RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date: Tuesday, April 3, 1990

INCIDENTS

90-50 - Zion (Utah) - Injury to Park Ranger

UPI reports this morning that Paul Kirkland, a ranger at Zion, was injured
in a weekend explosion during a Boy Scout training session and that he is in
serious but stable condition in the University of Utah Hospital's burn unit.
Kirkland and other Utah Boy Scout leaders were attending a weekend workshop
at Snow Canyon State Park near St. George. According to UPI, Kirkland had
loaded a "thundermug" - a noise-making device filled with black powder - and
was about to ignite it when the device exploded in his face. Larry Wiese, a
park spokesman, reported that Kirkland has undergone two operations on
burned areas on his arms and face, and that he apparently will require
additional surgery. We will provide further information as soon as
possible. (UPI story, 4/2/90).

OFFICE NOTES

1) On April 5th, the House Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands
and the Subcommittee on the Civil Service will hold joint oversight hearings
on "current and future personnel issues of land managing agencies." The
NPS, BLM and Forest Service will be participating. Among other things, the
hearings will focus on pay and career issues affecting the 025 ranger
series. [Bill Halainen, RAD/WASO]

FIRE SITUATION

The NPS wildland fire situation report for the month of March has been
completed:

- Fire Danger:

ARO Low
MAR Low
MWR Low
NCR Low
NAR Low
PNR Low
RMR Low
SER Low-High Very High: Cumberland Gap, Mammoth Cave KY,
                        Everglades FL
             Extreme:   Kings Mountain NC, Natchez Trace MS,
                        Shiloh TN
SWR Low-High Very High: Guadalupe Mtns, Lake Meredith TX,
                        El Malpais NM
             Extreme:   Big Bend TX, Carlsbad Caverns NM
WRO Low-High Very High: Hawaii Volcanoes HI

- Wildfires:

Region         Park              # Fires             # Acres

Mid-atlantic  Petersburg VA           2                 0.2
              Shenandoah VA           1                 0.1

Midwest       Indiana Dunes IN        1                 4.0

Nat Capitol   Washington Pkwy VA      1                 2.0

Southeast     Big Cypress FL          4             4,810.0
              Blue Ridge NC           1                22.0
              Cape Lookout NC         1                 1.0
              Chattahoochee GA        1                23.0
              Everglades FL           6               843.0
              Great Smokies TN        1                 0.7
              Natchez Trace MS        1                 8.0

Southwest     Big Bend TX             2                 1.0
              Big Thicket TX          2                71.0
              Buffalo AR              1                12.0
              Padre Island TX         1             1,246.0
                                     ---           ---------
Total                                26             7,044.0

- Prescribed Natural Fires:

No prescribed natural fires were conducted.

-  Prescribed Burns:

Southwest     Big Thicket TX          2                71.0
              Buffalo AR              2                20.0
                                     ---           ---------
Total                                 4                91.0

- National Situation:

Fire dangers continued to be very high to extreme in areas
of the southwest and southeast, with severe drought continuing
in south Florida. Large wildfires were reported in south
Florida and in Texas.

In Florida, Big Cypress suppressed two large human-caused
fires. The fires were suspected arson, associated with hunting
camps used for the spring wild turkey hunt. Hunters in the area
have traditionally set fires there to protect their camps and
to "improve" the habitat for game. The Toms Fire totalled 3,500
acres, and the Miller Fire totalled 1,300 acres.

Large human-caused fires were also suppressed in East Everglades,
adjacent to Everglades, with the park providing mutual aid support
to the state as well as to Big Cypress.

At Padre Island in Texas, students on spring break were apparently
responsible for a 1,246 acre grass fire. The fire was started
by fireworks.

- Fire Occurrence, Year-To-Date:

Fire Type                    # Fires      # Acres

Wildfires                       63          9,841
Natural Outs                     7             84
Prescribed Natural Fires         0            ---
Prescribed Burns                20          9,270
False Alarms                     8            ---
Mutual Aid by NPS               31         12,575
Support Actions                  8            ---

(Prepared by Judi Zuckert, Branch of Fire Management, Boise).

STAFF STATUS

- Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Loach at MWR CR conference
  in Coralville, Iowa (4/2-3) and Voyageurs (4/4-6), Healy at DARE session
  in Rocky Mountain NP (4/3-5), Coffey in Athens, Georgia at SAF wilderness
  conference (4/5-6).

- Branch of Fire: Gale in D.C. for meetings (4/3-5), Norum at National Fire
  Weather Advisory Group meeting in D.C. (4/2-5).


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)