NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Thursday, April 22, 1999

INCIDENTS

99-133 - Biscayne NP (FL) - Search and Rescue

Rangers received several reports around noon on April 18th regarding a person
who had disappeared while snorkeling in Turkey Point Channel earlier that
morning.  C.A. was swimming near a vessel.  The vessel's anchor broke
and it began rapidly drifting away with his young niece on board.  C.A.
tried unsuccessfully to catch up, then decided to swim towards shore.  A
search was begun in rough seas and 30-knot winds.  Five park boats, a Coast
Guard boat, a Miami-Dade police boat, and a Miami-Dade helicopter were
employed in the effort.  Ranger Tom Rutledge found C.A. around 2:30 p.m.
about three-and-a-half miles from the point where he'd last been seen.  He
was treated for hypothermia and released in good condition to his family. 
Ranger David Pharo was IC for the incident.  [CRO, BISC, 4/18]

                       [Additional reports pending...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level I

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                     Tue      Wed    %   Est
State      Unit              Fire/Incident   IMT     4/20     4/21  Con  Con

GA   Okefenokee NWR          Hickory Island   --    3,848    4,700   15  NR 

FL   Florida NFs             Owl Creek        T1      550      409   50  4/25
                             Cow House        T1      100    2,027   50  4/25
                           * Cypress Creek    --        -      800   10  NR
                           * Deceiving        --        -  165,000  100  CND

VA   Prince William FP       NCO Fire         T2      670      695  100  CND

NC   North Carolina NFs      Singecat         --      150      150   50  4/21

OR   Willamette NF           Puma             --      210      210  100  CND 

CO   Craig District          Ebler            T3      310      350   90  4/21

                                  Heading Notes

Unit        Agency = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA state resource
            or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; District = BLM
            district; NWR = USFWS wildlife refuge
Fire        * = newly reported fire (on this report); Cx = complex; LSS =
            limited suppression strategy; CSS = containment suppression
            strategy
IMT         T1 = Type 1; T2 = Type II; ST = State Team
% Con       Percent of fire contained
Est Con     Estimated containment date; NEC = no estimated date of
            containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report; LPS = limited
            protection status


NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (TREND)

                    NPS    BIA      BLM     FWS    States   USFS     Total

Tuesday, 4/20        0      4         4       0      589     35       632
Wednesday, 4/21      0      7         1       0      199      9       216

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Tuesday, 4/20       24         79          21             0           127
Wednesday, 4/21     39         74          16             0           180

CURRENT SITUATION

Fire activity in the South continues due to red flag conditions.  Fire
behavior in Florida is reportedly similar to last year.  

NOTE: NICC situation reports are currently being posted at 10 a.m. MDT, which
is why they are running one day in arrears in the Morning Report.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 4/21]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

National Capital Parks (DC) - Follow-up on Beaver Management

No beaver have been sighted in the Tidal Basin since April 13th, when an
adult beaver was live trapped and successfully relocated to an undisclosed
natural area where two others were taken just days earlier.  The park
determined that the beavers would have to be relocated when it was discovered
they were destroying some of the Japanese cherry trees that surround the
Tidal Basin. The beavers destroyed a total of ten young trees, four of them
cherry trees in full bloom.  The third beaver, an adult believed to be male,
was live trapped on the 13th and successfully relocated to the same area the
other beavers were taken.  The first beaver, an adult female, was captured on
the 9th; the second beaver, a yearling, was captured on the 11th.  All of the
downed trees have been removed and the stumps sawed off at the ground to
reduce the risk of injury to the public.  The park specified humane trapping
methods in its contract with Adcock Trapping Service of College Park,
Maryland.  A Hancock live trap that is safe for the beaver was used.   The
trap, which looks like a big open suitcase, was baited with castor and
willow.  [Earle Kittleman, PAO, NCRO]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Correction - Yesterday's Morning Report entry about the ceremonies at
Oklahoma City NM stated that First Lady Hillary Clinton attended the event. 
The submission referred to a First Lady, but not THE First Lady.  The
reference was to the spouse of the governor of Oklahoma.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

No entries.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

No entries.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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

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