- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, August 2, 1989
- Date: Wed, 2 Aug 1989
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Wednesday, August 2, 1989
INCIDENTS
89-203 - Olympic - Helicopter Crash
On July 30th, a helicopter piloted by C.B., a disk jockey on
Seattle radio station KUBE, crashed in Scout Lake and sank in 80 feet of
water. Both C.B. and his brother, R.B., were able to get out and swim to
shore. The accident apparently occurred when one of the helicopter's skids
hit the surface of the lake. C.B. later claimed that he wasn't in the
helicopter, but it is registered to him and C.B. gave his name and number
to several people who assisted him on the shore. The NPS, FAA and NTSB are
conducting a joint investigation of the incident. C.B. will be required to
remove the helicopter from the lake. (Telephone report from. Mark Forbes,
RAD/PNRO).
89-204 - Cape Hatteras - Employee Arrest
A seasonal maintenance employee has been charged by Dare County officers
with several counts of forgery and uttering stolen checks. The employee
also confessed yesterday to theft of Federal property. No further
information is currently available on the incident. (Larry Rousch, CR,
CAHA, via telephone report from RAD/SERO).
89-205 - Tonto - Park Closure
On July 27th, the park was closed from noon to 6 p.m. due to an incident
which occurred on Forest Service land south of the Monument Visitor Center.
At 9 a.m. that morning, two men appeared at the USES district office in
Roosevelt, stating that one of them had been shot by a small caliber handgun
and that the suspect was at the Black Brush Ranch near the park. The Gila
County sheriff's office responded with a posse and a search was begun for
the suspect, who was on foot. Several shots were exchanged during the
pursuit. The suspect was arrested without further incident at 6:30 p.m.
(Dave Roberts, TONT, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO).
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION
Planning Level IV.
Mobilization orders have been issued by the Director of the BLM
and the Chief of the Forest Service. A similar order will be
issued by Director Ridenour today; advance copies will be sent by
CompuServe to all regions later today.
As of yesterday evening, there were 832 crews and 2,540 overhead
personnel in the field; although 245 more crews were on order, none
were available for assignment. Resource requests existed for another
642 overhead personnel. Fifteen of 18 Type I teams were committed.
The National Park Service had 262 firefighters end 76 overhead people
in the field, and another 318 firefighters available at their hone
stations.
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire Acres Contain
MT USFS Nez Perce NF Jnsn. Butte - T2 5,200 None
USFS Nez Perce NF *Curren Creek - T1 ? None
BLM Miles City Forest - T2 800 8/2
ID USFS Boise NF Lowman - T1 26,000 None
USFS Boise NF Warm Lake - T1 15,500 None
USFS Boise NF Idaho City - T2 4,764 8/2
USFS Payette NF Partridge - T1 7,298 None
USFS Payette NF Steamboat - T1 4,702 None
USFS Payette NF Game Creek 450 None
USFS Sawtooth NF McPhearson 1,550 8/10
USFS Salmon NF Powerline - T1 1,000 None
BLM Shoshone Wendell NE 400 None
BLM Shoshone 184MP80SW 1,000 None
BLM Shoshone Richfield S 500 None
State - Fleming - T2 5,600 8/3
State - Eagle Nest 2,400 8/5
State - *Spruce Creek 700 8/6
OR USFS Malheur NF Glacier - T1 10,000 None
USFS Wall.-Whit. NF Dooley Mt. - T1 18,700 8/3
USFS Wall.-Whit. NF Tanner Gulch - T1 4,875 None
USFS Wall.-Whit. NF Enterprise - T1 33,000+ None
USFS Wall.-Whit. NF Emmet - T2 6,940 None
USFS Wall.-Whit. NF Pine/Clear - T2 675 None
USFS Wall.-Whit. NF Monument Rk. - T2 12,000 8/4
WA USFS Okanogan NF Lodgepole - T2 853 8/1
CA USFS/ Sierra NF/Fresno
CDF Kings RU Powerhouse - T1 11,860 Yes
USFS Cleveland NF Vail - T1 6,952 None
USFS Sierra NF Balch - T1 3,350 None
NOTES:
- Agencies - All BLM areas are districts; CDF is California Department of
Forestry.
- Fires - Asterisk indicates new fire.
- Areas - T1 and T2 indicate assigned Type I and Type II Teams.
- Contain - Containment dates are estimates; "none" means no estimate;
"yes" means the fire has been contained.
3) FIRE NARRATIVES
a) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE:
* No significant fires reported.
b) OTHER AGENCIES:
* Boise NF:
The three main fires in the Lowman Complex demonstrated aggressive
fire behavior on Monday. Major runs necessitated the closure of
Highway 21. Structures along the South Fork of the Payette River
remain threatened. High winds on the Warm Lake Complex caused
a marked increase in fire activity, but good progress was made with
retardant and water drops on the Knox Lake fire, thereby reducing
the threat to structures in Paradise Valley. The King Gulch fire
in the Idaho City Complex has a well-reinforced southern line to
protect Idaho City and other private land holdings.
* Wallowa-Whitman NF:
Progress has been made on the west flank of the Dooley Mountain
fire, but a serious threat exists to homes on the east flank
which are only a quarter mile from the fire front. A structure
has been destroyed, and 200 cattle killed. Phone lines are down
and Highway 245 remains closed. The Canal fire in the Enterprise
Complex is threatening private homes. Government structures and
private cabins are reported to have been destroyed. The Monument
Rock fire increased in size from 4,500 acres to 12,000 acres and
spotting from the fire is occurring within three miles of the
town of Unity. Campers along the South Fork of the Burnt River are
being moved out of the area.
* Idaho Department of Lands:
The Fleming fire crossed the South Fork of the Payette River
yesterday and has the potential to work north in the North Fork
drainage or northeast, to the Middle Fork of the Payette, thereby
posing a threat to the towns of Garden Valley and Crouch and nearby
subdivisions. An evacuation plan has been developed for Garden
Valley.
4) FIRE ACTIVITY - 263 fires for 10,2.70 acres in last 24 hours.
5) ANALYSIS - Severe fire behavior is occurring on the majority of
project-sized fires, causing many of them to continue to threaten life
and property. The critical shortage of resources has necessitated
the setting of fire priorities. Two battalions ordered from the 6th
Army are currently in training for deployment on fires in Oregon, and
two more battalions are scheduled for training. Military helicopters
are being mobilized to assist in fire control efforts.
6) PROGNOSIS - Large-scale resource mobilization is expected to continue,
with both civilian and military involvement accelerating. No relief
from current conditions is forecast.
(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530 MDT, 8/2/89).
OFFICE NOTES
1) The EMS coordinators' conference, originally scheduled for Albright this
fall, has been cancelled due to lack of funds. We will try and reschedule
it for later this fall. Any questions should be forwarded to Butch Farabee
at 343-4188.
2) NPS-9 is receiving its final reviews and should be ready for printing in
the next week or so. We'll keep you posted on this continuing saga.
3) Ranger Activities now has a SEAdog terminal (address posted below) and
will be up and available for messages effective today.
STAFF STATUS
All hands on board.
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
SEAdog: 1/650