- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, August 25, 1992
- Date: Tues, 25 Aug 1992
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Tuesday, August 25, 1992
INCIDENTS
92-451 - Florida and Gulf Coast Areas - Follow-up on Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew caused significant damage to some park areas in south
Florida, but none of those employees who sought refuge in the parks were
injured. Preliminary damage reports have been received:
* Everglades - Estimates of the full extent of damage inflicted on the park
are incomplete because many areas remain unreachable due to fallen trees
and other damage. The visitor center near park headquarters was flooded,
the walls blew out, and the roof was seriously damaged. Roofs of a number
of housing units in Pine Island were blown off. Initial reports are that
damage at Flamingo is lighter than expected, but that has not yet been
confirmed. All phones and power are out; current estimates are that it
will take between one and four weeks to restore power to the area. The
park's communications center is intact and operating on power provided by
generators. Water lines are also out, and the park is currently attempting
to restore them. Fuller assessments of damage will be possible once the
park's contract helicopter returns. Everglades has asked that the Service's
all-risk incident management team be dispatched to the park to assist in
recovery operations; efforts to get them to the park have already begun.
SERO has been working with the Forest Service's Southeast Interagency
Coordination Center (SICC) to get supplies to the park. SICC is sending
food and a 24-hour supply of gas today. Half of the 24 generators requested
by Everglades will likely come from SICC, and SERO will be working to obtain
the remaining dozen from other sources. SERO will be sending additional
supplies of food, gasoline and diesel fuel to the park, possibly with the
assistance of Canaveral or other area parks. One or two SER SET teams will
likely be dispatched to provide protection to facilities at Flamingo and
elsewhere, and teams of carpenters, plumbers, and other facilities
specialists will also be put together and sent to the park.
* Biscayne - The magnitude of damage to the park is unknown because no one
has been able to reach the area yet. The park will be checked once
Everglade's helicopter returns.
* Big Cypress - Early indications are that the park was largely spared
during the hurricane's passage across the peninsula. Some small utility
trailers and storage sheds were damaged, but residences are largely intact.
* Fort Jefferson - No report has come in yet, but the hurricane passed well
to the north of the park. SERO will attempt to reach them again today.
* Canaveral - All areas of the park have been reopened.
Meanwhile, parks along the Gulf Coast are beginning to make preparations for
the hurricane's arrival:
* Gulf Islands - Petit Bois and Horn, the two islands which together
comprise the park's Mississippi District, were closed and evacuated Monday
afternoon. The islands are ten miles offshore and accessible only by boat.
Equipment and boats have been moved to the mainland. The Florida District
remains open since it is easier to evacuate. A decision on what course of
action to take will be made today based on the hurricane's movements.
* Jean Lafitte - The hurricane is expected to strike the Louisiana coast
sometime tonight, and the park is well underway in preparing for its
arrival. All boats have been taken out of the water and stored except for
two large weed harvesters, which have been moored in bayou backwaters. The
five coastal units - Chalmette, Barataria, Islenos, Chitimacha (the park has
a center on reservation land) and Thibodaux - were closed yesterday or will
be closed early today. Equipment has been secured and buildings have been
boarded up. Special attention is being paid to the Barataria Unit, which is
particularly vulnerable. Steps have been taken to remove or dismantle some
equipment so that it can be quickly reinstalled once the storm has passed.
Since many roads in the unit will be closed, the park is working closely
with local and federal authorities to assure that no one is caught behind
barricaded roads. The Customs building which houses park headquarters will
be kept open so that employees who want to stay there can do so. All
headquarters employees will be placed on administrative leave effective this
morning.
* Big Thicket - The park is within a hurricane watch area and is prepared to
take necessary actions as soon as circumstances warrant. At present, they
are closely monitoring the storm's movements.
* Padre Island - Preliminary meetings on the hurricane were conducted
yesterday, and a planning meeting will be held this morning.
[Bill Springer, RCR, RAD/SERO; Bob Belous, SUPT, JELA; Tom McDaniel, PAIS;
Ron Switzer, SUPT, BITH, 8/24 and 8/25]
92-454 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Storm Damage
On the afternoon of August 21st, heavy rains from the remnants of Pacific
Hurricane Lester fell on Lake Mead and caused serious damage to several
facilities. Lake Mead Marina at Boulder Beach broke loose from its moorings
and floated out into the lake. The road to Willow Beach was completely
washed out and the water line and chlorine house there were destroyed.
Cottonwood Cove and Temple Bar was also hit hard, but remain open to the
public. A full damage assessment is underway, but it is already evident
that repairs to the Willow Beach water line will cost approximately
$100,000. No injuries were reported. Rangers are patrolling by aircraft
and boat to determine if any visitors have been stranded. Further rains are
predicted for the area. [Phil Ward, RCR, RAD/WRO, 8/24]
92-455 - Santa Monica Mountains (California) - Drug Arrests
Over the course of the summer, rangers and officers from the Ventura and Los
Angeles county sheriffs' departments have discovered five marijuana
plantations and a PCP laboratory on park and adjacent public lands.
Surveillance teams were established to monitor these locations with the
intent of gathering evidence and apprehending those responsible for these
sites. During the three days from August 11th to the 13th, Santa Monica
rangers working with the task force, assisted by rangers from Joshua Tree,
made four field arrests and a warrant arrest, served two search warrants,
and made one follow-up arrest when a suspect turned himself in through his
lawyer. Five vehicles, small quantities of various narcotics, marijuana
gardening equipment and marijuana valued at over $500,000 were seized.
During the execution of one search warrant, team members found det cord, a
blasting cap, black powder, a bomb casing and written instructions on
explosives and marijuana cultivation. It's believed that the suspect was
preparing to set booby traps in the garden. All plantations have been
removed. Arrests and prosecutions are being conducted by county agencies.
[Ernest Quintana, CR, SAMO, 8/20]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level IV
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 8/24 8/25 Status
CA CDF Shasta-Trin. RU Fountain 64,000 64,000 NEC
Barker 6,400 5,600 CND
State Kern County Middle Ridge 350 1,000 CN 8/26
USFS Los Padres NF Rancho 126 126 CND
Inyo NF Rainbow - T1 8,300 7,600 CN 8/28
ID BLM Boise Dist. Foothills -
T1 (2 teams)
T2 (1 team) 253,700 257,600 CN 9/6
Spring Site 250 500 CN 8/25
USFS Payette NF French Creek - T1 2,500+ 2,590 CN 8/25
Warm Springs - T1 6,000 6,300 NEC
Windy Ridge - T1 17,500 17,500 CND
Camp Creek 1,300 1,300 CN 8/27
Sawtooth NF Trapper - T2 9,500 9,500 CND
Clearwater NF Powell
Complex - T2 280 490 CND
Nez Perce NF Scott - T1 5,000 5,000 CN 8/26
Porcupine - T1 16,000 18,360 CN 8/30
Selway
Complex - T2 525 693 CND
Salmon NF Lake NR 1,492 CN 8/25
State - One Mile 918 918 CN 8/25
Notes:
* - New fire (this report) T1/T2 - Type 1 or Type 2 team committed
NEC - No estimate of containment CN (date) - Expected date of containment
NR - No report received CND - Contained
CL - Controlled
3) FIRE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS -
* Shasta-Trinity RU - The Fountain Fire has destroyed over 300 homes and
about 270 other buildings to date. Strong winds, low humidity and
temperatures near 90 degrees continue to hinder suppression efforts.
* Inyo NF - Devils Postpile NM and public use facilities in the area
remain closed. Suppression efforts are being hampered by steep, rocky,
inaccessible terrain, low fuel moistures and spotting.
* Boise District/Boise NF - An area command is in place to manage the
Foothills Fire, with Type I teams in the north and south zones and
a Type II team in the BLM zone. An all-out effort is being made to
connect the line between the north and south zones in anticipation of
warmer, drier weather.
4) FIRE ACTIVITY - 122 fires for 16,361 in past 24 hours.
5) ANALYSIS - Cool weather has helped firefighters gain control of several
fires in the Northwest, northern Rockies and northern intermountain
area. Resources from fires that have met containment targets are
being demobilized or remobilized elsewhere.
6) PROGNOSIS - Fire activity is expected to continue due to low humidities
and rising temperatures. Demobilization is expected to increase as
more project fires meet containment dates.
[NIFCC, 8/25]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No field reports today.
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Martin on operational review,
Yellowstone NP, WY (8/24-8/28); Henry conducting aircraft overflight
research, Grand Canyon NP, AZ (8/24-9/1); Lee at urban SAR conference, San
Diego, CA (8/20-8/28); Sisto at oil spill seminar, Hyannis, MA (8/24-8/28);
Schamp on Danny Horning incident review, Grand Canyon NP, AZ (8/24-8/28).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd and Spruill at organizational review,
Branch of F&A, Boise, ID (8/24-8/28).
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