- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Thursday, August 23, 1990
- Date: Thurs, 23 Aug 1990
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Thursday, August 23, 1990
INCIDENTS
90-274 - Colorado (Colorado) - Search
On August 17th, a park ranger observed a vehicle speeding and being driven
erratically in the monument. By the time he reversed his direction of
travel and located the car, it had been parked and the driver had
disappeared. A registration check showed that the car belonged to J.A.W.,
32, who had recently committed suicide in the park (90-258, August
16, 1990 Morning Report). Further inquiries revealed that the driver was
most likely the woman's boyfriend, D.N., 30, of Grand Junction.
He was described as being extremely distraught over J.A.W.'s death, possibly
suicidal himself, and under treatment for his condition. It was also
learned that D.N. was out on parole for a drug conviction. After
initial efforts to locate him failed, a search was begun involving park
rangers and the Mesa County Sheriff's Office dog team. A ranger using
binoculars subsequently discovered D.N. hiding behind a rock. He was
extremely upset when located, but offered no resistance. He was turned over
to his parole officer and transported to a hospital for treatment.
(CompuServe message from 00LM, 8/22).
90-275 - Bighorn Canyon (Wyoming/Montana) - Vandalism
During the early morning hours of the 17th, vandals rolled a government
contractor's forklift down the boat ramp at Ok-A-Beh Marina and into Bighorn
Lake. Park divers located it 35 feet below the lake's surface and recovered
it by mid-morning. The four-ton-capacity forklift received extensive water
damage and damage to the steering mechanism. Total costs for repairs are
not yet known. The contractor had been using the forklift to unload and
move a new marina dock to the water's edge. No evidence has been found to
date, and there are no suspects. An investigation is (continuing. (Telefax
from Dean Garrett, DR, BICA, 8/22).
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) PREPAREDNESS IEVEL - II
One geographic area experiencing high fire danger. Numerous Class A, B, and
C fires occurring and a potential exists for escapes to larger (project)
fires. Minimal mobilization of resources from other geographic areas
occurring. The potential exists for mobilizing additional resources from
other geographic areas.
2) NATIONAL FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 8/22 8/23 Status
MT BLM Miles City *Knowlton Comp. - T2 - 4,000 None
MT State *Custer County Comp. - 500 None
FL FL State Beehaven Bay 500 500 None
AK NPS Denali A-148 46,050 46,050 MN
A-374 1,810 1,810 MN
A-255 23,800 23,800 MN
A-406 16,000 16,000 MN
A-413 6,010 6,010 MN
FWS Galena Zone A-204 150,000 150,000 None
BLM Southwest Area 004069 10,530 10,610 CN 8/24
004068 - T2 15,520 17,520 CN 8/24
004056 136,115 136,115 None
AK Tok Area 013021 - T1 97,300 97,320 None
Galena Zone A-467 55,000 55,000 None
A-483 350 350 None
Alaska also has 30 fires unstaffed under modified suppression
strategy for a total of 1,307,999 acres and 46 fires under limited
suppression strategy for 990,276 acres.
NOTES:
- Fires - Asterisk indicates newly reported fire (on this
report). T1 and T2 indicate assigned Type I and Type II Teams.
- Status - The following abbreviations are employed:
* NR - No report received * MS - Modified suppression strategy
* CN - Contained * MN - Being monitored
* CL - Controlled * None - No estimate of containment
* CS - Confinement strategy * Yes - Fire has been contained
3) NPS NARRATIVES -
- Yosemite (California) -
* The Piute, Frog 2 and Laurel Lake 1 Fires are being managed using
confinement strategy. No changes have been reported. The Steamboat
and A-Rock Fires have been controlled.
- Denali (Alaska) -
* The fires were not flown yesterday. The forecast calls for continued
showers.
4) NATIONAL FIRE ACTIVITY - 270 fires for 5,361 acres in past 24 hours.
5) NPS FIRE DANGERS - The following parks reported high to extreme fire
danger yesterday:
High Very High Extreme
Sequoia/Kings Crater Lake Noatak
Golden Gate Craters of the Moon Yukon-Charlie
Joshua Tree Dinosaur
Yosemite Cumberland Island
Voyageurs Hawaii Volcanoes
Denali
Indiana Dunes
Point Reyes
Whiskeytown
Olympic
Zion
Wrangell-St. Elias
Isle Royale
Pinnacles
6) NPS MOBILIZATION/DEMOBILIZATION -
Resource August 21 August 22
Firefighters 287 186
Monitors 3 1
Overhead personnel 66* 94
Type I crews 0 0
Engines 10 10
Helicopters 5 5
*Yesterday's figure was in error and should have been considerably
higher.
7) ANALYSIS - Fire activity has increased in Montana. Large fires are
occurring on BLM and state land in the southeast, and new ignitions
are being reported on state and Forest Service lands. Fire dangers
are returning to very high levels in several areas.
8) PROGNOSIS - Minor fire activity is expected, with most fires being
picked up by initial attack.
(CompuServe report from Diane Wisley and Kristy MacMillan, Branch of Fire,
Boise, 1700 MDT, 8/22; NICC Intelligence Section, Fire Management Situation
Report, 0530 MDT, 8/23).
STAFF STATUS
- Division Chief: No travel scheduled.
- Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Coffey on SL (8/20-8/24); Farabee
in Boise for meeting on NIIMS (8/21-8/23).
- Branch of Fire: Kurd on travel to Yosemite, Sequoia/Kings, Yellowstone
and Boise (8/20-8/24); Norum at meeting of steering committee for
wilderness fire management course, Portland, Oregon (8/20-8/23);
Diane Wisely detailed to the Branch (Boise) from PNRO (8/6-8/24); Kristy
MacMillan detailed to the Branch (Boise) from Buffalo NSR (8/10-8/27).
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 (Branch of R&VP); WASO-FIRE-WO (Branch of Fire)
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