NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Friday, October 6, 1995

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

95-653 - Eastern Parks - Follow-up on Hurricane Opal

Reports have been received from more than a dozen parks affected by Hurricane
Opal:

* Gulf Islands - The hurricane had sustained winds of 125 mph and storm
tides of up to 15 feet when it came ashore just a few miles east of the
Florida District headquarters at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening.  Employees
began returning to the park or calling in yesterday morning.  Florida
District employees have had the most difficulty reporting, as telephone
service is sporadic, most electricity is out, and all residents of the
entire Pensacola Beach/Gulf Breeze area were evacuated prior to the
hurricane's arrival.  No reports have been received of any injuries to
employees or serious damage to their homes, but many have not yet
returned to inspect their property.  A damage assessment by aircraft and
four-wheel-drive vehicle was begun yesterday.  The Florida District was
hard hit.  Most of the roadway from Fort Pickens to the park's east
boundary - some 12 to 15 miles - was destroyed, largely by the huge storm
tide.  Some stretches were washed away or undermined, others were
completely covered by beach sand.  Although district buildings apparently
did not suffer much damage, the Fort Pickens pier lost all its decking
and many of its stringers.  Almost all of the primary dunes along the
entire length of Santa Rosa Island appear to have washed away, and the
island was washed over in many places.  Several large sailboats and a
large power boat were washed up along the Perdido Key shoreline. 
Facilities in the Mississippi District made it through without problems,
but the tips of all four of the district's islands were severely
overwashed and the east tip of Petit Bois was completely cut off from the
remainder of the island.  The Horn Island and Ship Island piers were
damaged.  The Davis Bayou section of the Mississippi District on the
mainland reopened yesterday, but the rest of that district and all of the
Florida District remain closed.  Decisions on reopening portions of the
park will be made following more thorough assessments.

* Great Smokies - Power and phone service are out in many areas of the
park.  Newfound Gap road is closed and will probably remain closed for
several days due to trees and a rockslide that are lying across it. 
Campers were asked to leave Elkmont campground near Gatlinburg early
yesterday because of high water.  Many trees are down across roads and
trails.

* Blue Ridge - Many sections of the parkway are closed because of trees
that have fallen across the road.  Flooding has occurred in the northern
portion of the parkway.  Linville Falls has been evacuated; the Asheville
and Gillespie Gap Districts are closed.  Rockslides and mudslides have
also been reported.

* Tuskeegee Institute - The park is without power and has been closed. 
Extensive landscape damage is reported.

* Andrew Johnson/Jimmy Carter - Only minimal damage occurred at Andrew
Johnson, but a large tree fell on the Carter's residence while they were
at home.  No family members were injured.

* Carl Sandburg - The park is closed.  Numerous trees have fallen.

* Horseshoe Bend - Many trees are down, but the only damage to facilities
was to a small shed.  Power is out, and the park is closed.

* Little River - The eye of the hurricane passed over the park.  Extreme
flooding conditions exist in the canyon.  The park campground at the
canyon's mouth is completely submerged.  Power outages are widespread. 
Sustained winds of about 75 mph knocked down numerous trees and blocked
the scenic rim drive.  No buildings were damaged, however, and all roads
were reopened by 1 p.m.

* Chickamauga/Chattanooga - All facilities are in good shape and open, but
many trees have fallen on park roads.  Highway 27 through the park
remains open.

* Chattahoochee - Flooding has occurred along the river.  Park headquarters
is without power.  Many trees fell on roads and on one park residence.

* Kennesaw Mountain - A tree fell on the park visitor center.  Although
there are lots of downed trees, all major roads are open and no power or
phone problems are reported.

* Shenandoah - During the storm's passage, winds at the park's higher
elevations blew at a sustained rate of 30 mph, with gusts to 55 mph. 
Numerous trees are down on Skyline Drive and other roads.  A large pine
fell on the unoccupied personal travel trailer of a DSC employee residing
in the park maintenance area.  The trailer probably can't be repaired;
the valuation has been placed at about $20,000.  The North District was
closed yesterday evening, but will probably open this morning.  Power
outages are reported throughout the park.

* DeSoto - The park reports three feet of water in some locations, but no
significant damage.

* Jean Lafitte - The park reopened yesterday once it became clear that
Hurricane Opal was bypassing the area.  Most of the park was closed from
Monday through Wednesday.

[Jason Houck, CR, GRSM; Mark Lewis, DR, GUIS; Steve Hickman, IC, JELA; Jerry
Eubanks, Superintendent, GUIS; Steve Smith and Bill Sturgeon, RAD/SEFO; Pat
Reed, CHCH; Mary Jones, HOBE; Barbara Goodman, DESO; Greg Stiles, SHEN]

95-668 - Mammoth Cave (Kentucky) - Structural Fire

On the evening of October 4th, a fire was reported in the Shirley Dorm at Great
Onyx Job Corps Center.  Rangers and local volunteer firefighters responded and
confined the fire to a storage area in the dorm.  The building, which is
undergoing remodeling, was occupied by about 20 students at the time.  There
were no injuries.  Students were taken to a local motel for the night.  The
fire apparently started in a sofa and mattress next to a vent.  Damage has been
estimated at about $10,000.  Rangers are continuing their investigation; arson
is not suspected.  [CRO, MACA]

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

The national preparedness level has gone back up a step.

2) SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT/FIRE SUMMARY

                                                   Thur     Fri  %    Est
State    Area            Fire/Incident      IMT    10/5     10/6 Con  Con  

 CA   Point Reyes NS &
        Marin County     Mt. Vision         ST1   8,000   11,100   60  CN 10/7
      Mendocino RU       Guntly             ST1   1,000    2,800   50  CN 10/6
      Lake Napa RU     * Dry                 --       -      300   25  NEC

 GA   Montgomery (AL)    Hurricane Opal      T1   Manage distribution center
      Crestview (FL)     Hurricane Opal      T2   Manage distribution center

 FL   Gulf Coast         Hurricane Opal      T2   NPS team on standby

 VI   St. Thomas/John    Hurricane Marilyn   T2   NPS team - repair, support

 AK   Anchorage          River flooding      T1   Damage assessment, relief
      Soldotna               "     "         T2   Damage assessment, relief
      Seward                 "     "         T2   Damage assessment, relief

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            1      15        8       0        63       16        103 
Acres Burned      0      45      151       0     2,399       32      2,627

4) COMMITTED RESOURCES -

               Crews     Engines     Helicopters     Airtankers     Overhead

Federal         18          14            2               7            287
Non-federal     99         200           20               6            332

5) FIRE NARRATIVES -

* Mt. Vision Fire, Point Reyes National Seashore and Marin County - almost 905
of the fire is on park land.  About 50 structures have burned down at Paradise
Estates.  Morning winds, low humidity, heavy timber and very heavy fuel loading
are hampering control efforts

6) SITUATION - Initial attack and large fire activity was concentrated in
California yesterday; there was little fire activity elsewhere.

7) OUTLOOK - Moderate fire activity is expected in California.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 10/6]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) Grants - The first annual call for proposals has been issued for
"partnership projects" funded through the recently established Cooperating
Association Partnership Fund.  The deadline for submissions is November 15th. 
Guidelines have been posted on the "In Touch" bulletin board on cc:Mail, or can
be obtained by contacting Bruce Craig, CNPCA, at 304-728-0534 (CNPCA, PO Box
640, Charles Town, WV 25425).  [Bruce Craig, CNPCA]

OBSERVATIONS

Today's quote was sent along by Steve Elkinton (Recreation Resources Assistance
Division, WASO):

"Visits to national park areas have multiplied threefold in less than a
generation.  Far more of us than ever before walk in wilderness now and time-
travel in history simultaneously.  As we enjoy and save our parks, building
their defenses in our hearts, the parks help save us.  Interconnections form in
our depths.  The pattern of the whole grows stronger.  We hear again the great
orchestra of earth and life, and our spirits begin again to sing, tentatively
yet, but more and more in harmony."

                                       Darwin Lambert, "National Parks in
                                       Crisis,", 1982

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


Telephone: 202-208-4874
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