RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/Date:  Thursday, September 23, 1993

Broadcast: By 0900 EDT

INCIDENTS

93-719 - Lava Beds (California) - Earthquake

The earthquakes which struck the area around Klamath Falls, Oregon, on the
night of September 20th, were felt in the park, which is about 45 miles
southeast of that city.  Park facilities were not damaged, but caves in the
park were closed until they could be inspected for hazards.  The park
expects to return to normal operations this morning.  [Craig Dorman,
Superintendent, LABE, 9/22]

93-720 - Indiana Dunes (Indiana) - Arson

A vacant house which was formerly an occupied reservation-of-use property
burned to the ground on the evening of September 18th.  The fire was
reported by neighbors and was extinguished by two local fire departments. 
An NPS fire crew provided assistance and prevented adjacent vegetation from
becoming involved.  The house has been vacant for ten months, so no
utilities were connected to it.  Lightning has also been ruled out as a
cause.  Arson is presumed; an investigation is underway.  [Joni Jones, INDU,
9/22]

93-721 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Three Drownings

On the evening of September 21st, H.M. and his family were
visiting the Cabin Point site in the Katharine area on Lake Mohave. 
H.M. and his wife were outside of their 1974 van, which was parked on an
incline, when one of the four children inside accidentally knocked it out of
gear and it rolled into the lake at a point where the water is about 25 feet
deep.  H.M. immediately dove in the water and rescued his two sons
before the vehicle turned over, but was unable to reach his two daughters,
ages one and three, and drowned while attempting to save them.  Rangers and
Bullhead City officers were notified and responded to the scene.  Bullhead
City divers recovered the bodies of the two girls from the van.  [Dispatch,
LAME, 9/22]

93-722 - Gateway (New York/New Jersey) - Homicide

A citizen walking his dog on the morning of September 20th found the body of
a teenage male covered with construction debris in a weeded area of Plumb
Beach.  Initial investigation indicates that the victim was kidnapped about
a week ago during an armed robbery.  Although he had multiple stab wounds,
the exact cause of death has not been determined.  The case is being jointly
investigated by New York City and Park Police officers.  [Lt. Martin Zweig,
NYFO/USPP, 9/22]

93-723 - Natchez Trace (Mississippi/Alabama/Tennessee) - Structural Fire

An unidentified person or persons pried open the storage room door at the
Witchdance restroom and set the building on fire late on the evening of
September 21st.  A local fire department responded, but the building was
totally consumed.  The valuation of the building has been placed at $30,000. 
An investigation is underway.  [Gordon Wissinger, CR, NATR, 9/22]

93-724 - Yellowstone (Wyoming) - Poaching

Rangers are investigating the illegal killing of a large, eight-by-six point
bull elk, which was shot in Elk Park sometime after dark on the night of
September 19th.  The bull was frequently photographed and filmed by
commercial and private photographers as he collected his harem and withstood
challenges from other bulls during the days preceding his death.  The
poacher or poachers shot the animal with a rifle at least two times, then
sawed off its distinctive antlers and base plate and left the carcass
behind.  The estimated value of the antlers, when professionally mounted,
has been placed at several thousand dollars.  Rangers are evaluating
videotape and photographs provided by photographers, following up on a
number of leads from witnesses who were in the area at the time of the
shooting, and coordinating investigate information with neighboring state
wildlife agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Several good
leads have been developed, but no suspects have yet been identified.  [CRO,
YELL, 9/22]

93-725 - Blue Ridge Parkway (North Carolina/Virginia) - Attempted Robbery

A visitor and his family were picnicking on a grassy roadside in the Rocky
Knob District on September 19th when a man with a ski mask approached them
from the nearby woods, pointed a shotgun at them, and demanded their money,
watches, rings and other valuables.  The visitor told the would-be robber
that they had no money or other valuables, that the only possessions they
had with them were the spare tire and jack in the trunk of the car, and that
he was welcome to those if he so desired.  Upon receipt of this information,
the masked man retreated through the woods to a dirt road outside the park
boundary, jumped into his vehicle, and sped away.  Local authorities are
handling the investigation in conjunction with an investigation of similar
incidents in neighboring counties.  [Larry Freeman, CRO, BLRI, 9/22]

93-726 - New River Gorge (West Virginia) - Rescue

On the afternoon of September 19th, J.B., a 25-year-old rock
climber from St. Clairsville, Ohio, fell approximately 20 feet from a cliff
in the Central Endless Wall climbing area.  J.B. was leading a 5.10
climb called "Total Eclipse" at the time of the fall.  His belay arrested
his fall, but not before he landed on a ledge feet first and severely
fractured his lower leg.  He also suffered possible back injuries and minor
head injuries in the fall.  J.B. was lowered to the bottom by his
climbing companions, and a runner was sent out for help.  An interagency
rescue/medical team stabilized his injuries, then lifted his litter
vertically up the 110-foot cliff and carried him to a waiting ambulance.  He
was taken to a local hospital for treatment.  [Rick Brown, Canyon DR, NERI,
9/22]

               [More pending incident reports tomorrow...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level I

2) FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency     Area            Fire              9/22      9/23   Status

 CA    CDF    San Diego        * Bell                  -       300   CN 9/23

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
  CND - Contained              CN (date) - Expected date of containment

3) ANALYSIS - Initial attack activity was reported yesterday in California. 
Minor fire activity was reported throughout the rest of the country.

4) PROGNOSIS - A red flag watch has been issued for gusty winds in northern
Arizona.  Initial attack is expected to continue in some areas.

[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 9/23]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Florrisant Fossil Beds (Colorado) - Rare Fossil Discovery

The fossil of an unusual Dytiscus beetle was recently identified in the
Florrisant shale formation in the park.  The predaceous diving beetle has
never before been found among the more than 11,000 species of insects from
Florissant.  The genus is found as a fossil in only three other places in
North America - none from the Eocene epoch and none from Colorado.  [Brian
Lakes, FLFO]

NOTES

1) 6c Benefits - The Branch of Labor and Employee Relations issued the
following memorandum in August: "It will again be necessary for employees
who filed timely requests for individual service credit under 8336(c), as
well as yearly updates, to file an update by September 30, 1993, to cover
the additional year.  It will also be necessary for any employees who have
not already filed a claim or have entered new positions, but who wish to
have the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) consider coverage for their
present positions, to file within one year of the date for which they wish
coverage.  OPM will no longer grant coverage for 'a period greater than one
year prior to the date that the request from an individual is received by
the employing agency.'  Questions may be referred to Marsha Lee of the
Branch of Labor and Employee Relations on 202-208-4434."  Since several
issues pertaining to 6(c) will probably be resolved in the near future, it's
particularly important that those who've applied for such coverage file
their annual requests for credit.  [Jim Brady, RAD/WASO]

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Henry at Fifth World Wilderness
Conference (9/22-10/4).

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

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone: Branch of R&VP - 202-208-4874
           Branch of F&A (WASO) - 202-208-5572
Telefax:   Branch of R&VP - 202-208-6756
           Branch of F&A (WASO) - 202-208-5977
cc:Mail:   Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
           Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation
SkyPager:  Emergencies ONLY (numeric message) - 1-800-759-7243, PIN 2404843 
SkyTalk:   Emergencies ONLY (voice message) - 1-800-759-8255, PIN 2404843