RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Wednesday, July 3, 1991
*** NOTICE ***
There will be no morning report on Friday.
Reports will resume on Monday, July 8th.
INCIDENTS
91-255 - Sequoia-Kings Canyon (California) - Rescue
On June 23rd, rangers at Cedar Grove responded to a report of a
man in the Kings River near the bridge to Cedar Grove Lodge and
found the victim lying partly in the river and partly on a rock
25 feet beneath the bridge. He had jumped from the bridge in an
apparent suicide attempt and had suffered numerous injuries,
including a broken leg. Due to the location, it was necessary
to lift him vertically to the bridge before transporting him by
helicopter to a medical center in Fresno. [Dispatch, SEKI, via
CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 7/1]
91-256 - Sequoia-Kings Canyon (California) - Structural Fire
Rangers responding to a report of a structural fire in
"Wormwood", a concessions housing area at Grant Grove, found
flames issuing from below the roof of a small cabin. A hose was
pulled from a nearby hose box and employed on the fire until the
fire brigade and engine could arrive. The cabin suffered
extensive damage and will be torn down. Estimated losses are
$10,000 to the cabin and $3,000 in personal property. The cause
is still under investigation, but preliminary findings indicate
that the fire originated from a wood stove. [Dispatch, SEKI,
via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 7/1]
91-257 - Sequoia-Kings Canyon (California) - Temporary Campground
Closure
On June 23rd, rangers received and investigated a report of
blasting wires sticking out of a hole of a large rock in Dorst
campground. Because of the possible threat to visitor safety, a
section of the campground was closed and about 30 people were
evacuated. Qualified blasters from the park and Denver Service
Center subsequently determined that there were no explosives in
the hole and that the wires were probably left over from
blasting of the rock in a quarry outside the park. That portion
of the campground was reopened about three hours later.
[Dispatch, SEKI, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke,
RAD/WRO, 7/1]
91-258 - Perry's Victory (Ohio) - Drug Arrests
On the evening of May 24th, chief ranger Gerry Altoff and
seasonal ranger Mike Lilek watched two men - G.K. of
Independence, Ohio, and G.G. of Garfield Heights, Ohio
cutting a small sphere of white substance in their vehicle.
They subsequently arrested the men and confiscated a number of
items, including ten paper packets and a container with varying
amounts of cocaine. They were each charged with felony drug
abuse and appeared in municipal court in Port Clinton, Ohio, on
July 1st. The judge declined to plea bargain, dismissed the
case from municipal court, and turned it over to a grand jury.
[Gerry Altoff, PEVI, via CompuServe message from Tom Thompson,
RAD/MWRO, 7/2]
91-259 - Jefferson National Expansion (Missouri) - Train Derailment
Three cars of a 77-car Union Pacific train derailed 100 feet
above the street on an overhead approach to the Mississippi
River less than 100 yards south of the park shortly before noon
on July 1st. One of the derailed cars was an empty propane
tanker which still contained from one to three percent propane
an extremely explosive mixture. Three cars, each filled with
16,000 gallons of nitric acid, remained on the track just ahead
of the derailed cars. The St. Louis fire department ordered the
evacuation of the Arch grounds and surrounding areas, including
all barge and boat traffic on the river, all traffic on I-70, and
many city streets. The incident command system was put into
place and all visitors and nonessential employees were evacuated
from the Arch, the Museum of Westward Expansion and the grounds.
Despite the 98 degree temperature, an estimated 7,000 people
were evacuated without incident in about 20 minutes. The park
remained closed for about two and a half hours. Once the hazard
was mitigated, visitors were allowed to return. The success of
the evacuation was attributed to planning and annual drills.
[Deryl Stone, CR, JEFF, via CompuServe message from Tom Thompson,
RAD/MWRO, 7/2]
91-260 - Redwood (California) - Falling Fatality
T.M., 22, of San Bernadino, California, was scrambling
up a cliff near Klamath Overlook with a companion on the
afternoon of June 30th when he lost his footing and fell 200
feet to his death. Both men were California Conservation
Corpsmen from a camp at Requa, located inside the park. They
were on a day off and had left the designated trail to climb the
cliff. Ranger Evan Toscano-Jones is investigating. [Craig
Johnson, CR, REDW, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke,
RAD/WRO, 7/1]
91-261 - Organ Pipe Cactus (Arizona) - Interdiction of Murder
Suspect
Early on the morning of the 28th, police in Mammoth, Arizona,
issued an all-points bulletin for F.M., 40, who was
suspected of killing his wife in a domestic dispute in that town.
A few hours later, a Pima County deputy spotted the vehicle
described in the bulletin heading into the park and called for
assistance. Rangers and Border Patrol, Customs and local
officers set up a roadblock seven miles north of the visitor
center. The car was stopped and Moreno was ordered to get out.
When he failed to do so,officers approached the vehicle and
determined that he had shot and killed himself with a .22
caliber handgun. It appears that F.M. was attempting to flee
the country into Mexico. The car also contained a loaded
shotgun. [Dwayne Collier, SOAR, via CompuServe message from
Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 7/1]
91-262 - Apostle Islands (Wisconsin) - Damage from Heavy Rains
A heavy rainfall during the early morning hours of July 1st
between eight and ten inches fell in a few hours led to heavy
runoff and substantial damage to park areas, including partial
undercutting of docks, significant trail erosion, substantial
damage to trail bridges and boardwalks, road washouts and
extensive flooding of basements and campsites throughout the
park. Extensive bluff erosion (slumping of clay banks) occurred
and encroached on historic structures, including the Raspberry
Island lighthouse. Many trees are down, and significant amounts
of debris will have to be removed from around docks and other
facilities. Some campsites and sections of trails have been
temporarily closed to the public. A damage assessment is being
made and efforts are underway to repair damage and reopen
facilities. [John Krambrink, CR, APIS, via CompuServe message
from Tom Thompson, RAD/MWRO, 7/2]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) ACTIVITY LEVEL Planning Level II
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 7/2 7/3 Status
AK BLM Tanana Zone B376 14,630 18,500 NEC
AK Galena Zone B356 5,170 5,170 NEC
Up. Yukon Zone * B564 300 NEC
B402 T2 NR 1,110 NEC
B492 T2 2,500 11,200 NEC
B402 T2 NR 1,110 NEC
B552 T2 1,200 1,200 NEC
* B613 T2 300 NEC
NM BLM Las Cruces Good Hope 650 685 CN
Alaska also has 30 fires under modified suppression strategy for
63,070 acres and 52 fires under limited suppression for 69,859 acres.
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
* CN Contained * MN Being monitored
* CL Controlled * NEC No estimate of containment
* CS Confinement strategy
3) 1990/1991 COMPARATIVE ACTIVITY SUMMARY
Fires Acres
1990 (Year-to-date) 33,668 739,152
1991 (Year-to-date) 36,327 662,694
1990-1991 (% difference) + 8% 10%
4) ANALYSIS - New fire starts are continuing in Alaska, and
there have been major acreage increases on some fires. An
additional air tanker has been sent to Alaska along with
miscellaneous overhead and supplies.
5) PROGNOSIS - Continued activity is expected in Alaska, but
cooler temperatures and higher humidities should aid in
suppression efforts. The potential for increased humancaused
fires exists throughout the United States during the upcoming
Fourth of July weekend. No resource shortages are expected.
[Fire Management Situation Report, NIFCC Intelligence Section,
0742 EDT, 7/3; NICC Daily Situation Report, 7/2]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
El Malpais (New Mexico) - Artifact Discovery
During the recent Lava Fire, a firefighter found a 1863 Sharps
military issue breach loading rifle. The metal is in almost
perfect condition, with only a slight amount of weathering at
the tip of the barrel. The stock is gone (it may have been
burned in a previous fire), but the springs in the action are
intact. This piece is the first of its kind found in the park,
and the oldest known military weapons found in the area. [Ken
Mabery, CR, ELMA]
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: Dabney on AL (7/27/5).
Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Schamp on AL (7/2-7/3);
Martin, Sisto and Halainen on AL (7/5).
Branch of Fire & Aviation: Cook on AL (7/1-7/5); Bristol on AL
(7/3-7/12).
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