RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION MORNING REPORT Attention: Directorate Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC CC: RAD Information Net Day/date: Thursday, October 10, 1991 INCIDENTS 90-109 - Gulf Islands (Florida/Mississippi) - Update on D.B. Murder Case A Federal grand jury in Jackson, Mississippi, returned murder indictments against D.B. and F.W. yesterday for the killing of ranger D.B.. Arraignment of the pair is set for Friday morning in the Federal courthouse in Jackson. Mrs. M. has called the park and expressed her sincere thanks to all those who have supported her and assisted in getting to this point. [CompuServe message from Gene Phillips, CR, GUIS, 10/9] 91-544 - Wrangell-St. Elias (Alaska) - Dall Sheep Poaching Conviction Late in August, rangers Rick Lee and Peg Pattee investigated an incident of suspected hunting near Beaver Lake and determined that T.K. of Woodruff, Wisconsin, had illegally killed a Dall sheep in the national preserve. Although non-resident hunters are required to obtain the services of a licensed big game guide to hunt Dall sheep, T.K. told a local air taxi operator that he was a resident, had the pilot fly him to Beaver Lake, and hunted without a guide. Lee and Pattee worked on the case with Alaska Fish and Wildlife officers and a ranger from St. Croix River in Wisconsin. T.K. was subsequently charged with non-resident hunting without a guide and with wanton waste because he did not recover any of the sheep meat. T.K. recently pled guilty in a telephonic hearing and was sentenced to a $5,000 fine ($2,500 suspended), forfeiture of his rifle or a donation of $250 to Alaska's Wildlife Safeguard program, forfeiture of the sheep cape and horns, and loss of hunting privileges in Alaska for five years. [Jay Wells, CR, WRST, via telefax from Carrie Stroble, RAD/ARO, 10/9] 91-545 - Glen Canyon (Utah/Arizona) - Visitor Accident with Injuries On the morning of October 5th, two-year-old P.C., Jr., of Salt Lake City, utah, crawled into his father's pickup truck on the main ramp of the Wahweap marina and pushed the vehicle gear shift out of park. The truck rolled backwards down the ramp and the open passenger door struck 12-year-old S.C. and dragged her into the lake. The children's father, P.C., Sr., jumped into the lake and rescued both of them. S.C. sustained a hairline fracture of the pelvis, two broken ribs, and a blood clot in one lung. P.C. was uninjured. The pickup truck was recovered from 30 feet of water. [CompuServe message from Larry Clark, CR, GLCA, 10/9] 91-546 - Fort Vancouver (Washington) - Vehicle Fire Late on the morning of October 9th, a van carrying two persons caught fire at the entrance to the park's visitor center. The occupants were able to escape the vehicle without injury. Rangers were unsuccessful in attempts to extinguish the fire, but a responding Vancouver fire department unit was able to knock down the blaze in short order. The visitor center entrance is closed pending removal of the vehicle and rehabilitation of the area. [SEAdog message from Mark Forbes, RAD/PNRO, 10/9] FIRE ACTIVITY Sequoia-Kings Canyon (California) - The Deer Creek Fire, a prescribed natural fire, had burned about 300 acres in the park as of Tuesday. Active ground fire was burning on the three sides away from Deer Creek, and there was very little torching of trees. The center portion of the fire has already burned out and is producing very little smoke. Deer Creek has been cleared of fallen logs by a fire crew in order to prevent the fire from crossing the drainage. The maximum approved size within the current fire situation analysis is 1,565 acres. Over 400 acres within this perimeter are comprised of rocky areas with little or no potential to burn. Most of the East Fork sequoia grove is included. The Atwell/Hockett and Tar Gap trails are closed. Hockett Meadow is still accessible via the Garfield Grove trail. All necessary measures have been taken to prevent damage to private property. They have been put into place even though the fire was over a half mile from any private property. OPERATIONAL NOTES 1) Uniform order forms for FY 92 went into the mail to all parks late last week. New catalogues, which have just been received from the printer, will be sent to parks today and tomorrow. STAFF STATUS Division Chief: Brady at Branch of Fire Management planning meeting, Boise, ID (10/7-10/8) and 75th anniversary symposium, Vail, CO (10/8-10/11). Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Schamp managing security at 75th anniversary symposium, Vail, CO (10/5-10/11); Sisto on annual leave (10/9-10/15); Lee on annual leave (10/7-10/15). Branch of Fire & Aviation: Hurd and Spruill at branch planning meeting, Boise, ID (10/7-10/11); Farrel conducting structural fire review, Cumberland Island, GA (10/10-10/12). Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities