RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date:  Tuesday, August 15, 1989

INCIDENTS

89-221 - Assateague - Follow-up on Oil Spill

By late on the evening of the 11th, only three or four patches of oil
remained along the seashore's beaches. The Coast Guard brought clean-up
crews in the next morning; they found a small amount of oil and cleaned it
up. No oil was found on the beaches on Sunday. (Brion FitzGerald, CR,
ASIS, via CompuServe message from Kathy Jope, RAD/MARO).

89-224 - Glen Canyon - Aircraft Accident with Injuries

At approximately 2 p.m. on August 11th, T.R., 46, of Fremont,
California, landed his 1988 Amphibian aircraft on the San Juan Arm of Lake
Powell and was taxiing at a high rate of speed when the nose of the aircraft
caught the water, flipping the plane over and breaking the fuselage open.
T.R.'s daughter B., 20, of Loleta, California, was thrown clear and
suffered only a fractured ankle. The remaining passenger, T.M.,
21, of Lafayette, California, was trapped momentarily in the aircraft as it
sank, but was able to escape through the broken fuselage. He was uninjured.
T.R. sustained fractures to one leg and to both ankles, but was
able to escape the plane on his own. The aircraft sank in approximately 200
feet of water. The NTSB and FAA are investigating. (Larry Clark, CR, GLCA,
via CompuServe messages to RAD/RMRO and RAD/WASO).

89-225 - Glen Canyon - Aircraft Accident with Two Fatalities

Just before noon on August 12th, an as yet unidentified pilot attempted to
land his Piper Cherokee on the airstrip at Bullfrog. The plane went off the
runway, and subsequent investigation indicates that he then attempted to
become airborne again. The plane flew approximately a quarter of a mile
before the left wing struck the pavement of Utah State Route 276 and the
craft landed on its belly. A fire broke out in the left wing and quickly
spread to the cabin and right wing. The pilot and his female companion were
unable to escape the fire and were killed. Identification of the occupants
is being done by the Utah state medical examiner. The FAA and NTSB are
investigating the accident, which was witnessed by passing motorists.
(Larry Clark, CR, GLCA, via CompuServe messages to RAD/RMRO and RAD/WASO).

89-226 - New River Gorge - Marijuana Eradication

On August 12th, a marijuana eradication task force comprised of Raleigh
County sheriff's deputies and park rangers began a search of the park for a
reported marijuana plantation. They employed rafts to navigate part of the
New River, and discovered a plot in a remote section of the park. A total
of 240 plants were taken and destroyed. The plants were under intense
cultivation and of the sensimilla variety. Local authorities estimated the
street value of the plants at $720,000. Eradication efforts continue.
(Telefax to RAD/MARO and RAD/WASO from Bill Blake, CR, NERI).

89-227 - Yosemite - Falling Fatality

J.E.O., 20, of Santa Barbara, California, hiked with two friends to
the top of Yosemite Falls on the 12th and camped there overnight. The next
morning, he went sliding in the water near Upper Yosemite Falls, slid over
the edge and plunged 1400 feet to his death. Witnesses said that J.E.O. did
not shout or appear to realize what was happening when he went over.
Warning signs advising visitors to stay out of the water are posted in the
area. (Telephone report from RAD/WRO and AP story).

89-228 - Big Bend - Marijuana Seizure

On the morning of the 13th, ranger Clyde Stonaker made a vehicle stop on a
1975 pickup truck five miles north of Castolon in Big Bend to warn the
driver about driving with unrestrained children in the front seat of the
vehicle. Upon approaching the truck, he noticed fresh body work and what
appeared to be a false compartment covering the entire bed of the pickup.
The park's drug detection dog, Judge Roy Bean, was called in, and he alerted
on the rear bed of the truck. The driver and three passengers were
transported to park headquarters, where the truck was disassembled. A
4 1/2 inch by 8 foot by 5 foot compartment was opened and 337 pounds of
marijuana were found within. The driver, L.A. of Midland, Texas,
was arrested. The street value of the marijuana was estimated at $269,000.
(Charlie Peterson, BIBE, via CompuServe messages to RAD/WASO and RAD/SWRO).

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION: Planning Level IV.

As of Monday afternoon, the NPS had 262 firefighters and 106 overhead
personnel committed to fires, down from the 560 firefighters and 155
overhead in the field on Friday.

2) FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency       Area                  Fire                Acres   Contain

ID     USFS     Boise NF                  Lowman Comp. - T1: 45,564     8/16
       USFS     Boise NF                  Warm Lake Comp. - T1:
                                           Lunch              9,595     8/15
                                           Horn Creek         3,073     Yes
       USFS     Payette NF                Foolhen Comp. - T2
                                            Dollar           13,330     8/17
       USFS     Payette NF                Partridge Comp. - T1:
                                            Goat                260     Yes
       USFS     Payette NF                Game Creek          2,454     None
       USFS     Payette NF                Two Point             767     None
       USFS     Payette NF                Hand Creek            558     None
       USFS     Payette NF                Sheepeater            353     None

UT     BLM      Salt Lake City           *Lakeside            1,500     8/15

WA     BIA      Colville Agency           Nespelem - T2       2,000     None
                                          (a.ka. Keller)

CA     USFS     San Bern. NF              San Manuel            700     8/14

3) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE:

Fire danger readings in the parks on August 14th were as follows:

- Extreme: Lava Beds NM (California).
- Very High: Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP (California).
- High: Eight parks reported high fire dangers.

The parks are reporting no significant fire activity.

4) FIRE ACTIVITY - 338 fires for 1,433 acres in last 24 hours.

5) ANALYSIS - Most new lightning fires are being successfully held
by initial attack forces. Demobilization from the Northwest and
Great Basin is underway.

6) PROGNOSIS - Resource rotation and demobilization is expected to
continue. The fire danger in California and the Great Basin is
expected to increase with the onset of gradual warming and drying.

(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530 MDT, 8/15/89).

STAFF STATUS

Dabney, Healy and Hodapp on AL. Andy Ringgold is acting chief of Ranger
Activities.

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 (Phone:343-6014; BAUD:2400)