RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                       MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date: Friday, October 19, 1990

INCIDENTS

90-372 - Crater Lake (Oregon) - Mushroom Picking Citations

Over the last few months, the park has begun to have problems with organized
groups of pickers illegally collecting mushrooms for sale to Japanese
buyers. Groups of up to 15 pickers are dropped off from vehicles along the
highway, move into the weeds and harvest the mushrooms, then are picked up
by the same vehicles. The mushrooms are taken to Portland and Seattle and
are air-shipped to Japan the next morning. Pickers are paid from $12 to $15
per pound in cash, and can make from $200 to $2,000 in a day. The mushrooms
sell for up to $40 per pound in Japan. Although picking is legal under a
permit in the adjacent Winema NF, it is illegal in the park. Rangers have
cited 22 people to date; two of the 22 have been arrested on outstanding
warrants. Almost 500 pounds of mushrooms have been confiscated. Pickers
have begun posting lookouts, wearing camouflage clothing, and running when
contacted by rangers. Groups of pickers are claiming territorial rights in
the park and forest, and there have been reports of confrontations between
groups. Most pickers are armed with knives and/or handguns. (CompuServe
message from Mark Forbes, RAD/PNRO, 10/18).

90-373 - Bighorn Canyon (Montana/Wyoming) - MVA with Serious Injury

On the morning of the 16th, a Jeep CJ-5 driven by J.L. of Hardin,
Montana, went off a road in the park, struck an obstacle, went airborne for
45 feet, hit the ground and rolled over twice. J.L. was ejected and
thrown some 50 feet into a barbed wire fence. The park's EMS team responded
and stabilized J.L., who was then medevaced to a hospital in Billings.
He is currently in a coma and is listed in very critical condition with
internal chest injuries and a fractured skull. Alcohol is believed to have
been a contributing factor in the accident. (Telefax from Dean Garrett, DR,
BICA, 10/18).

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No reports today.

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - I

2) NATIONAL FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency      Area             Fire                    10/15          10/18  Status

OR     USFS      Siskiyou NF       Chrome                   2,171         2,171  Yes

MT     USFS      Gallatin NF       Iron Mtn. - T2           3,400         3,400  None
GA     USFWS     Okefenokee NWR    Shorts - T2             20,773        20,773  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) ANALYSIS - Only minor fire activity is being reported.

4) PROGNOSIS - The potential exists for initial attack activity in
California, southern Nevada and the Southeast.

(NICC Intelligence Section, Fire Management Situation Report, 1830 MDT,
10/18).

STAFF STATUS

- Division Chief: Dabney on AL (10/15-10/19).

- Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Kreis on lieu day (10/19).

- Branch of Fire: Kurd and Gale in Marana, Arizona (10/15-10/19); Broyles
  at National Safety Council meeting in Portland (10/14-10/19).


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