, 1989
INCIDENTS
89-142 - Sequoia/Kings Canyon - Search
While hiking to Moose Lake on the morning of Sunday, June 18th, actress J.F.
became separated from her party. When she did not show up either at
Moose Lake or at the group's base camp at Pear Lake that night, a companion
hiked out and reported her as a lost person to park rangers around midnight.
A helicopter flew a search over the Pear Lake and Moose Lake area on Monday
morning and found J.F. unhurt. She apparently took a wrong turn while
hiking and lost her way. She wrapped up in an insulated blanket and waited
for help to arrive. J.F. was reunited with her friends at their base camp,
and the group hiked out together. (Doug Morris, CR, SEKI, via CompuServe
message from RAD/WRO).
89-143 - Kalaupapa - Air Crash with Fatalities
On the afternoon of June 19th, a rented, two-seat, single-engine Grumman
aircraft with two persons on board crashed 100 yards from the Mau Kai
airport while attempting an emergency landing. The pilot had radioed a May
Day prior to the accident. The crash was witnessed by an administrative
clerk at the park, who contacted the FAA. The Coast Guard responded and
recovered the two victims, whose names have not been made available. (Al
Baldwin, KALA, via CompuServe message from RAD/WRO).
89-144 - Mount Rainier - Visitor Fatality
On the morning of the 19th, a passing motorist spotted a vehicle over an
embankment a half mile above Cayuse Pass and about 400' below State Road
410. The driver, 60-year-old L.N., had been killed in the accident.
The incident is currently under investigation. It has already been
determined that there was an outstanding felony warrant against L.N. and that
the incident may have been a suicide. (CompuServe message from RAD/PNRO).
89-145 - Santa Monica Mountains - Toxic Spill
Park rangers discovered a 10' by 10' grassy, discolored area and several
five-gallon cans of PCP precursors in Encinal Canyon on the 20th. The
national spill response center has been notified, Los Angeles hazardous
materials crews are working to identify the materials, and the State of
California will assist in clean-up operations. The spill is located near
the spot where another clandestine drug lab was found on June 2nd (see
morning report, 6/5/89). (Ernie Quintana, CR, SAO, via CompuServe report
from RAD/WRO).
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION (Planning Level II)
a) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
* DOF #457 Fire - State of Florida/Everglades (Florida) - 43,700 acres
(yesterday - 42,000 acres):
Although the fire has moved past the Shark Valley tower, the fire has gained
little ground over the past 36 hours. A rain shower on the west side of the
fire dropped a substantial amount of precipitation on the 19th, and light
rains fell on most of the remainder of the fire yesterday afternoon. The
head of the fire is eight miles from the Miccosukee reservation, but burning
slowly; unless there's a blow-up, the fire should not reach the reservation.
Most suppression action focused on the southeast part of the fire yesterday,
as it was the principal area of fire activity. Two tankers were being
employed to make water drops there. Where active, the fire continues to be
characterized by long burning periods (about 14 hours) and extreme fire
behavior. Meteorologists report, however, that the thunderstorm pattern
which predominates over southern Florida during the summer is beginning to
build up, and precipitation should be occurring on a regular basis. Big
Cypress received between an inch and an inch and a half of rain over 70% of
the park on Monday. Its been confirmed that this fire, along with several
other fires in Everglades which were knocked down by initial attack, were
all started by arsonists. Of the total acreage burned so far, 28,000 acres
are on state land and 14,000 acres are within the Everglades.
b) OTHER AGENCY
* Meason Fire - Gila NF (New Mexico) - 940 acres:
A Type I team is managing the fire. The fire is now 80% contained.
Estimated containment: 6/21.
* Shelley Fire - Gila NF (New Mexico) - 1,524 acres:
The large acreage increase on this fire (up from 200 acres yesterday)
occurred due to back-firing. There's no estimate of containment.
* Douglas Creek Fire - Craig District, BLM (Colorado) - 375 acres:
There's no new information on this fire, and no estimate of containment.
* Joshua Fire - San Bernadino Resource Unit (California) - 1,100 acres:
The fire is burning outside and away from Joshua Tree National Monument.
There was a threat to structures in the city of Joshua Tree yesterday, which
led to the evacuation of some residents. The threat has since subsided, and
containment is expected today.
* Yucca Valley Fire - San Bernadino Resource Unit (California) - 600 acres:
The fire spread has been moderate to heavy. NO estimate of containment.
2) FIRE ACTIVTTy - 114 fires for 31,911 acres in last 24 hours.
3) ANALYSIS - Dry lightning in the southwest and Colorado continues to
produce new ignitions, some of which are escaping initial attack. Fire
activity continues in southern Florida despite scattered rain showers.
4) PROGNOSIS - No relief from current conditions in the southwest or Florida
is expected.
