- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, July 10, 1990
- Date: Tues, 10 Jul 1990
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Tuesday, July 10, 1990
INCIDENTS
90-185 - Lassen Volcanic (California) - Accidental Death of NPS
Employee
At about 8 a.m. on July 6th, W.C.D., 66, a seasonal
fee collector at Lassen, was riding his bicycle on Highway 36
about a mile outside the park's boundary when he was struck by a
motor home. Emergency medical service personnel responded and
transported him via helicopter to Redding Hospital, where he was
pronounced dead. W.C.D. was hired in June of this year, and
was residing with his wife in their trailer within the park.
(Gil Blinn, Superintendent, LAVO, via CompuServe message from
Herb Gercke, 7/9).
90-186 - C&O Canal (Maryland)- Rescue
On the morning of the 4th, A.G., 24, and two friends
were hiking on the Billy Goat trail when A.G. fell head first
down a 45foot cliff. Rangers were notified and responded along
with a Park Police helicopter and a local fire and rescue unit.
A.G. was found conscious but suffering from a serious closed
head injury. He was immobilized, then evacuated by helicopter
to Suburban Hospital, where he was admitted in serious condition.
A.G. was treated and released on July 7th. (Telefaxed report
from Chris Lea, CHOH, 7/9).
90-187 - Sequoia/Kings Canyon (California) - Helicopter Incident
The park's contract helicopter was taking off from a small
meadow near the Tindell Creek Ranger Station on a medevac flight
on the 6th when the pilot began feeling vibrations and started
to lose control of the helicopter's tail rotor. The pilot
immediately put the ship back on the ground without further
incident. The medevac was completed by the Peppermint helitack
crew and ship from Sequoia NF. The incident, which was caused
by the tail rotor striking a small tree, is currently under
investigation by the Office of Aircraft Services. (Doug Morris,
CR, SEKI, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 7/9).
90-188 - Sequoia/Kings Canyon (California) - Search and Rescue
On the afternoon of July 5th, P.H., 45, of Simi Valley,
California, was dropped off at Whitney Portal on the east side
of Sequoia for what he intended would be a transSierra run which
would end at the Crescent Meadow parking lot around noon on the
6th. Hartman was dressed in a couple of t-shirts, a wind breaker
and running shoes and was carrying a fanny pack. When he failed
to meet his wife as scheduled, she notified rangers, who made an
initial air search of Hartman's planned route. No sign of him
was found. On the 7th, an organized search was begun which
employed park personnel and helicopters from Lemoore NAS, the
California Highway Patrol and the park's contractor. The search
proved fruitless, but rangers were able to establish a "point
last seen." On the 8th, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's
helicopter with an infrared unit conducted an early morning
search, then five WOOF dog teams and 15 ground searchers began
working in the search area. Two other helicopters joined the
effort. Just before 4 p.m., a tired, footsore, sunburned,
dehydrated and confused P.H. was found in reasonably good
condition by one of the helicopters. (Mike Warren, SEKI, via
CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 7/9).
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) PREPAREDNESS LEVEL III
Two or more geographic areas experiencing incidents requiring a major
commitment of national resources. High number of fires becoming Class D
and larger. Additional resources are being ordered and mobilized through
NICC. Type 1 teams are committed in two or more areas, or 300 crews are
committed nationally.
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire Acres Status
WY NPS Yellowstone Washburn T2 220 Yes
MT USFS Bitterroot Sabe Creek 450 CN 8/30
AZ USFS Coronado Maverick 2,790 Yes
FL NPS Everglades Wood 2,580 CN 7/9
Graveyard 3,140 CN 7/9
Big Cypress *Irish 120 Yes
AK FWS Yukon Flats A121 T2 69,000 None
Kanuti A185 18,340 MS
Yukon Delta A204 4,680 MS
Koyukuk A213 8,000 MS
A237 830 MS
A238 5,000 MS
State Agency Area Fire Acres Status
AK NPS Denali A148 (West End) 50,000 MN
Sandless 450 CL 7/7
YukonCharlie *Coal 60 None
AK Tok Area A156 T1 43,000 None
Porcupine T1 1,240 MN
Southwest Area Crooked Creek 10,330 None
004011 2,150 MS
004013 2,250 MS
004014 500 MS
004032 8,900 MS
004035 8,330 None
004009 200 MS
A162 130 MS
Fairbanks Area Pedro Dome T2 910 Yes
011128 3,000 None
011103 1,230 MS
011150 440 MS
011155 800 MS
011139 2,200 MS
*A261 800 None
Delta Area 012046 2,100 None
*012047 300 None
Tanana Zone A225 150 None
A212 1,400 Yes
A222 1,550 MN
A225 6,500 None
A233 600 None
A235 20,000 None
A297 6,000 MS
A298 2,000 MS
A332 1,000 None
*A200 18,820 None
Galena Zone A239 6,700 MS
A245 1,500 MS
Upper Yukon Zone A299 150 CN 7/8
BLM Tanana Zone A200 15,000 MS
Galena Zone A184 100 None
A168 500 MS
A205 350 MS
Southwest Area *A377 8,330 None
Native Tanana Zone A218 2,600 MS
Kenai/Kod. Area A247 750 None
Southwest Area *A346 100 None
NOTES:
Fires - Asterisk indicates newly reported fire (on this
report). 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; MS means the fire is being managed under a
modified suppression strategy; "none" means no estimate; "yes"
means the fire has been contained.
