- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, May 2, 1990
- Date: Wed, 2 May 1990
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Wednesday, May 2, 1990
INCIDENTS
90-86 - Glen Canyon (Arizona) - Indictments
On July 19, 1989, rangers served a search warrant on the residence of R.
and M.S. of St. George, Utah. The pair were suspected of conducting
an unlicensed commercial operation for houseboats in the park, and
information obtained during the subsequent investigation indicated that the
two had been involved in burglaries in the Wahweap area. On December 9,
1989, rangers and sheriff's deputies recovered over $5,000 in stolen
property at their place of business in Hurricane, Utah. Further
investigation resulted in recent state grand jury indictments of five
persons on 19 counts of felony burglary and theft. Additional indictments
are pending. The group has been tied to thefts within the park dating back
to 1987. Some of the stolen property was used to support the illegal
houseboat rental operation. (CompuServe message from L.D. Clark, CR, GLCA,
3 p.m. EDT, 4/27/90).
90-87 - Mount Rainier (Washington) - Successful Search
On April 29th, 55-year-old C.T. of Toronto, Canada, was found
alive and in good health after being missing for more than a week on Mount
Rainier. C.T. began hiking in clear weather on the 21st, but got caught in
a blizzard that afternoon. He lost his compass and gloves, and found that
he was walking in a circle when he attempted to get back down. C.T. had a
tent, a sleeping bag, and just enough food for his planned overnight stay.
He built camps throughout the week as he tried to make his way off the
mountain, but confessed to losing hope of ever being found. About five feet
of snow fell during the week. Up to 30 members of the Mountain Rescue
Council searched for C.T. without luck on the 28th and 29th. Late on the
29th, a park ranger in a helicopter spotted him walking down the mountain
and C.T. was subsequently rescued. He was examined at an area hospital and
found to be in good condition. (UP report, 4/30/90).
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level I
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire Acres Contain
NJ NPS Delaware WG NRA *Unnamed 150 Yes
FL NPS Everglades NP DOF 291 7,500 None
PA USFS Allegheny NF Jamieson Run 500 Yes
NM USFS Gila NF Turkeyfeather 86 5/1
AZ State - *Container 4,000 Yes
NOTES:
- 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) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE:
- DOF 291 (Everglades) -
The fire started late Monday morning on state land south of the main park
entrance on Route 27. State personnel worked on it initially; the NPS
assisted, then focused on the section which burned into the park
beginning that evening. Crews attacked the head of the fire successfully
on Monday night, and were assisted by dew and fog in the early morning
hours. As of yesterday afternoon, the fire front was two to three mile
southeast of Pine Island. The fire was active, with flaring on the south
flank and hot spots on the north flank. Firefighters worked on the head
and north flank of the fire last night in order to keep it moving to the
south, where it will run into margraves and should die out. Since there
was no dew last night, it's expected that there'll be about two and a
half miles of active flame on the south flank this morning. Because of
the southward movement, threats to structures at Royal Palm and Pine
Island have been greatly diminished, but crews are prepared to burnout
areas around those two locations if further protection is needed. The
fire is burning toward the area burned last summer by the Ingraham Fire,
which should reduce its intensity. Current commitments include about 90
firefighters and overhead personnel, five helicopters, two engines and a
fixed-wing aircraft for aerial recon and mapping. The park has also
ordered a 20-man hotshot crew so that park personnel can be freed up for
other fires which may occur in the future.
b) OTHER AGENCIES:
N/A
4) FIRE ACTIVITY - 260 fires for 4,627 acres during 24-hour period
ending 1600, 5/1/90.
5) ANALYSIS - Fire activity continues in Florida and the Southwest.
(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 1600 MDT, 5/1/90; NPS National Wildland Fire
Summary, 0400 MDT, 5/1/90; update on DOF 291 from Keith Whisenant, plans
chief, 0715 EDT, 5/2/90).
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 rangers1
conference (5/1-5/5); Healy at meeting and on leave (5/2).
- 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 GUMO
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 C43MO (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
SEAdog: 1/650