5) NOTES - The Service's Wildland Fire Situation Report has been completed
for the period from June 8th to the 18th:
- Fire Danger:
ARO Low
MAR Low
MWR Low-High Very High: Scotts Bluff NE, Indiana Dunes IN
NCR Low
NAR Low
PNR Low-Mod
RMR Low-High Very High: Bryce Canyon UT, Zion UT
SER Mod-High Very High: Everglades FL
SWR Mod-High Extreme: numerous areas in AZ, NM, and TX
WRO Low-High Extreme: Chiricahua AZ, Grand Canyon AZ,
Pinnacles CA, Saguaro AZ
Very High: Lava Beds CA
- Wildfire Occurrence:
Region Park # Fires # Acres
Midwest Indiana Dunes IN 1 0.2
Pacific NW Craters of Moon ID 1 3
Rocky Mtn Dinosaur CO 2 0.2
Mesa Verde CO 12 1
Rocky Mtn CO 1 0.1
Yellowstone WY 1 0.1
Southeast Everglades FL 2 14,020
Southwest Carlsbad Caverns NM 8 716
El Malpais NM 1 14,000
Guadalupe Mtns TX 1 1
Padre Island TX 1 10
Western Channel Islands CA 1 20
Grand Canyon AZ 2 2
Joshua Tree CA 1 2
Yosemite CA 4 0.6
---- ----
Total 39 28,776.2
- Prescribed Natural Fire Occurrence:
No prescribed natural fires are being allowed, pending revision and
approval of area fire management plans.
- Prescribed Burn Occurrence:
No prescribed burns were reported during this time period.
- National Situation:
Another major fire is burning at Everglades National Park, named DOF 457.
The arson-ignited fire began on state land in East Everglades and swept into
the Shark Valley area of the park, and had burned 8,000 acres of park land
by June 18th. Due to the extreme drought conditions in the park, areas that
burned last year are reburning, and the water level has dropped two feet
from the low level during the destructive Ingraham Fire last month.
Due primarily to the fire activity in south Florida, 1989 is already the
third worst year in NPS history for wildfire acres burned. Only in 1988 and
1981 have more agency acres burned.
Lightning storms coupled with extremely dry conditions in the Southwest
caused major fires at Carlsbad Caverns and El Malpais, New Mexico. The
14,000 acre Malpais Fire at El Malpais and adjacent BLM wilderness was
managed by an interagency Type II Incident Management Team. Another Type II
team managed the complex of fires burning in and around Carlsbad Caverns.
At Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii, lava entered the park and was
flowing toward the Wahaula Visitor Center. Blacklining was being done to
limit fire spread.
Firefighting personnel from Dinosaur CO, Grand Canyon AZ, and Chiricahua AZ
were dispatched to interagency fire suppression assignments. Personnel from
Shenandoah VA and Big Cypress FL were dispatched to Everglades National
Park.
- Fire Occurrence, Year-To-Date:
Fire Type # Fires # Acres
Wildfires 233 158,037
Natural Outs 27 1,347
Prescribed Natural Fires 0 ---
Prescribed Burns 59 30,987
False Alarms 27 ---
Mutual Aid by NPS 51 3,987
Support Actions 55 ---
(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530 MDT, 6/21/89; supplemental information on
fire in Everglades via telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO; wildland
fire report prepared by Judi Zuckert, BFM/Boise).
OFFICE NOTES
1) The Izaak Walton League is sponsoring the 1989 National Wilderness
Education Award to recognize excellence in this important aspect of
wilderness management. First, second and third place awards will be
announced at the Wilderness Management Conference in Minneapolis in
September. Travel, lodging, per diem and meeting registration costs will be
paid for the recipient of the first place award. The award criteria are as
follows:
- uniqueness of materials or programs relative to existing wilderness
education efforts;
- size and variety of audiences reached and appropriateness of message
to audience;
- effectiveness in changing behavior to protect wilderness resource
values.
A cover sheet for the nomination should include the nominee's name,
organization, address and phone; the sponsor's name, organization, address,
phone, and the signature of the authorized representative. The nomination
narrative must include a summary of the project, address each of the three
award criteria, and not exceed two pages (single-spaced) in length.
Supplementary materials may be submitted. The deadline is August 1st. Send
to: National Wilderness Education Award, c/o Dr. Anne S. Fege, Wilderness
Management, Recreation Staff, USDA Forest Service, Box 96090, Washington, DC
20090-6090 (202-447-2422). (Steve Hodapp, RAD/WASO).
2) The annual fee-free National Parks Day, during which visitors can enter
parks for free, will be on August 25th. (Wes Kreis, RAD/WASO).
3) Chief rangers: Butch Farabee is interested in knowing which areas would
be willing to send people to an EMS coordinator's conference at Albright
early next fiscal year. The costs would be picked up by benefitting
accounts. (Butch Farabee, RAD/WASO).
STAFF STATUS
Ringgold on leave today.
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