RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/Date:  Monday, June 29, 1992

INCIDENTS

92-307 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Major Search for Felon

Over 300 law enforcement officers, including rangers from throughout the
area and about 100 FBI agents, are currently engaged in a massive search on
the South Rim for D.H., an escaped felon who kidnapped two people
and brought them to the park, then fired shots at rangers following an
unsuccessful effort to take two more people hostage.  D.H., who was
serving multiple life sentences in an Arizona prison for burglary, armed
robbery, kidnapping and assault and is wanted in California for a mutilation
homicide, escaped from jail early this month.  An unsuccessful manhunt for
him had been underway for three weeks when he kidnapped a young man and
woman - business partners from Phoenix - in Flagstaff on Thursday, June
25th, and drove them to the park.  D.H. took them to the El Tovar and
held them there through the night, but did not assault or otherwise harm
either of them.  On Friday morning, he took them to Babbitt's store and used
their credit cards to buy over $2,000 in camping equipment.  According to
the hostages, who were later released, D.H. then intended to find a
couple with kids and a motor home, take them hostage, and demand a million
dollars ransom and freedom for a brother being held in prison in California. 
He came upon a couple with a motor home in Babbitt's parking lot, drew a .44
magnum, and attempted to kidnap them.  The two people fled in separate
directions.  Dispatch soon received a report of a man with a gun in the
parking lot; seasonal ranger Donnie Miller responded.  When Miller arrived,
he saw D.H. attempting to leave the lot and pursued him.  D.H. fired
one shot at Miller, but did not hit him.  Two more rangers joined the
pursuit and chased D.H. to the West Rim Drive.  D.H. drove through the
gate which bars automotive traffic on the drive during the summer, smashing
the vehicle's windshield in the process.  He then fired two more shots at
rangers through the car's rear window, shattering it and spraying the
hostages in the back seat with glass.  D.H. finally abandoned the car at
Hopi Point and fled on foot, leaving the uninjured hostages behind.  The
park immediately began a search for D.H..  Rangers were brought in from
Bryce Canyon, Glen Canyon, Lake Mead, Zion, Joshua Tree, Walnut Canyon,
Wupatki and Sunset Crater; they were joined by about 200 officers from the
FBI, county sheriff's office, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Arizona
prison system, Forest Service and Border Patrol.  Four helicopters and three
search dog teams were also brought in.  The West Rim Drive was closed, as
was one of the air tour routes over the park.  Roadblocks were placed on all
access roads; visitors coming into the park were apprised of the situation,
and those leaving had their vehicles checked.  The FBI summoned an
additional 40 agents from Quantico and an FBI SWAT team, and brought in
sophisticated detection equipment.  Two ten-person Western Region special
event teams were also sent to the park.  As of 4:00 p.m. yesterday
afternoon, there were 300 people involved in the search, which is being run
under the incident command system with the chief ranger as incident
commander.  Searchers believe they found the cave where D.H. spent
Saturday night, and suspect that he may have attempted to take hostages at
the Maswick Lodge.  Guests in a room there reported that someone knocked on
their door during the night; when rangers were summoned, however, the person
fled.  D.H. has proved to be quite elusive.  He can travel at a pace of
five miles per hour for extended periods of time, and is known to be skilled
in evasion.  Searchers have found that he has used complex maneuvers to
shake off dogs and trackers.  He's also changed his appearance since
escaping prison by shaving his moustache and bleaching his hair.  The search
is focused to the south and west of Grand Canyon Village, and officers are
making a concerted effort to keep him out of residential and other inhabited
areas.  Last night, a coordinated search was conducted involving a high-altitude,
infra-red equipped aircraft, two helicopters and 100 FBI agents. 
As of 4:00 a.m. this morning, however, they had not found him.  Efforts
today will focus on searches of the perimeter of the park's residential area
with dog teams in an effort to pick up scent leads.  [Ken Miller, CR, GRCA,
and Phil Ward, RCR, RAD/WRO, 6/27, 6/28 and 6/29]

92-308 - Joshua Tree (California) - Earthquake

The epicenters of the major earthquakes which shook the California desert
Sunday morning were very close to the park.  Rangers from the park who were
participating in the search for D.H. at the Grand Canyon were summoned
home, but no report has yet been received from the park.  Repeated but
fruitless efforts were made to contact the park yesterday.  All phone lines
are apparently down, and power is out throughout the area.  A report on the
park's situation will be issued as soon as contact is made.  [Phil Ward,
RCR, RAD/WRO, 6/28]

92-309 - Denali (Alaska) - Climber Strandings 

A volcanic eruption from Mount Spurr, 130 miles south of Mount McKinley,
sent a huge ash plume into the sky on Saturday, June 27th, and threatened to
strand 130 climbers in the park.  The climbers had expected to be ferried by
ski-plane off the peak's Kahiltna Glacier base camp, but the eruption
showered ash on the snow runway, hastening the runway's summer meltdown and
making future glacier landings and take-offs dangerous.  Air-taxi companies
based in Talkeetna plan to close the Kahiltna base camp today.  Climbers
will now have to hike all the way out carrying their gear.  [Reuters news
story, 6/28]

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level II

2) FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency     Area           Fire                6/26    6/29    Status

 OR    USFS   Okanogan NF     * McCay - T2              -     500    CN 7/2
              Umatilla NF     * SB                      -     120    CND
       BLM    Burns Dist.     * Alvord                  -   1,000+   NEC

 WA    BIA    Colville Agency   Boot Mtn. Comp. - T2  750  15,259    CN 6/30

 ID    BLM    Boise Dist.     * Rock Creek #2           -     700    CND
                              * Presley Creek           -   2,300    CN 6/29

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            DM - Demob in progress

3) FIRE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS - 

 * Lava Beds - Three fires were found and suppressed in the park after the
   storm which passed through on June 24th.  A new fire was found on 
   Friday near Red Butte and was being suppressed at the time of the report.

4) FIRE ACTIVITY - 280 fires for 2,990 acres reported in past 24 hours.

5) ANALYSIS - Only minor mobilization is occurring, mostly internal movement
   within the Northwest.

6) PROGNOSIS - Demobilization from fires in Washington is anticipated
   because of cooler temperatures, higher humidities and rain.  The
   potential exists for increasing initial attack activity due to
   thunderstorms.  Red flag warnings have been issued for dry, strong,
   gusty winds in portions of southern Nevada and northern Arizona, and for
   dry thunderstorms and strong, gusty winds in portions of Utah.

[NPS Wildland Fire Summary, 6/29; NIFCC Intelligence Section, 6/29]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: Brady conducting field interviews for "Ranger Futures"
project (6/28-7/3).

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Henry on annual leave (6/25-7/2);
Smith on annual leave (6/22-7/2); Coffey on detail to WASO Wildlife and
Vegetation.

Branch of Fire and Aviation: No leave or travel scheduled.

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