RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           Ranger Activities Division Information Network

Day/Date:  Friday, June 5, 1992

INCIDENTS

91-x - Organ Pipe Cactus (Arizona) - Follow-up on Assist on Homicide 

On May 25th, D.W. was found guilty of first degree murder and
conspiracy in the murder of his wife in a jury trail in Maricopa County
Superior Court.  The murder took place in February of 1991 in Puerto
Penasco, Mexico.  Also implicated in the murder was D.W.'s lover,
Gonzalez Patino.  Crucial identification information was obtained by
prosecutors from a traffic stop made on Patino by rangers Robert Stinson,
Mark Daniel and Victor Carrasco in the park shortly after the murder
occurred.  Although the homicide was unknown at the time of the stop,
prosecutors were able to piece together evidence from the stop to develop a
case against Patino for fleeing Mexico.  The Arizona attorney general will
seek the death penalty for D.W.  Patino will be tried separately in
Mexico for murder and conspiracy.  [Cheto Olais, CR, ORPI, via cc:Mail
message from Carl Christensen, RAD/WRO, 6/4]

92-158 - Yosemite (California) - Follow-up on Structural Fire

Investigators have determined the cause of the fire which burned down the
rental cabin just after midnight on April 28th (not in the afternoon, as was
previously reported).  The occupants of the cabin had placed a plastic ice
chest on top of their furnace, believing that the furnace, which was an
older model mounted in the floor, would not be running due to warm
temperatures.  The furnace heat ignited the cooler, and flames rapidly
spread to the rest of the structure.  [Pat Harraway, YOSE, via cc:Mail
report from Carl Christensen, RAD/WRO, 6/4]

92-241 - Capitol Reef (Utah) - EMS Assist in Birth of Baby

Around 10:00 p.m. on the evening of May 27th, K.J. was en route to
the hospital in Richfield to give birth when she realized she was not going
to make it.  She stopped at the park and asked for assistance.  Chief ranger
Rick Nolan and ranger Neil Korsmo carried K.J. into Nolan's residence,
where she gave birth ten minutes later to a seven-pound, seven-ounce baby
boy.  Mother and baby were later transported to the hospital and arrived in
good condition.  [Neil Korsmo, CARE, via telefax from Jim Reilly, RAD/RMRO,
5/28]

92-242 - Badlands (South Dakota) - MVA with Damage to Entrance Station

The entrance kiosk at Interior was hit and damaged by a pickup truck driven
by F.H. at about 2:00 a.m. on the morning of June 2nd. 
F.H. was not injured in the accident.  Within minutes of the
collision, a passing motorist picked up F.H. as he was walking
towards Cedar Pass and brought him to the ranger station, where rangers and
South Dakota highway patrol officers interviewed him and investigated the
incident.  Alcohol was a definite factor.  The investigation is continuing. 
F.H. is the brother of M.H., who was involved in an
earlier accident at the Pinnacles entrance station.  [Telefax from John
Donaldson, CR, BADL, 6/4]

92-243 - Padre Island (Texas) - Illegal Hunting 

On May 30th, rangers Randy Reader and Gary Carroll investigated a report of
people hunting coyotes with fishing gear and made contact during the night
with eleven men at a camp twenty miles down the island.  The rangers
observed three large surf-fishing poles in holders, each with fishing line
extending 200 feet.  Upon investigation, they found that one pole was baited
with a seagull and the other was baited with large chunks of red meat.  One
of the suspects stated that they would wait until a coyote was hooked while
eating the bait, then play it until the coyote either broke the line or
stripped all the line off the reel and ran away.  One person was issued a
violation notice with a mandatory appearance for hunting not in accordance
with state or federal law.  The fishing poles and bait were seized as
evidence.  Rangers are following up the case to see if a violation of the
Lacey Act has occurred.  During the course of the on-scene investigation,
one of the suspects was found to have an outstanding warrant in San Antonio
for assault with bodily injury; he was arrested and taken to jail.  Texas
Parks and Wildlife officers are assisting on the case and will file separate
charges against the involved individuals.  [Telefax from Jim Radney, RLES,
RAD/SWRO, 6/2]

