RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                       MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date: Monday, September 24, 1990

INCIDENTS

90-311 - Appalachian Trail (Pennsylvania) - Follow-up on Double Homicide

On the afternoon of the 21st, park rangers in Harpers Ferry NHP apprehended
the man who was wanted by Pennsylvania State Police for the murders of M.L.
and J.H. Following the release of a description of the suspect
in the murder, rangers were able to confirm that they matched the
description of a "weird" hiker who had been encountered by southbound hikers
on the Appalachian Trail. Their reports led rangers to believe that the
suspect was still on the trail and travelling southbound on it through
Maryland, perhaps even as far south as Virginia. As a trail block operation
was being planned with Shenandoah, a hiker sighted the suspect as he was
about to cross the Potomac River into Harpers Ferry. Rangers responded
immediately and were able to confine the suspect on the park's narrow,
enclosed pedestrian walkway on the B&O railroad bridge over the river. He
offered no resistance when stopped. He was frisked, then accompanied
rangers to the park's ranger station. After particulars were checked with
the Pennsylvania State Police, the suspect, who identified himself as C.H.,
was detained until the state could issue arrest warrants charging Horn
with criminal homicide. The warrants were transmitted to West Virginia
State Police, who arrested Horn as a fugitive from justice. A search of the
backpack C.H. was carrying was conducted by Pennsylvania and West Virginia
troopers pursuant to a warrant obtained by the West Virginia State Police.
That search revealed evidence linking C.H. to the homicides. C.H. has no
address and carried no identification, but claimed to have previously lived
in both North and South Carolina. He apparently intended to flee from
justice via the trail, then live off the land in the southern Appalachians.
(Telefaxed report from Bill Sanders, CR, ANST, 9/23).

90-321 - Buffalo (Arkansas) - Marijuana Eradication

On September 19th, four rangers from the park's Middle District found and
destroyed 95 marijuana plants near the river access at Mount Hersey. Of
these, 88 were sinsemilla plants. All were located in an isolated area of
the park where such activity was suspected. The plants were found during an
overflight conducted by an NPS contract helicopter. Cooperating agencies
included the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Arkansas State Police.
(Carl Hinrichs, CR, BUFF, via CompuServe message from RAD/SWRO, 9/21).

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No reports today.

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - 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                    9/23           9/24  Status

WA     USFS      Colville NF      *Wind                       99              -  CN 9/23

UT     BLM       Shoshone Dist.   *Davis Mountain            450            750  CN 9/24

GA     FWS       Okefenokee NWR    Shorts                  2,620          2,620  None

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) NATIONAL FIRE ACTIVITY - 110 fires for 564 acres in past 24 hours.

4) NPS FIRE DANGERS (9/23) -

       High                Very High                 Extreme

Great Basin              Cumberland Island       ** No areas **
Hawaii Volcanoes         Joshua Tree
Indiana Dunes            Scotts Bluff
Lassen Volcanic
Lava Beds
Natchez Trace
Redwoods
Theodore Roosevelt
Whiskeytown
Wind Cave

5) NPS MOBILIZATION/DEMOBILIZATION -

  Resource                9/20        9/23

Firefighters               70          60
Monitors                    4           0
Overhead personnel         39          20
Type I crews                0           0
Engines                     -           6
Helicopters                 5           3

6) ANALYSIS - Minor fire activity continues. Fire dangers in California
now range from moderate to high.

7) PROGNOSIS - No resource shortages expected.

(Telefax from Marla Mino, Branch of Fire, Boise, 1500 MDT, 9/23; NICC
Intelligence Section, Fire Management Situation Report, 0530 MDT, 9/24).

CALENDAR

Asterisk (*) indicates new entry; plus (+) indicates revised entry.
Brackets at end of entry indicate source of information:

* October 3 - 5 - "Ecology and Planning: The Landscape Dimension", Red Lion
Inn, Sacramento, CA. A conference on landscape ecology for professionals in
resource management, land use planning, landscape architecture,
environmental protection and others involved in ecology and environmental
planning. Sponsored by the University of California, Davis. For more
information, call Dana Abell (916-757-8893). [Pete Comanor, Wildlife and
Vegetation, WASO]

October 4 - 7 - "Sustainable Cities: Symposium on Preserving and Restoring
Urban Biodiversity," Chicago, IL. Session topics will include biodiversity,
environmental education, urban reforestation, aquatic ecosystems, mitigation
of pollution, research, funding and management. Attendance is limited to
150 people, sponsors include EPA and USES. Contact Dr. Rutherford Platt,
Dept. of Geology and Geography, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
01003 (413-545-2499). [Kathy Jope, MARO]

October 5 - 7 - SAR Incident Commander, Las Vegas SAR Training Facility, Las
Vegas, NV. Training course (24 hours long) designed for personnel who are
responsible for managing SAR incidents in districts or parks and held in
conjunction with Association of National Park Rangers' Rendezvous. The
tuition will be $150; a check, purchase order of SF 182 should be sent to
Debbie Gorman, Box 307, Gansevoort, NY 12831. For further information, call
Paul Anderson at 703-999-2243 x 200. [Bill Wade, SHEN]

October 12 - 13 - Emergency Response Team Leader Workshop, Showboat Hotel,
Las Vegas, NV. Training course (12 hours long) designed to move
participants from emergency response team skills to leadership of response
teams. Held in conjunction with Association of National Park Rangers'
Rendezvous. The tuition will be $30; a check should be sent to Debbie
Gorman, Box 307, Gansevoort, NY 12831. For further information, call Paul
Anderson at 703-999-2243 x 200. [Bill Wade, SHEN]

October 13 - 19 - "Natural Areas and Yosemite: Prospects for the Future",
Yosemite (10/13-14) and Sheraton Conference Center, Concord, CA (10/15-19).
Sponsored by The Natural Areas Association, Yosemite NP, and The Yosemite
Fund. Inquiries should be directed to Coordinator, NA/Yosemite Centennial
Symposium, GGNRA, Fort Mason Building 201, San Francisco, CA 94123 (415-556-
1009). [Jenness Coffey, RAD/WASO]

October 22 - 26 - Fish Passageways and Diversion Structures, Portland, OR.
US Fish and Wildlife Service course. $230 tuition. Call Mike Coffey at FTS
343-8135 for further information. [Mike Coffey, WASO]

October 4 - October 18 - Basic Law Enforcement for Land Management
Agencies, FLETC, Glynco, GA. For application procedures, contact your
regional training office. [Carole Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC]

October 10 - December 21 - Basic Law Enforcement for Land Management
Agencies, FLETC, Glynco, GA. For application procedures, contact your
regional training office. [Carole Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC]

October 15 - October 19 - Archeological Resource Protection, FLETC, Glynco,
GA. For application procedures, contact your regional training office.
[Carole Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC]

* October 19 - 21 - Fundamentals of Search and Rescue, Manhattan, KS.
Sponsored by NASAR. Call 703-352-1349 for further information. [NASAR]

November 5 - 9 - Law Enforcement for Managers, FLETC, Glynco, GA. For
application procedures, contact your regional training office. [Carole
Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC]

November 5 - 8 - Intermediate Fish Health, Leetown, WV. US Fish and
Wildlife Service course. $230 tuition. Call Mike Coffey at FTS 343-8135
for further information. [Mile Coffey, WASO]

November 5 - 9 - Fish Genetics and Broodstock Management, Wellsboro, PA. US
Fish and Wildlife Service course. $230 tuition. Call Mike Coffey at FTS
343-8135 for further information. [Mike Coffey, WASO]

November 8 - 10 - "The Spanish Missionary Heritage of the United States",
Fountain Plaza Hotel, San Antonio, TX. For registration information, please
write to Quincentenary committee, San Antonio Missions NHP, 2202 Roosevelt
Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78210 or call either Racinda Meno or Dr. Art Gomez
at 512-229-5701.

November 9 - 10 - Fifth Annual Wilderness Emergencies Conference, Sedona,
AZ. Sponsored by Flagstaff Medical Center. For more information, contact
Sharon Harbeck, RN, PreHospital Care Coordinator, Flagstaff Medical Center,
P.O. Box 1268, Flagstaff, AZ 86002 (602-779-3366, ext. 4185). [Flagstaff
Medical Center]

November 12 - 15 - "Resource Technology 90: Second International Symposium
on Advanced Technology in Natural Resource Management," Washington, D.C.
For more information, contact conference coordinator Janette Evans at 303.
226-1688. Harvey Fleet, NPS-GIS, DSC, is coordinating the "Parks and
Protected Areas" segment of the session. [Kathy Jope, RAD/MARO]

November 12 - 17 - Sixth Conference on Research in the National Parks and
Equivalent Reserves, Westin Paso Del Norte Hotel, El Paso, TX. Sponsored by
George Wright Society. For further information, call the 1990 Conference
Committee at 415-556-1866. [George Wright Forum].

November 13 - 16 - "Agency and Inter-agency Response to Natural and
Technological Disasters", Sixth Annual Environmental Roundtable, Interlaken
Resort and Spa, Lake Geneva, WI. Sponsored by MWRO, DOI's Office of
Environmental Affairs (Chicago), USFS (Region 9) and EPA (Region 5). For
further information, contact John Townsend, FTS 864-3475. [John Townsend,
MWRO]

November 13 - 15 - Fundamentals of Search and Rescue, Newington, CT.
Sponsored by NASAR. Call 703-352-1349 for further information. [NASAR]

November 27 - 30 - Annual regional recreation fee and reservation system
coordinator training, Department of Interior. Benefitting account pays
travel and per diem. Contact Wes Kreis, FTS 268-4205. [Wes Kreis, RAD/WASO]

* November 30 - December 2 - Managing the Search Function, Charleston, WV.
Sponsored by NASAR. Call 703-352-1349 for further information. [NASAR]

December 3 - 7 - Fish Tracking Techniques, Panama City, FL. US Fish and
Wildlife Service course. $230 tuition. Call Mike Coffey at FTS 343-8135
for further information. [Mike Coffey, WASO]

* December 7 - 9 - Managing the Search Function, Lincroft, NJ. Sponsored by
NASAR. Call 703-352-1349 for further information. [NASAR]

December 10 - 14 - FMO meeting, location to be determined. [Doug Erskine,
FIRE]

December 10 - December 14 - Archeological Resource Protection, FLETC,
Glynco, GA. For application procedures, contact your regional training
office. [Carole Pfeifer, LEEDC/FLETC]

(Calendar appears in each Monday's morning report. If you know of a
conference, meeting or training session with Servicewide interest and
implications, please provide the specifics to Bill Halainen in Ranger
Activities).

STAFF STATUS

- Division Chief: Dabney at meeting at Assateague (9/25) and at uniform
  contractor in Nashville (9/26-9/27).

- Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Martin at board of inquiry for
  shooting death of Bob MoGhee at Gulf Islands (9/24-9/26); Halainen in
  Nashville (9/26-9/27) and on AL (9/28).

- Branch of Fire: Gale and Broyles at all-risk cadre meeting in Shenandoah
  (9/24-9/26); Erskine, Botti and Gale reviewing housing potential for
  Alpine hotshot crew at Zion and Bryce Canyon (9/27-9/28); Marla Mino
  on detail to Branch from Big Cypress (9/10-9/24).


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)
SEAdog:     1/650