RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                       MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date: Friday, May 4, 1990

INCIDENTS

90-39 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Follow-up on Discovery of Victim

On March 19th, a hiker found scattered human skeletal remains in the extreme
southeast corner of the park, about four miles southeast of Desert View.
Also found were numerous traces of burned clothing, empty charcoal fluid
containers, a cigarette lighter and charred ground and plant cover. All of
this evidence led to the belief that the remains were those of R.C.,
of Syracuse, New York, and that he had committed suicide at that
spot. R.C. had left his vehicle about two and a half miles west of the
location in July of 1988 and had remained unaccounted for despite two
separate search efforts by rangers and sheriff's deputies. R.C. had a long
history of psychiatric treatment and had left behind a journal expressing
his intent to commit suicide by immolation. The remains have now been
positively identified as Carey's by the Coconino County coroner's office.
(Reed McCluskey, GRCA, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO,
3:30 p.m. EDT, 5/3/90).

90-81 - Chickasaw (Oklahoma) - Follow-up on Flooding

Heavy rains in the area has again caused serious problems with flooding in
the park:

* Arbuckle Lake - The lake is now 17 feet above normal, and four feet above
the emergency spillway. The lake will be closed this weekend, and it will
probably be four to five days before it will be possible to drive through
to the Buckhorn ranger station, which is now sitting in several feet of
water. The parking lot at Guy Sandy is now under seven feet of water.

* Travertine District - Campers at the Rock Creek area were moved Wednesday
night as a precaution against rising water.

* Veterans Lake - Water is now running at least three feet over the
spillway.

(CompuServe message from RAD/SWRO, 6:30 p.m. EDT, 5/3/90).

90-89 - Great Smokies (North Carolina/Tennessee) - Assault with Weapon

Over the weekend of April 21st and 22nd, two individuals became involved in
an altercation on Newfound Gap Road while returning from the Rod Run Rally
in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The driver of the vehicle in which the two were
riding pulled a knife and stabbed the victim two or three times. One wound
penetrated the victim's neck and caused extensive bleeding. The assailant
took the victim to a North Carolina hospital. The attack was not reported
to rangers until two days later, when the victim was released from the
hospital. An investigation is being conducted by rangers. (CompuServe
message to RAD/SERO and RAD/WASO from Jason Houck, CR, GRSM, 2 p.m. EDT,
5/3/90).

90-90 - Glen Canyon (Arizona) - ARPA Violation

On the 28th, a backcountry patrol ranger discovered that a significant
archeological site on the Escalante river had been looted. The remote and
virtually inaccessible alcove site was discovered and its visible contents
documented in May of 1987. Because the site was pristine and difficult to
reach, the artifacts were left in place pending proper excavation. The
patrol ranger was the first NPS person to return to the site since that
time. Looters removed a large, intact corrugated Anasazi storage jar. The
value of the pot has not been determined, but it is presumed that it has
high value on the black market. There are no suspects. The Escalante
subdistrict, located in southern Utah, has a large number of archeological
sites, many of which have been disturbed by pot hunters. (CompuServe
message to RAD/RMRO and RAD/WASO from Larry Clark, CR, GLCA, 4:30 p.m. EDT,
5/3/90).

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level I

2) FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency      Area             Fire                    Acres  Contain

FL     NPS/FL    Everglades NP     DOF 291                  10,020  5/4
       FL            -            *Krome                    25,000  None

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) - Both park and hotshot crews worked the south
flank of the fire yesterday until late in the day and made significant
progress toward containing the fire. No action was taken during the
night. The NPS crew made up of firefighters from Biscayne and Everglades
was released, and the hotshot crew was rested. The hotshot crew will
be working on the fire again today. Containment is expected before the
day is out.

b) OTHER AGENCIES:

- Krame, also known as EOF 293 (Florida Department of Forestry) - The fire
is burning in sawgrass about eight miles east of Big Cypress. State
firefighters attempted to check the fire at the first of a pair of canals
yesterday, but were unsuccessful; they will attempt to hold the fire
at the second canal today. If their efforts fail, the fire will then
have an uninterrupted eight-mile run to the park's boundary. The park
committed a helicopter and other resources to help the state yesterday,
and will offer four aircraft, an initial attack crew and some overhead
today. The fire now has two heads, each about 5,000-acres in size.
The southern head is posing the threat to the park. If the fire
approaches the park, firefighters will attempt to employ the L28 and
L28 Intercept canals on the east boundary to check its advance. An
eight-mile-^wide gap exists between the two canals, however, and
assessments are being made of strategies to employ if the fire runs
in that direction.

4) FIRE ACTIVITY - 90 fires for 1,428 acres during 24-hour period
ending 1600, 5/3/90.

5) ANALYSIS - Florida continues to report high fire indices.

6) PROGNOSIS - Fire activity in Florida is expected to continue.

(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 1600 MDT, 5/3/90; information on Krame Fire
from Kevin Kacer, FMO, BICY, 0700 EDT, 5/4/90; update DOF 291 from Kathy
Clossin, EVER, 0630 ELT, 5/4/90).

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 SEED chief rangers'
  conference (5/1-5/5).

- Branch of Fire: 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 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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