RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           CC: RAD Information Net

Day/date:  Thursday, February 21, 1991

*** NOTICE: There will be no morning report on Friday, February 
22, 1991 ***

INCIDENTS

91-55 - Wupatki (Arizona) - Employee Arrest

At about 7:30 a.m. on the morning of February 16th, park rangers 
discovered an orange plastic boat hoisted and fastened to the 
flagpole in front of the park's visitor center.  An effigy of 
President Bush was hanging from the boat, and an American flag 
was flying upside down at the top of the flagpole.  The boat had 
several slogans painted on its sides.  Upon investigation, the 
rangers found that J.D.P., 56, a park maintenance 
employee, was lying in the boat.  J.D.P. was advised that he 
was under arrest and was ordered to come down.  He refused.  
Coconino County deputies were summoned, and a park-owned scissor 
lift was brought to the flagpole.  When rangers told J.D.P. 
that they intended to use the lift to get closer to him, J.D.P. 
placed a hangman's noose around his neck and stepped out onto 
the upper part of the boat while clinging to the flagpole.  A 
professional negotiator was requested and soon arrived on scene.  
A helicopter was also brought in for possible use in a rescue or 
for a medevac flight.  During conversations with the negotiator, 
J.D.P. had asked for time to talk with a retired professor who 
he had apparently met during local peace rallies.  J.D.P. 
finally decided to come down around 2:30 p.m.  He was allowed to 
talk with the professor for half an hour, then was arrested and 
taken to the county jail.  J.D.P. was charged with a variety of 
CFR violations and was released on his own recognizance.  [Kim 
Watson, WUPA, via telefax from Bill Tanner, RAD/SWRO, 2/20]

MIDDLE EAST INCIDENT UPDATE

No reports today.

Please advise us through your regional offices of all threats 
received, permits issued for demonstrations, and demonstrations 
or incidents that occur which are related to the war in the Gulf.  
Call Major Schamp at FTS 268-4209 (202-208-4209).

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

The following is extracted from the February weather briefing 
prepared by Steve Brown, the NOAA staff meteorologist at the 
Boise Interagency Fire Center:

"The long-range prediction charts for February through April are 
not encouraging for bringing repeat precipitation events through 
the western U.S.  The pattern calls for a ridge of high pressure 
to still remain in the vicinity of the west coast, vacillating 
inland at times.  A split in the flow will also be evident, thus 
weakening storm systems as they move inland.  Northwest coastal 
areas will likely see precipitation on a regular basis, but the 
areas that need rainfall most, such as California and the 
interior west, will not see prolonged rainfall events.  The 
southern branch of the jet stream will continue to bring storm 
systems into the Pacific Northwest, thus continuing to alleviate 
the drought problem in that area.  As is common with a ridge of 
high pressure, temperatures in the west will in general be above 
normal.

"With dry conditions forecast to continue in the west, no relief 
to the drought situation is seen.  If a pattern change does not 
occur in the spring months, an early fire season in the west is 
likely.  Areas east of the Continental Divide, and particularly 
the southeast, should experience less activity than last year.  
The upper midwest is quite dry and could experience sporadic 
fire activity in the late spring.  Alaska has received abundant 
precipitation so far this winter and the forecast weather 
patterns favor a continuation of storm activity in that area 
into April."

OFFICE NOTES

1) Wendy Bristol has been selected as the new computer systems 
manager for the Branch of Fire Management.  She will EOD on 
April 7th.  Wendy currently works for the National Marine 
Fisheries Service in Juneau, Alaska.  [Doug Erskine, FIRE]

THIS DAY IN NPS HISTORY...

February 21, 1982 - Six NPS divers received exemplary act awards 
for a three-day-long, hazardous underwater search for a body in a 
submerged power plant in the lake at Amistad.

[Got an historical note?  Send it on to us for entry in the 
morning report].

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Kreis at recreation fee 
training session, Denver, CO (2/17-2/21); Schamp at conservation law 
enforcement conference, Prescott, AZ (2/19-2/22); Henry on SL (2/19-?); 
Halainen on AL (2/22).

Branch of Fire: Norum serving on steering committee for 
interagency symposium on wilderness fire management, Missoula, MT 
(2/20-2/23). 

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:  FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
Telefax:    FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977
CompuServe: WASO-RANGER (Branch of R&VP); WASO-FIRE-WO (Branch of Fire)
SEAdog:     1/650