RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/Date:  Friday, October 2, 1992

Release:   0830 EDT

INCIDENTS

92-451 - South Florida Areas - Follow-up on Hurricane Andrew

There are currently 282 people (217 from the NPS) working on recovery
operations under the management of the ARM team.  Work is continuing on
previously reported projects, including reroofing structures, clearing
brush, restoring power, and constructing facilities.  Over 80 ICS trainees
are now working on assignments in the three park units.  As of this date,
there have been no lost time accidents or injuries related to the recovery
operations.

Preliminary reports from the resource assessment team headed by Gary Davis
have been completed and presented to the superintendents of the three parks. 
Some of the highlights follow:

* Trees - Virtually all large hammock trees were affected by the storm, and
  20-30% are down or broken.  From 20-25% of royal palms, 25-40% of pines,
  and about 90% of known red-cockaded woodpecker nest trees were felled by
  the storm.  Approximately 70,000 acres of mangrove forests in the parks
  were knocked down; from 85-90% of the mature mangroves at Highland Beach
  on the west side of Everglades are down.  Most surviving trees are 
  starting to re-leaf, particularly the hardwoods.

* Wildlife - Very little evidence of direct mortality was seen, but
  recruitment may suffer for several years.  One deer and 200 wading birds
  were found dead in Biscayne Bay, but hundreds more were found alive.
  Adult alligators were unaffected; the fate of nests and young is unclear
  because hatching was taking place as the storm hit.  Coastal rookeries in
  mangroves were severely altered, but many in interior marshes were 
  unaffected.  Deer seem to be doing well - all 32 radio-collared deer
  survived, but about a third shifted their home ranges.  

* Fish - Freshwater fish and macroinvertebrate populations seemed relatively
  unaffected.  Historical data, however, only permits detection of ten-fold
  changes in populations.  

* Interior Waters - The storm had little impact on the park's hydrology or
  interior water quality.  

* Marine Environments - Marine environments fared well in comparison with
  terrestrial areas.  The major effect seems to be increased and persisting 
  turbidity.  There was some patchy bottom scouring, but submerged areas
  appeared to be intact, particularly in comparison to adjacent uplands.
  A few reef tops were scoured, and 200-year-old corals were rolled over,
  but the distribution of effects was patchy and reefs naturally grow by
  breaking up and regrowing after storms.  Sponges in Biscayne Bay were
  heavily impacted - about 50% are gone from fixed plots and others were
  killed.  More manatees were counted in a census than had been counted
  since monitoring began.  Sea turtle nesting beaches were probably improved
  by overwash.

* Marine Archeology - Fourteen of 40 known wreck sites were resurveyed and
  searches were conducted for new sites.  Some vessels showed erosion.
  The storm showed that hurricanes do not jumble wrecks as has been
  suggested by looters.  

* Air and Water Resources - The storm generated between 20 and 40 million
  cubic yards of debris throughout south Florida - equivalent to a football
  field stacked from three to five miles high.  If burned, it will enter
  the parks by air; if stored in the ground, it will leach into the water.
  No air monitoring is being conducted anywhere in Dade County because the
  storm blew all the equipment away.

Here's what you can do to help your fellow employees in the three parks:

* Notes and Letters - There is a new fax number for sending messages to
  employees - 305-242-7716.

* Material Contributions - These should be sent to the person care of the
  all-risk team and shipped to Oasis Ranger Station, Big Cypress NP, 53553
  East Tamiami Trail, Highway 41, Ochopee, FL 33943.  Books dealing with
  marine resources, islands, birds and/or environmental stories can be
  contributed to the Biscayne Environmental Education Project, care of the
  above address.  

* Donations - Monetary contributions to the relief effort may be sent to
  Andrew Relief Fund, ENP&MA, Attention: George Minnucci, 446 North Lane,
  Conshohocken, PA 19428; checks should be made out to ENP&MA with a
  notation that the donation is for the relief fund.  

[Bill Adams, ARM team, 10/2]

92-541 - Yosemite (California) - Felony Arrest

On the evening of September 26th, an abandoned vehicle was discovered in the
Wawona District, and checks on it revealed that it had been stolen in Ohio. 
Information received from Ohio led to the identification and detention of
S.L.H., 20, of Pittsfield, Illinois, the following day. 
S.L.H. told investigators that he had stolen the vehicle in Gallipolis,
Ohio, on September 15th, and subsequently admitted to committing a burglary
in Kemmerer, Wyoming, where he obtained two weapons that rangers had found
in the vehicle.  He also admitted to minor larcenies throughout the Midwest
and implicated himself in a theft in Longview, Texas.  Information collected
in the investigation has been turned over to law enforcement agencies in
Wyoming, Texas, Ohio and Illinois.  S.L.H. is currently being held on three
federal charges - interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle, interstate
transportation of stolen weapons, and possession of weapons by a convicted
felon.  [Leslie Crossland, YOSE, 9/29]

92-542 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Serious Visitor Injuries

A 60-year-old male and 61-year-old female were crossing the South Entrance
Road at a crosswalk near the visitor center at 7:30 p.m. on September 26th
when they were struck by a vehicle traveling between 25 and 30 mph.  The car
traveled another 30 feet before stopping.  The two victims suffered major
injuries, including multiple fractures and head injuries.  Rangers responded
in two NPS ambulance and provided advanced life support.  Both patients were
flown directly from the park to Phoenix by fixed wing aircraft.  The
accident is still under investigation.  [Dispatch, GRCA, 10/1]

92-543 - Whiskeytown (California) - Body Found

The body of an adult male was found by two maintenance workers at the
government dock facility on Whiskeytown Lake early on the morning of October
1st.  The cause of death and identity of the victim have not yet been
determined.  The county sheriff and coroner are investigating.  [Ray Foust,
Superintendent, WHIS, 10/1]

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level II

2) FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency     Area           Fire/Incident        10/1     10/2  Status

 FL    NPS     South Florida    Hurr. Andrew - ARMT    N/A      N/A  --

 OR    USFS    Wallowa-
                Whitman NF     East Pine               210      210  CN 10/3

 CA    USFS    Eldorado NF      Cleveland - T1      16,300   20,160  NEC

 MT    State   -                Hassey Creek           500    1,100  CND
               -                Gobbler Knob           400      760  CND    

 ID    BLM     Boise            Cowan Reservoir        450      593  CND
                              * Foothills #6             -      203  CND

 NM    BLM     Roswell        * LF Rake                  -      100  CND

Notes:

* - New fire/incident (this report)  T1/T2 - Type 1 or Type 2 team committed
ARMT - All-risk management team      CN - Expected date of containment
NEC - No estimate of containment     CND - Contained
NR - No report received              DM - Demobilizing

3) FIRE ACTIVITY - 140 fires for 3,514 acres in the past 24 hours.

4) ANALYSIS - Very high to extreme indices are still being reported in
California, the Northwest, the Great Basin and the Rockies.  Fire activity
continues due to record high temperatures and strong winds.

5) PROGNOSIS - The potential exists for increased activity due to the
arrival of hunting season and forecasted warm and dry weather.

[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 10/2]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Theodore Roosevelt (North Dakota) - Mapping of Leafy Spurge

Efforts by park researchers to map leafy spurge using high elevation aerial
photography proved unsuccessful this past summer.  The resource management
staff is seeking information from other parks on possible remote sensing
techniques that may permit geo-based referencing for mapping and control
strategy purposes.  The size and distribution of the spurge infestation
within the badlands can not be adequately estimated and mapped in
conventional ways because of rugged topography.  If you can help, call 
the park at 701-623-4466.  [Roger Andrascik, THRO]

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Berkowitz on AL (9/28-10/9).

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Gale and Broyles, ARM Team, Everglades and
Biscayne, FL (indefinite).

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