- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Monday, July 20, 1992
- Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1992
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Monday, July 20, 1992
INCIDENTS
92-354 - Capitol Reef (Utah) - Employee Injuries
On the afternoon of July 15th, Mike Furdon and Steve Garr, seasonals working
in the park's tamarisk removal crew, found an unmarked two-and-a-half gallon
container filled with a green liquid substance. As they picked the
container up to throw it away, they got some of the substance on them.
Shortly after, both suffered respiratory distress, vomiting and felt
tingling sensations. They were taken to the Sevier County Hospital and
later released. The Utah Office of Emergency Services is analyzing the
substance, and suspects that it may be an organo phosphate. [Rick Nolan,
CR, CARE, 7/16]
92-355 - Amistad (Texas) - Drowning
On July 16th, V.O., 26, of Hayward, California, and two companions
attempted to swim to the buoy line which marks the limit of the swim area
and back. All three made it to the buoy line without trouble, but tired
quickly while returning. V.O. sank below the surface about 100 feet from
shore. He was wearing tennis shoes and denim jeans at the time of the
incident. Dive-trained park rangers were summoned and arrived about 20
minutes after the victim was last seen. They recovered his body in 18 feet
of water shortly thereafter. There was no indication that alcohol or drugs
were involved in the incident. A board of inquiry will be held this week.
[Rod Danner, CR, AMIS, 7/17]
92-356 - Wupatki (Arizona) - Stolen Vehicle Arrests
On the morning of July 16th, an 18-year-old male and a 16-year-old female
who were fleeing from state officers in a stolen vehicle detoured into the
park from Highway 89, attempted to drive cross-country at Citadel Ruin, and
came to a halt about ten feet from the 100-foot deep Citadel Sink. The pair
abandoned their vehicle, but were soon apprehended by rangers and state
officers in brush near the site. Although the area has a high concentration
of archeological sites, little damage occurred. NPS charges are pending.
The state will be charging the adult male with grand larceny of a stolen
vehicle. [Kim Watson, WUPA, 7/17]
92-357 - Big South Fork (Tennessee) - Marijuana Seizure
During the week of July 13th, the park utilized a fixed-wing aircraft from
Cape Hatteras to spot illicit marijuana cultivation sites for possible
surveillance operations. A total of 21 plots containing unknown quantities
of marijuana plants were located. The operation was shortened each day by
thunderstorms. [John Cannon, CR, BISO, 7/17]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level II
)0*0*0*2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 7/19 7/20 Status
OR BLM Prineville Dist. *Chicken Springs - 5,760 CN 7/20
*Buck Hollow - 1,580 CN 7/20
CA USFS Cleveland NF *Loveland 2,000 1,550 CN 7/20
ID BLM Boise Dist. *Bald Mountain 200 200 CN 7/20
Shoshone Dist. *Slaughter 100 180 CND
xx Burley Dist. *Basin - 100 CN 7/19
State - *Cottonwood - T1 6,258 6,268 CND
AZ State Scottsdale *Black Mountain 1,000 2,000 CND
*Leslie - 2,500 CND
USFS Tonto NF *Ridge - 130 CN 7/20
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 DM - Demob in progress
3) FIRE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS - No reports this morning.
4) FIRE ACTIVITY - 260 fires for 7,146 acres in past 24 hours.
5) ANALYSIS - Initial attack activity continues throughout most of the
Western states. Demobilization is beginning on the Cottonwood Creek
Fire.
6) PROGNOSIS - Initial attack activity is expected to continue due to
holdover fires caused by recent lightning activity. Resources remain
adequate.
[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 7/20]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Ozark (Missouri) - Feral Horse Removal Injunction
In 1990, the park proposed to remove a group of approximately 20 feral
horses which had been studied and determined to be exotics, causing
vegetative and soil damage. Removal was to be done by trapping and having
the horses adopted by private owners. Some area residents opposed the
removal and obtained a restraining order in June of 1991. On June 17, 1992,
a Federal district judge granted a permanent injunction against the NPS
proposal for removing the horses. The Service plans on appealing the
decision. [Tim Blank, CR, OZAR, 7/20]
THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS
The following activities will be taking place in Congress this week on
matters pertaining to the National Park Service. If you would like further
information on any of these hearings or bills, please contact Dottie in WASO
Legislation at 202-208-3636:
Tuesday
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation
[McCain]:
Field hearing in Flagstaff on Grand Canyon overflights.
Wednesday
House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee [Miller]:
Mark-up on HR-3898, to provide for the addition of the Truman farmhouse
to Harry S Truman NHS; HR-1219, to designate wilderness and acquire
certain valuable inholdings within NWR and NPS units.
Thursday
House Interior and Insular Affairs Subcommittee on National Parks and
Public Lands [Vento]:
Hearing on HR-5061, Dry Tortugas NP in Florida; HR-5534, to authorize
the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreement with
William O. Douglas Outdoor Classroom.
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power [Sharp],
House Merchant Marine Subcommittee on Fisheries and Wildlife
Conservation and the Environment [Studds], and House Interior
Subcommittee on Water and Power and Offshore Energy Resources [Miller]:
Joint hearing on HR-4844, to restore Olympic NP and Elwha River
ecosystems and fisheries in the state of Washington.
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Marriott at meeting at Lake Mead,
NV (7/20-7/22).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Spruill at OAS meeting, Boise, ID (7/20-7/24);
Norum conducting fire reviews at Isle Royale, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Pictured
Rocks and Indiana Dunes (7/20-7/25); Clark at fire prevention planning
meeting, Anchorage and Fairbanks, AK (7/20-7/31); Farrel on annual leave
(7/17-7/25).
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