RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Tuesday, October 22, 1991
INCIDENTS
91-539 - Everglades (Florida) - Update on Search for Aircraft
On October 2nd, a Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Cessna with two men aboard
disappeared while searching for an overdue boat in the park's Gulf Coast
subdistrict. Despite intensive efforts by park, Coast Guard and CAP
searchers, no trace of the aircraft was found over subsequent days.
Another CAP pilot spotted what appeared to be wreckage in dense stand of
mangroves on the 17th, though, and investigators soon confirmed that it was
the missing Cessna. The bodies of the two men - C.R. and J.M.,
both 70 years old and from Naples, Florida - were found within.
The FAA is investigating the accident. [Telefax from Mark Lewis, LES, EVER,
10/21]
91-573 - Shenandoah (Virginia) - Serious Visitor Injury
C.R., 34, a visitor from Switzerland, was severely injured on
October 20th when a falling tree struck her while she was watching the
water fall at Dark Hollow. C.R. was hit on the top of the head and
suffered compression fractures of the upper vertebrae, head injuries, a
lacerated kidney, a fractured pelvis, and internal injuries. She is
paralyzed from the chest down. The tree broke at the ground and fell
diagonally; only the top five feet crossed the trail. Two weeks earlier,
the park had removed 99 hazardous trees from the trail, but this one was
not thought to be dangerous because of its distance (30 feet) from the
trail and because it stood among other trees. Hundreds of trees killed by
gypsy moths can be found along many of the park's trails. The incident
occurred on the busiest day of the fall color season. There were 12,000
vehicles in the park and traffic was bumper-to-bumper. At the time of the
incident, Central district rangers were also dealing with a heart attack
and a carry-out of an injured 67-year-old female. [Telefax from Larry
Hakel, CR, SHEN, 10/21]
91-574 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Assist on Homicide Investigation
G.H., the man who killed 23 people in Killeen, Texas, last week,
was arrested in Lake Mead in June for being under the influence and for
possession of loaded firearms. He was found sitting in his pickup truck
alongside the Hemennway Road in a state of extreme intoxication. He was
given a series of field sobriety tests, all of which he failed. While
being placed under arrest, he was asked if there were any valuables in his
vehicle. G.H. told the ranger that he had two handguns behind the seat.
The ranger retrieved the weapons, both of which had rounds in their
magazines. Checks on the guns were negative. G.H. was taken into
custody, and his mother later retrieved the truck. The handguns were left
with the vehicle since they had not been used in a crime and were being
turned over to a responsible party. G.H. pleaded guilty later that
month to the under the influence charge and was fined $110. He pleaded no
contest on the firearm possession charge and was fined $60 for that offense.
G.H. lived at the time with his mother in Henderson, Nevada, about 20
miles from Las Vegas. The weapons found in the truck were the same models
as those employed in the Killeen massacre. [Telephone report from Dale
Antonich, CR, LAME, 10/21]?
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level III
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 10/21 10/22 Status
WA USFS Willamette NF Warner - T1 8,800 9,200 CN 10/23
State Spokane Area South Stevens Comp. 18,325 18,795 CN 10/22
Spokane Comp. 16,150 16,150 CN 10/22
MT USFS Kootenai NF Sylvanite Comp. - T1 11,444 12,343 CN 10/23
Spruce Lake II - T2 225 225 CN
Bitterroot NF Overwhich II - T2 1,880 1,880 CN 10/22
BLM Lewiston Dist. Burnette - T1 6,300 6,300 CN 10/23
ID USFS Idaho Pan. NF Kilroy - T2 2,200 2,200 CN 10/22
WY USFS Bridger-Tet. NF Dry Cott. - T1 7,157 7,157 CN 10/23
Big Horn NF Gloom Crk. - T2 930 930 CN
CA CA Oakland Oakland Hills 1,500 1,800 CN 10/22
CDF Sonoma Ranger Geysers 400 6,200 CN 10/23
USFS Los Padres NF Lion - T2 1,500 2,100 CN 10/24
VA USFS Washington NF Piney Mountain - T1 800 1,425 CN 10/22
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 * None - No estimate of containment
* CS - Confinement strategy
3) ANALYSIS - Areas in the Northwest and California continue to report very
high to extreme indices. Favorable weather is helping firefighters meet
containment targets on several fires.
4) PROGNOSIS - Fire activity in the West is expected to decrease with the
approach of a cold front. Demobilization on several project fires will
likely continue throughout the week.
[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0535 MDT, 10/19]
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: Brady at regional chief rangers' conference, Boise, ID
(10/21-10/25).
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Martin, Schamp, Marriott, Smith,
Lee, and Halainen at regional chief rangers' conference, Boise, ID (10/21-
10/25); Coffey at grazing lands forum, Harpers Ferry, WV (10/22).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Broyles at NFPA wildland fire quals meeting,
Salt Lake City, UT (10/20-10/25); Norum at NPS parks and wilderness
management course faculty meeting, NARTC, Marana, AZ (10/21-10/25); Botti
in budget meetings, WASO, Washington, DC (10/21-10/25).