Agencies - All BLM areas are districts; CDF is California
Department of Forestry.
3) NARRATIVES
Washburn Fire (Yellowstone) - The fire is 90 percent contained, with
only a few spot fires still being fought or mopped up. Crews
concentrated yesterday on strengthening lines and mopping up inside them
in anticipation of warmer temperatures by the middle of the week.
Progress on the fire was aided Sunday night by some rain,
little wind and high humidities. Partial demobilization
should begin today.
Bear Creek Fire (Denali) - The acreage on this fire, formerly known as
the Kantishna or West End Fire, dropped to 31,000 due to improved
aerial information. The fire may have received some rain; only five
percent of its perimeter is currently active. There are no management
concerns for the next two or three burning periods. Aerial surveillance
continues.
Everglades (Florida) - Containment of the Wood and Graveyard Fires was
expected yesterday.
Yukon-Charlie (Alaska) - The Coal Fire has burned 60 acres and is
spreading slowly. Intermittent light rain was reported to be falling on
it yesterday. The park will continue to monitor the fire.
4) FIRE ACTIVITY 180 fires for 240,110 in past 24 hours.
5) NPS FIRE DANGERS The following parks are experiencing high to
extreme fire danger this morning:
High Very High Extreme
Yellowstone Lake Meredith Cumberland Island
Everglades Sequoia/Kings Yukon-Charlie
Natchez Trace Denali
Grand Canyon Wrangell-St.Elias
Hawaii Volcanoes
Joshua Tree
Lava Beds
Whiskeytown
Great Basin
6) ANALYSIS - Monsoon moisture has spread throughout the Southwest,
Colorado and Utah. Moderate fire activity is taking place in Alaska,
the Great Basin and the Northern Rockies.
As of yesterday, the parks reporting to the NPS Branch of Fire Management
in Boise had 243 firefighters, 7 monitors and 122 overhead personnel
committed to fires nationally. Eight NPS helicopters have also been
committed. Three members of the Branch are in Alaska Rick Gale is
the North Alaska Area Commander (including the Tok River Fire); Rod Norum
is in charge of the Fire Behavior Working Group for the Alaska Area
Command in Fairbanks; and Paul Broyles is serving as a member of Norum's
group.
National parks report the following this morning:
* Bryce Canyon Campfire and smoking restrictions have been lifted
due to recent rain.
* Natchez Trace The park reports two small wildfires, each of which
was easily controlled by initial attack.
* Carlsbad Caverns The entire park received up to an inch of rain
over the past few days.
* Chiricahua The park reports daily thunderstorms with heavy rains.
* Saguaro Monsoon rains and flash flooding have greatly reduced fire
dangers.
7) PROGNOSIS - Moderate fire activity is expected to continue.
(Telefaxed report from Ken Hay, Branch of Fire, Boise, 7/9; NPS
National Wildland Fire Summary, 0430 MDT, 7/10; NICC
Intelligence Section, Fire Management Situation Report, 0530 MDT,
7/10).
OFFICE NOTES
1) Bandelier National Monument is looking for horses to
supplement or replace current stock. The horses will be used
for search and rescue, emergency medical services, law
enforcement, trail maintenance, and packing operations. Horses
must be able to be trailered. The park prefers Morgans because
of packing. Any information on obtaining horses through
property transfer or donations would be appreciated. Please
contact the park's Ranger Activities Division at 505-672-3861.
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: No travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: No travel scheduled.
Branch of Fire: Norum, Gale and Broyles in Alaska Area Command
in Fairbanks (indefinite); Hurd meeting with fire staff in Boise
(7/9-7/13).
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)