- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Thursday, June 11, 1992
- Date: Thurs, 11 Jun 1992
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Thursday, June 11, 1992
INCIDENTS
92-259 - Glen Canyon (Utah/Arizona) - Brawl; Multiple Arrests
Following their graduation from several high schools in Flagstaff on Friday,
June 5th, a number of graduates and friends visited Lone Rock Beach to
celebrate. A brawl subsequently broke out when E.L., 22, attacked
18-year-old M.P. in revenge for a prior incident in which M.P. had
stuck a gun in his face at a high school function in Flagstaff. M.P.
attempted to defend himself with a baseball bat when E.L. and several
friends attacked him, and rangers subsequently received a report that one
person had been killed and several had suffered serious injuries in the
melee. Eight rangers responded, but found that there had not even been any
serious injuries. The festivities and fighting continued sporadically until
early Sunday morning. A total of thirteen people were arrested for
disorderly conduct and drunkenness before dawn arrived. One graduate was
found to have a $1,400 warrant outstanding for his arrest on a larceny
charge. [CompuServe message from Larry Clark, CR, GLCA, 6/11]
92-260 - Devils Tower (Wyoming) - Serious Falling Injury; EMS Response
On the morning of May 29th, C.S., 29, was attempting to make the
fifth class approach to the Durance route unroped when he slipped and fell
approximately 150 feet over a series of ledges at the base of Devils Tower.
C.S. survived the fall; he was stabilized and evacuated by park staff,
then medevaced by an aircraft from Ellsworth AFB to a hospital in Rapid
City, South Dakota. He is listed in critical but stable condition with
severe head and groin injuries, and is expected to make a full recovery.
[cc:Mail message from Pat Brimmer, DETO, 6/10]
92-261 - Devils Tower (Wyoming) - Golden Eagle Pass Fraud
On June 10th, rangers confiscated six Golden Eagle Passes from a
Czechoslovakian tour group using them for access to Western parks and
monuments. The first passport was issued to the group by Badlands in May
based on their statement that they were a group of friends and relatives who
had rented the bus in order to tour the United States. The passport was
subsequently passed on to a second group of Czechs who began their tour in
June. This group bought several more Golden Eagles from Devils Tower.
Interviews determined that the group was being led by a commercial tour
operator, and the tour leaders indicated that they plan to bring at least
three more groups to the U.S. this summer. The tour leaders, who are also
Czech, frequently use the language barrier to feign misunderstanding, but in
fact possess a more than adequate understanding of English. After the money
they paid for the passports was refunded, they paid for 25 passengers but
told investigating rangers that they probably had 43 passengers. The park
believes that they will probably attempt to obtain another Golden Eagle
Pass. They are driving a silver and red bus with Massachusetts license
plate number 11946. If you have any questions about the group, contact
either Debbie Bird or Jim Schlinkmann at 307-467-5283. [cc:Mail message
from Pat Brimmer, DETO, 6/10]
92-262 - Glen Canyon (Utah/Arizona) - Boat Fires
The "Rice Pad", an 18-year-old, 57-foot fiberglass houseboat owned and
operated by Robert Rice of Salt Lake City, caught fire during the early
evening of June 9th and burned to the water line at the mouth of Padre Bay
on Lake Powell. All five adults and seven children who were on the boat
jumped overboard; none were injured except K.B., 76, and his wife
E., 65, who were treated for smoke inhalation by park EMT's, then taken
to Page Hospital, where they received further treatment and were released.
The fire started in the boat's engine compartment and spread rapidly because
of the 400 gallons of diesel fuel it had on board. The loss is estimated at
$125,000. Just before noon the following day, the "Desert Reflection", a
54-foot tour boat operated by ARA Leisure Services, was headed up-lake empty
to pick up passengers from a broken down tour boat at Rainbow Bridge when an
engine fire broke out. The pilot and deck hand activated the on-board Halon
engine compartment fire extinguisher system, then beached and abandoned the
boat near Dominguez Butte because of noxious fumes. NPS firefighters Rod
Turner and Bob Maguire boarded the boat and extinguished the remaining fire
with concession-owned fire equipment. The fire was electrical in nature and
the total damage was estimated at about $1,000. The 1988 Nordic yacht is
valued at $461,000. [CompuServe message from Larry Clark, CR, GLCA, 6/11]
92-263 - Glacier (Montana) - Bear Destruction Following Contact Incidents
Rangers shot and killed a subadult female black bear in the vicinity of
Bowman Lake Campground early yesterday morning because of its food-conditioned
behavior and the property damage it had inflicted at the
campground. At about 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday, J. and R.S. of
Billings, Montana, were awakened when a black bear swiped at their tent,
tearing the tent's back and front window screens. Although the bear
reportedly woke R.S. when it hit her head with its paw, she was
not injured. Approximately 15 minutes later, the bear woke C.F. of
Chatham, New Jersey, when it swiped at his tent's rear screen and tore its
side. When C.F. went to his truck at 7:00 a.m., he reportedly saw the bear
enter his tent and take a water bottle. Investigating rangers also learned
that numerous campers had seen the bear wandering through the campground the
previous evening licking fire grates and chewing on water bottles. A baited
trap was sent in the campground, but the bear eluded it. The bear was
located early Wednesday morning and destroyed because of its conditioning to
human food and its aggressive behavior. The campground has been restricted
to hard-sided camping until further notice. Rangers will continue
monitoring the campground to assure no other bears are frequenting the area
before it is reopened for tent camping. Park personnel indicate that the
bear was similar in appearance to one that reportedly bit the toe of a
camper in the same campground last summer, but it is impossible to determine
if the same bear was involved in both incidents. The bear's carcass is
being taken to a taxidermist in order to obtain a study skin which will be
used by ranger naturalists for educational purposes. [Telefaxed report from
Amy Vanderbilt, PAO, GLAC, 6/10]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level 1
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 6/10 6/11 Status
OR ODF - Sage Flat 935 1,025 CN 6/11
- Haner Butte 348 348 CND
WA State - Big Grinder 255 255 CND
BLM Spokane Dist. Rattlesnake 15,000 16,000 CN 6/11
AZ BIA Pima Agency Old Yellow 1,150 1,150 CND
ID BLM Boise Dist. * Echo - 500 CND
USFS Boise NF * North Fork Payette - 100 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) FIRE NARRATIVES -
* Sequoia/Kings Canyon - The Arrowhead hotshot crew was released from the
Wren Fire on Sequoia NF on the evening of June 9th and is again
available for dispatch. One new lightning fire has been discovered in
steep terrain in Cedar Grove and is being monitored.
* Yosemite - The North Dome Fire, apparently human-caused, was discovered
late on Tuesday and was contained that night.
4) FIRE WEATHER - Red flag warnings have been issued for eastern Oregon and
Nevada, and a red flag watch has been posted for Idaho and Utah.
5) ANALYSIS - Initial attack activity is occurring throughout the West.
6) PROGNOSIS - Resources remain adequate.
[NPS Wildland Fire Summary, 6/11; NIFCC Intelligence Section, xxxx EDT,
6/11]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Timpanogos Cave (Utah) - Completion of Cave Climate Restoration
A major climate restoration project has been completed in the park's cave
system. Over the past year, volunteers with the National Speleological
Society (NSS) contributed over 2,000 hours of volunteer support installing
double door air locks in each of two tunnels drilled during the 1930s.
Monitoring equipment installed in the caves during the winter have shown
that the air locks are highly effective. Relative humidity levels in Middle
Cave previously fluctuated between 75% and 99% as storm systems passed over,
but have been a constant 99% to 100% since completion of the air locks -
even during seasonal changes. Timpanogos Grotto, the local NSS group, was
recently honored as one of Utah's finalists for a national award under the
Take Pride in America program. [Mike Tranel, CR, TICA]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
1) FYI: On May 27th, Public Law 102-294 was signed into law which changed
the name of Mound City Group National Monument in Chillicothe, Ohio, to
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. [Bill Gibson, SUPT, HOCU]
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Marriott and Schamp at meeting,
Washington, DC (6/8-6/12); Lee at government liability workshop, Washington,
DC (6/12); Halainen in meetings with uniform contractor, Washington, DC
(6/8-6/10) and on AL (6/12); Coffey on detail to WASO Wildlife and
Vegetation.
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at NWCG meeting, Lakewood, CA (6/9-6/12);
Farrel at GSA vehicle symposium, Washington, DC (6/8-6/12); Erskine on
annual leave (6/8-6/20).
Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities
Telephone: Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5572/5573 or 202-208-5572/5573
Telefax: Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-6756 or 202-208-6756
Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977
CompuServe: Branch of R&VP - WASO-RANGER
Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO-FIRE-WO
cc:Mail Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation