- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, May 1, 1990
- Date: Tues, 1 May 1990
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Tuesday, May 1, 1990
INCIDENTS
90-81 - Chickasaw (Oklahoma) - Follow-up on Flooding
The park reports that drier weather moved into the area over the weekend and
that the rain has abated. The following is an update by area:
* Arbuckle Lake - The lake is still ten feet above normal. Same parking
lots, boat launches and access roads remain under water. Same campgrounds
remain closed, and the lake is closed to boaters due to debris and
hazards. Three major access areas and campgrounds remain open. Two
sewage lift stations are under water.
* Veterans Dam - The contractor at Veterans Dam is trying to keep the water
level 15 feet below the spillway, but as of yesterday it was still at the
spillway level. The contractor has stopped work. Damage has been minor
to date.
* Travertine District - The sections of the primary park road which were
washed out have been repaired and the road is again open. Erosional
damage has occurred in campgrounds and picnic areas and on trails.
Many other public use areas and facilities are full of debris and sand, and
the park staff is busy cleaning them up. (Bob Peters, Superintendent, CHIC,
via (CompuServe message from Phil Young, RAD/SWRO, 2 p.m. EDT, 4/30/90).
90-84 - Ozark (Missouri) - MVA with Fatality; Oil Spill
On the afternoon of the 29th, a flatbed truck carrying a load of railroad
ties failed to negotiate a curve on Highway 17, left the roadway and plunged
150 feet down an embankment. The operator of the vehicle, 49-year-old
G.K. of Eminence, Missouri, was killed. About 120 gallons of
diesel fuel from the truck's ruptured fuel tanks leaked into a creek leading
to the Jacks Fork River, but rangers and the local fire department were able
to dam up the creek and prevent fuel from getting into the river. The
Missouri DNR has taken over the clean-up of the fuel, which should be
completed today. (Tom Graham, CR, OZAR, via CompuServe message from Capt.
J.J. McLaughlin, RAD/MWRO, 11 a.m. EDT, 4/30/90).
90-85 - Indiana Dunes (Indiana) - Oil Spill
Early on the morning of April 28th, rangers were asked to assist in
containing a fuel oil spill which had occurred on the Burns Waterway, which
runs into Lake Michigan. Coast Guard and state boats could not be on scene
for an hour, so the rangers were first to arrive. They deployed containment
booms loaned by Midwest Steel Corporation and kept most of the oil in check
until the Coast Guard and a private clean-up company could arrive. While
same oil did reach the lake, the actions taken by the rangers minimized the
impact to near-by beaches and lake waters. (Richard Littlefield, INDU, via
CompuServe message from Ben Holmes, RAD/MWRO, 3:30 p.m. EDT, 4/30/90).
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level I
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire Acres Contain
VA NPS Shenandoah NP *Riprap - T2 495 Yes
FL NPS Big Cypress NP ATV 1,000 Yes
NPS Everglades NP *DOF 291 5,000 No
PA USFS Allegheny NF *Jamieson Run 500 No
NM USFS Gila NF *Turkeyfeather 200 5/1
NOTES:
- Agencies - All BLM areas are districts; CDF is California
Department of Forestry.
- Fires - Asterisk indicates newly reported 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) NATTONAL PARK SERVICE:
- Riprap Fire (Shenandoah) - The fire started at 10 a.m. on the 28th;
arson is the suspected cause. The fire, which occurred in steep, rocky
terrain about two miles east of Crimora, Virginia, burned about 500 acres
of mixed hardwood along with a few stands of pine and mountain laurel
understory. A dozer line was constructed along approximately a mile and
a half of park boundary to protect high value homes outside the park.
As of yesterday morning, the fire was 99% contained, with full
containment expected by noon. Crews were already rehabilitating the fire
line. The fire was managed by a Virginia Type II team; resources
included two NPS crews from MAR and NCR, five other crews, a helicopter
and bulldozers.
- ATV Fire (Big Cypress) - The fire was contained at 1,000 acres
yesterday. The park received rain on Sunday, and smokes are limited to
the interior of the fire.
- DOF 291 (Everglades) - The Associated Press reports this morning
that a lightning-caused brushfire which started Monday has burned about
5,000 acres of Everglades sawgrass, including about 2,000 acres in the
park's Taylor Slough area. No homes or park exhibits are directly
threatened by the fire. Crews planned to set backfires last night in
an attempt to contain the blaze.
b) OTHER AGENCIES:
- Turkeyfeather Fire (Gila NF) - The fire is burning in the Gila
Wilderness. Four air tankers, three helicopters and six crews have been
committed.
4) FIRE ACTIVITY - 112 fires for 3,183 acres over the weekend.
5) ANALYSIS - Fire activity is increasing in the Southwest, but fire
dangers in the Great Lakes states are moderating.
6) PROGNOSIS - Fire activity is expected to continue in the Southwest
and decrease in the East.
(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530 MDT, 4/30/90; telefaxed report from Judi
Zuckert, Branch of Fire, 4/30/90; Associated Press reports).
STAFF STATUS
- Division Chief: Dabney on AL (4/30-5/4).
- Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Coffey at resource management
workshop in Lakewood, CO (5/1-5/5); Martin at SERO chief rangers'
conference (5/1-5/5); Farabee and Healy at MAR law enforcement refresher
in Emmitsburg, MD (5/1); Kreis on SL.
- Branch of Fire: Erskine in Seattle to discuss FIREPRO and branch
personnel issues (5/1-2); Norum at CACA to direct site analysis
prescription development and hazard fuels, with site visits to GUMD
and ELMA (4/29-5/5); Broyles at RX-90 burn boss cadre at CHIR
(4/29-5/11); Botti on site visit to ELMA and GUMO (4/30-5/5); Gale
on site visit to ELMA (4/30-5/2).
Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities
Telephone: FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
Telefax: FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977
CompuServe: WASO-RANGER
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