RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date:  Thursday, June 22, 1989

INCIDENTS

89-135 - Hawaii Volcanoes - Follow-up on Eruption: Buildings Lost

During the early hours of Wednesday, June 21st, the lava flow which was
previously reported as moving toward the Kalapana maintenance area (Morning
Report, 6/16) entered that area, destroyed two buildings, isolated but did
not damage three park residences, and advanced slowly toward the Wahaula
Visitor Center. On Tuesday, the park removed 95% of the equipment within
the two maintenance buildings - a generator shed and a garage with an office
and work area - and evacuated the natural history association employee who
was residing in one of the three houses (the other two were vacant). All
exhibits, cabinets, furniture and records were removed from the visitor
center, which was about 1,000 feet from the maintenance area. As of last
report (7 p.m. EOT last night), the flow was within 50 feet of the visitor
center, and park employees were utilizing a pumper truck and two 6,000-
gallon tankers to spray water on the flow's leading edge in hopes of cooling
and hardening it. Since the flow of lava eased up there and began breaking
out further to the east, there is some chance that the visitor center will
be saved, but the superintendent feels that it is more likely that it will
be lost. Visitors are being allowed into the area, as the lava flow is too
slow (about 10 feet per hour) to be immediately threatening, and
interpretive rangers have been assigned to the site to explain the natural
processes at work. (Jim Martin, CR, HAVO, via CompuServe message from Herb
Gercke, RAD/WRO; supplemental phone call to Hugo Huntzinger, Superintendent,
HAVO).

89-146 - Wilson's Creek - Dynamite Explosion

Just before noon on the 16th, a dynamite explosion damaged two trees and
blasted a small crater in a remote area of the park north of Farm Road 82.
There were no injuries. The explosion was heard for miles and rattled
windows throughout the area. This is about the fourth such incident in
Missouri this year, all of which have occurred in remote areas. Authorities
have speculated that the dynamite may have come from several burglaries
within the state. Rangers and Green County Sheriff's Department deputies
are investigating the incident, and the FBI and ATF may also enter the
investigation. (Ron Miller, Acting CR, WICR, via CompuServe message from
Tom Thompson, RAD/MWRO).

89-147 - Great Smokies - Armed Robbery

At 5:30 p.m. on the 20th, D.E., 66, of Trenton, Ohio, was in a
restroom at Newfound Gap when a "scruffy" male approached him, pointed a
small automatic pistol at him, and demanded D.E.'s wallet, when D.E.
replied that he didn't have one, the suspect cocked his weapon and said he
wanted cash. D.E. gave the suspect a credit card case which held his
cards and $20. The suspect then fled in a blue Chevy Impala sedan driven by
a female accomplice. Rangers are investigating. (Pete Hart, CR, GRSM, via
telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO).

89-148 - Kennesaw Mountain - Visitor Fatality

On the morning of the 20th, D.W., 71, and M.W., 68, of
Paulding County, Georgia, were westbound in their van on Dallas Highway and
coming up on a truck which was headed eastbound and was towing or carrying a
backhoe. The backhoe brushed a tree and knocked off a limb; the limb fell on
a pickup truck which was following the backhoe, then the entire 70-foot-tall
tree fell on the families' van. The van was totally destroyed and D.W.
was killed; M.W. was taken to a hospital with a severe
bruise to the heart. The Cobb County Sheriff's Office is investigating, and
the park is attempting to determine why the tree fell. (Telephone report
from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO).

89-149 - Great Smokies - Visitor Fatality

While stopped at Newfound Gap with her tour group on the afternoon of the
13th, E.J., 70, of Midville, Georgia, went hiking up a nearby trail.
She attempted to take a short cut, tripped on a rock, fell about 15 feet and
struck her head. She was treated at the scene by park EMT's and evacuated
by helicopter to a local hospital, where she died on the evening of the
15th. (Pete Hart, CR, GRSM, via telephone report from Steve Smith,
RAD/SERO).

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION (Planning Level II)

a) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

* DOF #457 Fire - State of Florida/Everglades (Florida) - 43,700 acres
(yesterday - 43,700 acres):

More rain showers fell on the fire on the 20th, and the fire was relatively
quiet except for burning hammocks. Five crews worked yesterday at burning
around the hammocks or employed weedeaters to cut grass away from their
edges; another 11 crews will be assigned to the same task today. The
incident command team is also managing the Chekika Fire, which has burned
about 100 acres on nearby state land. The fire appears to have been started
by an arsonist. Rain also fell on this fire on Tuesday, and it has become
relatively inactive. Forecasters are predicting that a low in the Gulf of
Mexico will move into southern Florida and drop more rain on the area.
Expected containment: 6/23.

b) OTHER AGENCY

* Meason Fire - Gila NF (New Mexico) - 940 acres:

A Type I team is managing the fire. The fire has been contained.

* Shelley Fire - Gila NF (New Mexico) - 2,800 acres:

The large acreage increase on this fire (up from 1,524 acres yesterday)
occurred due to continued back-firing. There's no estimate of containment.

* Douglas Creek Fire - Craig District, BLM (Colorado) - 430 acres:

The fire has been contained.

* Joshua Fire - San Bernadino Resource Unit (California) - 935 acres:

The fire was to have been contained last night.

* Yucca Valley Fire - San Bernadino Resource Unit (California) - 600 acres:

No new information. No estimate of containment.

* Pinon Fire - Roswell District, BLM (New Mexico) - 200 acres:

The fire is burning in rugged, inaccessible terrain. The lack of access
prohibits the use of engines. The fire is 80% contained, but there's no
estimate for full containment.

* Johnson Fire - Roswell District, BLM (New Mexico) - 2,200 acres:

Drought conditions and rugged terrain have hampered suppression efforts, but
containment was expected last night.

2) FIRE ACTIVITY - 135 fires for 12,916 acres in last 24 hours.

3) ANALYSIS - There will be increased fire activity in southern California
and continued activity in the southwest, Colorado and Florida. There's a
red flag warning for sunny, dry and hot weather with gusty winds in northern
California.

4) PROGNOSIS - Fire activity is expected to continue in the southwest and
southern California.

(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530 MDT, 6/22/89; supplemental information on
fire in Everglades via telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO).

STAFF STATUS

Farabee on leave.

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities