- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, June 20, 1990
- Date: Wed, 20 Jun 1990
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Wednesday, June 20, 1990
INCIDENTS
90-143 - Biscayne (Florida) - ARPA Violation
While conducting routine inspections of archeologically significant
shipwreck sites on June 13th, rangers discovered that one of the wrecks,
that of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora del Populo had been looted. The
ship is thought to have sunk during a hurricane in 1733 along with numerous
other ships of a Spanish fleet. The site is well known to local divers, and
its location has been published. The primary disturbance to the site
appears to have been the destruction of a mound of ballast stones which were
removed to facilitate digging for artifacts in the sand below. At least
five pits were dug, and several timbers and ribs of the hull of the vessel
are now exposed. Although this site has been the subject of past commercial
salvage operations, the ballast pile was thought to be intact and
potentially covering and protecting valuable artifacts. Biscayne rangers
are pursuing the investigation with the assistance of the Unites States
Attorney's office in Miami. The park is planning to stabilize the site
after the investigation of the scene is completed. (Bob Panko, VPS, BISC,
via telefax from Capt. Steve Alscher, RAD/SERO, 6/17).
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness level I
No large fire activity nationally. Most geographic areas have
low to moderate fire danger. Little or no commitment of
national resources.
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire Acres Status
FL FL State Unnamed fire 24,000 MN
TX NPS Lake Meredith *Big Canyon 160 CL 6/30
NOTES:
- Fires - Asterisk indicates newly reported fire. T1 and T2 indicate
assigned Type I and Type II Teams.
- Status - Containment/control dates are estimates; CN means
contain, CL means control, MN means the fire is being monitored; "none"
means no estimate; "yes" means the fire has been contained.
- Agencies - All BLM areas are districts; CDF is California
Department of Forestry.
3) FIRE ACTIVITY - Not available this morning.
4) FIRE DANGERS - The following parks are experiencing high to
extreme fire danger this morning:
High Very High Extreme
Mesa Verde Bryce Canyon Fort Union
Indiana Dunes Colorado Lake Meredith
Bandelier Scotts Bluff Hawaii Volcanoes
El Malpais Carlsbad Caverns Chiricahua
Lava Beds Guadalupe Mountains Tonto
Sequoia/Kings Padre Island Casa Grande
Joshua Tree Organ Pipe Cactus
Grand Canyon Saguaro
Big Bend Chaco Culture
Aztec Ruins
El Morro
Salinas
5) ANALYSIS - Southwest Region reports numerous lightning starts
throughout northern Texas and northern New Mexico. Zone initial
attack resources have been exceeded in most zones, with some extended
attacks occurring. Competition for Type II overhead teams was
reported to be increasing, with same requests going outside Region
3 (R3). Resource shortages were expected in R3 late yesterday.
6) PROGNOSIS - Not available this morning.
(NPS National Wildland Fire Summary, 0430 MDT, 6/20/90; NIFCC Intelligence
Section, 1630 MDT, 6/19/90).
RESOURCE PROTECTION/MANAGEMENT
No reports received.
STAFF STATUS
- Division Chief: No scheduled travel.
- Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Martin on AL (6/17-6/20);
Loach on AL (6/18-7/9); Healy on AL (6/17-6/22); Halainen at meeting
of NWCG information working team (6/20-6/21).
- Branch of Fire: Broyles and Clark at S-490/590 steering committee meeting,
Portland, OR (6/18-22); Gale at WRST, YUCH, GAAR, CAKR, BLEA and BLKL on
fire program review (6/16-6/24); Norum on AL (6/18-22); Botti on AL
(6/18-6/21).
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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