RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Friday, November 1, 1991
INCIDENTS
91-598 - Eastern Areas - Storm Impacts
The severe storm off the North Atlantic coast has had a major impact on NPS
areas all along the Eastern seaboard. The following information was
compiled from preliminary reports received yesterday and early today;
fuller reports will appear as soon as park staffs are able to complete
assessments of damages inflicted on their areas.
* Cape Cod (Massachusetts) - The storm's effects were most pronounced
Wednesday, particularly at high tide late in the afternoon. The park
experienced flooding and sustained winds of about 45 mph, with gusts up to
70 mph. Although not many trees were blown down, there were significant
impacts to beach areas:
- The dune face was eroded from 10 to 30 feet at many places.
- Stairways to Coast Guard, Nauset and Marconi beaches were swept away.
- Erosion beneath the NPS-owned bridge on the access road to Coast Guard
beach caused structural damage, but the extent is not yet known.
- The 8,000-year-old archeological site on Coast Guard beach was at the
site of a major breach and was greatly impacted.
- Drifting sand covers most beach parking lots.
- The ocean broke through at Pamet Road at the tip of Cape Cod to the
marsh on the bay side and ocean waters are now passing through a 150-
foot wide breach at high tides. The tip of the cape is now in effect
an island.
* Salem Maritime (Massachusetts) - The park was closed Wednesday due to the
threat of high water along the waterfront. Although the high tide covered
much of the park's grounds, no damage was done to buildings. The park's
historic wharf will remain closed until waters subside, though.
* Fire Island (New York) - The storm has caused significant damage to areas
within the park, but the full extent of its impact will not be known until
a full assessment is completed today:
- The Watch Hill marina was fully submerged at least twice during the
storm, and major rehabilitation will likely be necessary. Damage
appraisals of the Sailor's Haven marina and park structures are
underway but incomplete. The park boat house, however, was reported to
have been significantly damaged.
- Many dune crossings and substantial sections of the boardwalks at
Sailor's Have and Watch Hill were washed away.
- It appears that the island was breached at Old Inlet.
- At least six houses were lost from communities within the park, and the
total is probably higher. Community services, including sewage systems
and power lines, have also been seriously impacted.
* Gateway (New York) -
- Breezy Point Unit - The area was closed at some places Wednesday due to
overwash. The boardwalk was also reported to have been underwater, but
the extent of damage to it remains unknown at present. Sand and water
have filled the bathhouses, and the Shore Road has been closed.
- Sandy Hook Unit - The Sandy Hook Unit, which is on the New Jersey side
of New York Harbor, was closed at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday due to
flooding. From three to four feet of running water covered sections of
the hook and large portions of the entrance road and washed away the
unit's boardwalk. Over 400 people were evacuated from the schools and
facilities on the hook; the students were driven out by park four-wheel-
drive vehicles to waiting buses, but instructors at the schools drove
their own vehicles out at low tide. The entire area remains closed to
all but essential staff. Access is by four-wheel-drive vehicle only.
Beach erosion has been extensive, and there are preliminary reports of
damage to concessioner facilities.
- Staten Island Unit - The park reports significant erosion to the
shoreline at Great Kills. Much of the land underneath the bathhouse has
been washed away, and a major portion of the building is standing on
pilings alone. The park has requested an engineer from NARO to assess
the damage. A concession stand may also have been damaged.
- Jamaica Bay Unit - Plum Beach has been severely eroded, and the roof of
Building 70 at Floyd Bennett Field has been damaged. Assessments are
being made to determine the damage inflicted on other buildings.
* Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island (New York) - Ferry service to Liberty
Island was suspended for about 90 minutes Wednesday afternoon because high
waters caused gangways to the pier to become too steep for safe access.
Park boats were moved to the safety of the slip at Ellis Island. Neither
area reports any damage or other impacts, however.
* Assateague Island (Maryland/Virginia) - The park reports that the ocean
overwashed and breached the island at numerous points. The ocean has
reclaimed much of the dune line, along with several hundred feet of
boardwalk at Sinepuxent and Tom's Cove. The hook at Tom's Cove has
been closed, and the old Coast Guard station on it has been evacuated
because the road and power lines leading to the building are being
washed away. There have been no impacts to visitor facilities yet, but
some water damage to the McCabe House and associated boat house are
anticipated as the protecting dune that was in front of the buildings
is now gone. ORV zones have been closed and will remain closed for at
least a week. Some roads have been closed as well. The campgrounds
appear to be okay at present. Overflights of the park were being made
yesterday afternoon to fully assess the storm's impacts.
* Cape Hatteras (North Carolina) - The park began experiencing severe
conditions and overwash due to the storm on Wednesday. NC 12, the highway
which runs the length of the park, was underwater at two locations on
Wednesday - the first north of Pea Island NWR, the second just north of
Rodanthe. As of the last report from the park, the road was still covered
with water, sand and debris, which made it impossible to make a full
assessment of damages. The Cape Hatteras lighthouse has not been directly
damaged, but a major section of sandbag barrier on the shoreward side has
been severely damaged and about 15 feet of the dune just north of the
lighthouse has been lost. About 20 to 30 feet of the newly constructed
boardwalk has been swept away, and at the time of the report the park
expected that the newly-constructed observation deck north of the
lighthouse would fall into the sea at the next high tide. Sea water is at
the porch level at the Hatteras Island visitor center and the principal
keeper's quarters. Approximately one half the length of the Rodanthe
fishing pier has been lost, as have some off-road vehicle ramp sections,
all Coquina Beach boardwalks, part of the Coquina Beach restroom facility
ramp, and much of Coquina Beach's north parking lot.
* Cape Lookout (South Carolina) - Wind and tides have done some damage to
dunes and overwash has occurred, but there have been no other impacts to
park resources or facilities. The park remains open. Visitors are being
urged to stay vigilant and careful of high waves and overwash areas.
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level I
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 10/31 11/1 Status
WV NPS New River NR Gauley 350 750 CND
*Gauley Mountain - 3,000 NEC
TN USFS Cherokee NF Polly Hollow - T2 500 770 CND
*Rocky Top - 975 CN 10/31
KY USFS D. Boone NF Red Bird Comp - T2 2,000 4,047 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
CL - Controlled MN - Being monitored
CS - Confinement strategy NEC - No estimate of containment
CN (date) - Expected date CND - Contained
of containment
3) NARRATIVES -
New River Gorge (West Virginia) - The Gauley Fire was contained at 750
acres yesterday afternoon. The Gauley Mountain Fire is being managed by
the state, but is only a mile from the park's boundary. Park crews are
assisting on the fire. Forecasters predict that winds today will blow the
fire toward park land. If it can be held along a nearby road, firefighters
will probably be able to keep it from entering the park.
4) ANALYSIS - Initial attack is continuing in the Southern Area.
Containment targets are being met on large fires. (NOTE: SERO reports that
51 crews have been committed in the Southern Region - 27 from the region,
the remainder from outside. The SER has 50 firefighters and 27 overhead
personnel committed. Most of the region's crews are on either the Cherokee
or Daniel Boone NF fires.)
5) PROGNOSIS - Fire activity in the Southern Area is expected to diminish
with the arrival of predicted rainfall.
[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530 MDT, 11/1; Doug Wallner, FMO, MARO; Steve
Smith, FMO, SERO]
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Martin on oil spill review, PNRO,
Seattle, WA (10/28-10/31).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at meeting of instructors for fire
management for agency administrators, Marana, AZ (10/28-11/1); Bristol at
InciNet committee meeting, Sacramento, CA (10/28-11/1); Norum at meeting of
prescribed fire analyst unit leaders and faculty, Denver, CO (10/29-10/31);
Clark serving as NPS representative at NWS advisory group meeting, Denver,
CO (10/30-11/1).
Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities