NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Monday, August 7, 1995

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

95-469 - Gulf Islands (Florida/Mississippi) - Follow-up on Hurricane Erin

A damage assessment was completed on the morning of August 4th, and it was
determined that the park had suffered no major damage:  

* Santa Rosa day use area - Several roofs lost shingles and felt; a window
was also blown out in one building, causing wind and rain damage to its
interior and exhibits.  Numerous sand drifts were found across Highway
399, which goes through the area.  Plans are to reopen the area by
Friday.

* Fort Pickens - Several trees were down in the Fort Pickens campground,
which was also covered with a large amount of debris.  There was no
overwash or damage to any of the roads there.  The park also hopes to
have this area opened by Friday.

* Pensacola Beach - At the time of the report, only residents and business
owners were being allowed into the area.

* Fort Barrancas - The fort remains closed because of hazardous leaning
trees around the visitor center and downed trees on the trail leading up
to the fort.

* Perdido Key/Johnson's Beach - Damage to roof shingles and drifting sand
were reported in both locations.

* Naval Live Oaks VC - The visitor center remains closed because of the
large number of downed trees in the area.

Power and telephone service remains out in much of the park.  Some employees
reported wind and water damage to their homes and have been allowed time off to
assess damage and start cleanup and repair.  Many employee residences are also
without power or phone service.  Today is scheduled as an all-employee cleanup
day in the Naval Live Oak and Fort Pickens areas.  [CRO, GUIS]

95-492 - Yukon-Charley Rivers (Alaska) - Aircraft Crash

An Air Force F-15C fighter crashed in the park on August 3rd while engaged in
flight training exercises.  The pilot ejected safely, but the $15 million plane
was destroyed.  The crash occurred in a remote tributary of the Charley River. 
The wreckage is in the middle of the tributary and is leaking fuel into both
the soil and stream.  NPS, state and Air Force personnel are on scene and will
remain for 30 days to measure and mitigate environmental impacts and determine
the cause of the crash.  Park employees will also bear-proof the camp and
manage any wildlife confrontations that may occur there.  [Jan Dick, CR, YUCH]'

95-493 - Sequoia/Kings Canyon (California) - Drowning

On August 3rd, J.R., 22, of Lemoore, California, was swept down the
Middle Fork of the Kaweah River and presumably drowned.  J.R. had scrambled
downhill to the edge of the water in the Hospital Rock area and was rock-
hopping when he misjudged a jump and fell into the river.  He was swept over
several waterfalls in the cold, fast-moving water, and was last seen floating
face down in a large pool several hundred yards downstream from his point of
entry.  The swift, cold water is hindering ranger efforts to locate and recover
his body.  [Pete Allen, SEKI]

95-494 - Rocky Mountain (Colorado) - Climbing Accident

A 37-year-old man sustained lower back injuries while attempting a technical
ascent of 12,713-foot Hallett Peak on the afternoon of July 29th.  The victim
and his climbing partner were within 30 feet of the Culp-Boosier route on
Hallett's 800-foot north face when he lost his hold in wet conditions and fell
10 to 25 feet, sustaining injuries to his lower back and pelvis when his
harness stopped his fall.  Another climbing party in the area heard calls for
help, responded and raised the injured man to the crest of the Boosier route. 
A member of the party descended and contacted ranger Scott Hall at 9 p.m.  The
injured man's climbing partner remained with him on the crest until a team of a
dozen rescuers, who began their ascent at 11:30 p.m., arrived at the scene at 5
a.m.  Paramedic Mike Pratt stabilized the patient and the team moved him a half
mile up vertical scree to the summit of the mountain, where he was medevaced by
helicopter to Denver.  He is currently being treated for three fractured
vertebrae.  This is the third climbing rescue this month on Hallett Peak. 
[Sharon Brubaker, ROMO]

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level III

2) LARGE FIRE SUMMARY

                                                                  %   Est
State    Area                Fire         IMT       8/4      8/7  Con  Con  

 ID   Boise NF         * Lakes             T1         -    1,000    0  NEC
      Idaho Falls Dis. * Starlight         --         -    1,500  100  CND
                       * Dempsey           --         -      200   60  CN 8/7
                       * 2.5 Mile          --         -    1,500   NR  NR 
      Boise Dis.       * Pearl             --         -      500   NR  NR

 UT   State            * Locomotive        --         -    3,200  100  CND

 CA   Klamath NF         Pony              T2       725      965   60  CN 8/8
      Riverside RU     * Verbenia          ST         -   18,500   45  NEC
      San Bernadino NF * Rouse             --         -    1,029  100  CND

 AZ   Grand Canyon NP    Matthes           T2       900    1,900   93  CN 8/8
      State            * Monks Draw        --         -      500   60  CN 8/7
      Coconino NF      * Plant             --         -    1,200  100  CND
      Tonto NF         * Medicine          --         -    2,580  100  CND

 NV   Humboldt NF      * Battle Creek      --         -    2,000    0  NEC

HEADING NOTES:

Fire     * = newly reported fire (on this report).  Cx = complex.
IMT     T1 = Type 1; T2 = Type II; ST1 = state Type 1; ST2 = state Type 2.
% Con   Percent of fire contained.
Est Con Estimated containment date.  NEC = no estimated date of
        containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report.

3) FIRES YESTERDAY -

                NPS     BIA      BLM     FWS    States     USFS      Total

Number            4      19       24       0        61       58        166
Acres Burned      1      48    5,216       0     7,082    3,288     15,635

4) COMMITTED RESOURCES -

               Crews     Engines     Helicopters     Airtankers     Overhead

Federal           83       155           43               6             31
Non-federal       24        10            0               0              0

5) COMPARATIVE SUMMARY -

                                      CY 1995            Five Year Average
                                    Year-to-Date           Year-to-Date

Number of Fires - U.S.                 56,310                  50,732     
Acres Burned - U.S.                 1,287,135               1,966,613 
Number of Fires - Canada                6,478                       -
Acres Burned - Canada              14,562,835                       -

6) FIRE NARRATIVES -

* Matthes Fire, Grand Canyon NP - Fire debris rolling into the Grand Canyon is
reportedly causing concern.  A Type II team, 12 crews and 11 engines have been
committed to the fire.

* Verbenia Fire, Riverside Ranger Unit - The fire made major runs yesterday,
burning into very inaccessible terrain and onto the San Bernadino NF.  The fire
is currently threatening the community of Morongo Valley.

7) SITUATION - Initial attack continued at moderate levels in most areas
yesterday.  Resource mobilization through NICC increased.  Many areas in the
Southwest, Great Basin, Rockies and California continue to report very high to
extreme fire indices.  Several areas in the Northwest are reporting very high
indices.
 
8) OUTLOOK - A red flag warning has been posted for strong winds and dry
lightning in southeast Oregon, southern Idaho, and southwest Wyoming.  Four
fire weather watches are also in effect - for strong winds, low humidity and
dry lightning in most of Wyoming; for gusty winds, low humidity and widely
scattered thunderstorms in central and eastern Montana; for strong winds in
most of Nevada; and for gusty winds and low humidity in the upper Sacramento
valley and surrounding foothills.  Initial attack is expected to increase, as
is the potential for escaped fires.

[NIFCC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/7]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) 6(c) Retirements - Ranger Activities has received word from several parks
regarding rangers who will be retiring from the Service at the end of this
month or shortly thereafter because of the mandatory 6(c) retirement
requirement.  We would like to list all of them in "Clear Text", the office's
cc:Mail newsletter, which will be coming out on or about August 15th.  If you
know of someone who will be leaving the NPS, please send his or her name, info
on his or her career, and particulars on farewells (parties, letters and cards,
gifts, etc.) to this address as soon as possible.

OBSERVATIONS

Today's quote was sent in by Dennis Burnett from WASO Ranger Activities:

"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, overcivilized people are beginning to find
out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity;
and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of
timber and irrigating rivers but as fountains of life." 
 
                                              John Muir, "Our National Parks"

[Do you have a favorite quote about the NPS?  If so, send it along for possible
inclusion in a future Morning Report.  If you'd like a WP5.1 copy of quotes
that have appeared to date, send a note to this address]

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.