92-244 - Hawaii Volcanoes (Hawaii) - Drug Arrest

On May 29th, D.D., 22, of Keeau, Hawaii, was stopped by a park ranger
for a traffic violation on Highway 11.  D.D. initially identified himself
as Anyabuly Watunde and claimed to be a Rastafarian.  Although he refused to
provide any identification, he eventually allowed rangers to open a bag that
contained his identification.  Rangers also found marijuana in the bag.  A
check through Yosemite dispatch revealed that D.D. had been arrested on
drug charges in California and had a no bail warrant on him from Los Angeles
County for cultivation of marijuana.  D.D. was to be flown to Honolulu on
June 1st to answer federal charges and await extradition to Los Angeles
County on state charges.  [Jim Martin, CR, HAVO, via cc:Mail message from
Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 6/1]

92-245 - Organ Pipe Cactus (Arizona) - Reptile Poaching

On the evening of May 25th, Border Patrol agents notified the park of
suspicious activity on Highway 85 near the north boundary.  Rangers Robert
Stinson and Chris Ryan responded.  They came upon a vehicle operated by
J.S., 46, of Temecula, California, and found and confiscated one
long-nose snake, one leaf-nose snake, one night snake, and two gecko lizards
that had been captured in the park.  J.S. was charged with unlawful taking
and possession of wildlife.  This is the third incident in which snake
poachers have been apprehended within the park in the last two months. 
[Cheto Olais, CR, ORPI, via cc:Mail message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 6/2]

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level 1

2) FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency     Area            Fire                6/4     6/5    Status
 
 CA    CDF    Siskiyou RU        Garvey               350     973    CN 6/6

 AZ    BIA    Pima Agency        Old Yellow           200   1,150    CN 6/5
       USFS   Tonto NF         * Sugarloaf              -     110    CND

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
  CL - Controlled              MN - Being monitored
  CS - Confinement strategy    NEC - No estimate of containment
  CN (date) - Expected date    CND - Contained
     of containment

3) FIRE NARRATIVES - No significant activity in any NPS area.

4) ANALYSIS - Initial attack activity continues over most of the country.
   
5) PROGNOSIS - No resource shortages expected.

[NPS Wildland Fire Summary, 6/5 NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0737 EDT, 6/5]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

El Malpais (New Mexico) - Initial Flora/Fauna Inventory Completion

The first annual report from a three-year flora and fauna inventory of El
Malpais has just been received from the contractor, the biology department
at the University of New Mexico.  The primary researcher and his field team
spent last summer and some parts of last fall and winter collecting field
data on all aspects of the park's flora and fauna, and found approximately
600 plant species (150 were formerly known), 230 lichen species (75 were
known), and approximately 1,000 species of arthropods (none were previously
listed).  In addition, 20 small mammal voucher specimens were collected, and
observations of bighorn sheep bones were made (they are now extinct in the
area). [Ken Mabery, CR, ELMA]

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Coffey on detail to WASO Wildlife
and Vegetation.

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Gale chairing I-520/620 cadre meeting, Marana,
AZ (6/1-6/5); Berg conducting FIREPRO audits, Lassen Volcanic and Lava Beds,
CA (6/1-6/5); Broyles at "RX 90 Burn Boss" faculty meeting, Harrisonburg, VA
(6/1-6/5); Clark instructing S-290 and qualifications with BLM, Reno, NV
(6/1-6/5).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:  Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5572/5573 or 202-208-5572/5573

Telefax:    Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-6756 or 202-208-6756
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977

CompuServe: Branch of R&VP - WASO-RANGER
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO-FIRE-WO

cc:Mail     Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation