RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Thursday, August 15, 1991
INCIDENTS
91-244 - Everglades (Florida) - Followup on Theft of Government
Vehicles
On June 21st, a brand new Suzuki four-wheel-drive ATV valued at
$4,600 and an older Honda ATC were stolen from within a locked
compound at the Pine Island rangers station. Rangers Bob Panko
and Craig Thatcher recovered the Suzuki on August 13th. Local
FBI agents assisted in the seizure, which was conducted at a
private residence outside the park. Rangers and agents are
continuing the investigation with the intent of recovering the
second ATV and identifying and arresting the thieves. [Telefax
from Ken Morgan, CR, EVER, 8/14]
91-403 - Glen Canyon (Utah/Arizona) - Search and Rescue
Eight members of the B. family of Loma Linda, California,
were reported overdue from a day hike in White Canyon early this
week. Around midnight on the evening following the report,
ranger Kerry Haut and VIP Deanne Haut from Hite Subdistrict
located the family in The Black Hole - a narrow section of the
canyon which is five feet wide and approximately 200 feet deep.
The group was comprised of A.B., Junior, 63, his 41-year
old son, A.B., III, and six children ranging in age from
nine to 17 years old. All were dressed in swim clothes, since
the hike requires swimming long pools of cold water. The Hauts
could only communicate with the group by yelling down into the
canyon. The B.s refused rescue and said that they would
instead spend the night in the canyon. Early the next morning,
however, a flash flood occurred in the area before the party had
returned. Haut returned to the canyon and found the family
members clinging to rocks in the canyon. The elder B. was
sitting on a rock with water up to his chest, holding on to his
nine-year-old grandson. B. said that they had almost been
swept away several times, and that he had held on to his
grandson's swim trunks to keep the water from pulling him
downstream. The remainder of the party was out of sight, but
was found clinging to another rock. Each group thought the
other had been lost. A multi-agency rescue, with Haut as
incident commander, was immediately begun, as the weather
forecast called for more thunderstorms and flash floods in the
area. Technical climbers rescued all members of the family by
7:30 pm, just as rain began falling again. The rescue attracted
wide regional media attention, which resulted in numerous calls
about the welfare of both the B.s and other campers in the
area. [CompuServe message from Larry Clark, CR, GLCA, 8/14]
91-404 - Hawaii Volcanoes (Hawaii) - Assist on Fatal Helicopter
Crash
A Hawaii Department of Drug Enforcement helicopter suffered a
power loss and crashed and burned while on an interagency
marijuana eradication assignment outside the park's boundary on
the 13th. The pilot, A.W., 36, was killed; a Kauii police
officer received first and second degree burns on his back and a
DNR officer and National Guard agent each received minor
injuries. Ranger Jeff Judd, who was to have flown with A.W.,
switched to another helicopter at the last minute. Judd and the
second helicopter's pilot, Tom Hopman, rescued the three
passengers from the ship and extinguished the fire. The
helicopter was spotting for two other helicopters that were
spraying sugar cane fields in a marijuana eradication operation.
[Paul Ducasse, LES, HAVO, via CompuServe message from Herb
Gercke, RAD/WRO, 8/14]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) ACTIVITY LEVEL Planning Level II
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 8/14 8/15 Status
ID USFS Salmon NF Kitchen T1 1,500 1,000 NEC
* Cabin 110 CN 8/15
Payette NF * Rush Creek 300 NEC
BLM Shoshone Dist. * Morrow 250 CN 8/15
MI NPS Isle Royale NP * First 7 NEC
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 DM Demobed
3) 1990/1991 COMPARATIVE ACTIVITY SUMMARY
Fires Acres
1990 (Year-to-date) 45,295 3,547,061
1991 (Year-to-date) 56,526 1,909,655
1990-1991 (% difference) + 25% 46%
4) FIRE ACTIVITY 172 fires for 3,112 acres reported in the past
24 hours.
5) FIRE NARRATIVES
Isle Royale (Michigan) - The First Fire began Monday and has
burned about seven acres on Minong Ridge, three miles from the
Windigo Ranger Station. The fire is presumed to be humancaused
because of its location along a popular hiking trail and because
there's been no recorded lightning activity in the park since
July 24th. Firefighters and a large number of supporting
staffers from the park and park concessioners have joined in the
largest mobilization to fight a fire in the park since 1948.
Helicopters and a Forest Service float plane are being employed
to make water drops on the fire. Firefighters are contending
with insects, smoke, extreme temperatures, hazardous slopes and
falling trees in this rugged section of the park. The section
of the ridge trail west of Todd Harbor is presently closed to
park visitors. The fire does not threaten human life,
threatened or endangered species, or cultural resources.
6) ANALYSIS - Initial attack is continuing throughout the West.
7) PROGNOSIS - Increased initial attack activity is expected.
[Fire Management Situation Report, NIFCC Intelligence Section,
8/15; briefing on Isle Royale fire from Bruce Weber, PA, ISRO,
8/14]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
1) Reminder: Nominations for the health and fitness
coordinators' training course to be held September 16 20 must
be in to Employee Development in MWRO by next Monday. Up to
$745 of training costs will be paid by WASO. Fax or telephone
nominations will be accepted. Call 402-221-3942 or FTS 864-3942 or
fax to 402-221-3461 or 864-3461. [John Townsend, RAD/MWRO]
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief (Acting): No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Coffey on annual leave
(8/12-8/16); Schamp at semiautomatic weapon evaluation task force
meeting, Arlington, VA (8/13-8/15); Marriott in SER (8/13-8/15).
Branch of Fire & Aviation: Bristol at computer specialist
management information meeting, Seattle, WA (8/12-8/14); Norum on
trip to approve research sites, Fairbanks, AK (8/16-8/26); Botti
at Western Region budget formulation meeting, San Francisco, CA
(8/13-8/14); Erskine on annual leave (8/128/16); Broyles on
annual leave (8/12-8/14).
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