- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, August 5, 1992
- Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1992
RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
Ranger Activities Division Information Network
Day/Date: Wednesday, August 5, 1992
INCIDENTS
92-387 - Yosemite (California) - Rescue
On the afternoon of July 30th, S.-D.C., a Korean national, was on the
third pitch of the Regular route on Half Dome when he had a mishap with his
ascending devices and fell approximately 40 feet to the end of his rope,
striking the wall as he fell. S.-D.C.'s climbing partners found him
unconscious, but he revived after about ten minutes. Although S.-D.C. suffered
an open skull fracture and fractures to a knee and both ankles, he was able
to return to the base of the route with his partners' assistance.
Ranger/medics Kerry Maxwell and Mike LaLone helo-rappeled to the scene and
provided advanced life support. S.-D.C. was then short-hauled to the Valley
floor and eventually flown to a hospital in Modesto via commercial medical
helicopter. [John Roth, YOSE, 8/4]
92-388 - Sequoia/Kings Canyon (California) - Rescue
Park dispatch received a 911 call from the trailhead at Mineral King on the
afternoon of July 25th reporting that two people were calling for help from
the cliffs above Eagle Lake. The reporting party stated that he had just
barely been able to hear the stranded party and that they appeared to be
about 100 feet below the top of the cliffs at 10,800 feet. Rangers started
hiking to the location from the Mineral King area, and the park helicopter
was dispatched with rangers Dave Ashe and Randy Coffman to find a landing
spot above the stranded party. The ship was able to land in the vicinity,
and Coffman and Ashe then rappeled 200 feet down to the victims - A.M.
and S.B. - and assisted them to the ground. Both were in
good condition. They reported that they'd been day hiking in the White
Chief area, then had headed back down using cross country routes. When they
started down the cliff, they realized that they could not get down and also
could not get back up the cliff. When rescued, one was on a fairly large
ledge, but the other was in a very narrow crack. [Mike Warren, SEKI, 7/29]
92-389 - Yosemite (California) - Rescue
On July 26th, Tuolumne rangers received a report that two climbers had
fallen about 500 feet on the Dana Glacier, just outside the park. Rangers
Eric Gabriel and Dave Page were flown to the scene by the park's contract
helicopter. They found that one of the climbers, R.V., was
uninjured, but that the other, J.J., 36, of Loma Linda, California,
was suffering from severe back and ankle pain and facial lacerations.
Johnson was approximately 200 feet up an ice-covered talus slope and a short
distance up the glacier. As Page and Gabriel treated him, several large
boulders came down around the party. J.J. was packaged for a flight out
by short haul, but the helicopter crew was forced to cut the rope and
abandon the operation due to downdrafts from the glacier and insufficient
power to lift the litter. After reassessing the situation, Page and Gabriel
established a bollard and used the remains of the short haul rope and one of
the climbers' ropes to lower J.J. 200 feet to another landing site. He
was then flown to Dana Meadow, stabilized by park medics, and taken by
ambulance to Mammoth Lakes, where he was treated for a fracture ankle,
fractured facial bones, and fractures of T-8 and L-1 vertebrae. [Kris
Bardsley, YOSE, 7/29]
92-390 - Organ Pipe Cactus (Arizona) - Rescue
While conducting a drug interdiction patrol on July 16th, a park ranger in
the military helicopter spotted two individuals waving distress signals near
an isolated area along the north boundary. Upon landing, he contacted two
Mexican nationals, one of whom was at least eight months pregnant. The pair
had less the two ounces of water left between them, and both were suffering
from moderate dehydration. Both had entered the United States through the
park and hiked over 20 miles in rugged terrain with temperatures reaching
109 degrees before being picked up. [Cheto Olais, CR, ORPI, 7/27]
*** More pending incident reports tomorrow ***
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level III
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 8/4 8/5 Status
OR USFS Winema NF Lone Pine - T1 5,400 16,000 CN 8/8
State - East Evans Creek 600 4,000 NEC
WA State - Wishram 1,500 4,000 CND
* Skookum - 1,500 NEC
USFS Okanogan NF War Creek - T2 100 100 CN 8/6
CA CDF Tuolumne-
Calaveras RU Mocassin 7,500 8,000 CND
USFS Los Padres NF Seco - T2 2,800 2,580 CN 8/5
MT USFS Kootenai NF * Three Goats - T2 - 100 CN 8/6
ID USFS Boise NF County Line - T1 5,300 6,000 CN 8/14
Cub Creek - T1 1,000 1,000+ CN 8/9
Challis NF * Horse Thief - 250 NEC
BLM Burley Dist. Curlew
Complex - T2 10,500+ 16,090 NEC
Idaho Falls Dist. Jenkins 250 250 CN 8/4
Sagehen 10,000 17,000 NEC
* Champagne - 200 NEC
NV USFS Humboldt NF Coffee Pot 10,000 21,000 NEC
BLM Elko Dist. Bluff Creek 1,400 1,757 CND
Dixie Creek - T2 13,200+ 15,500 NEC
Idaho Line 400 5,500 CN 8/6
Demalle 150 150 CND
Winemucca Dist. Canyon - T2 5,500 7,180 CN 8/5
Shoshone Dist. Flat Top 400 200 CND
Black Ridge
Complex 65,000+ 105,000 CN 8/7
Roe - T2 5,000+ 17,280 CN 8/7
Little City 2,000+ 3,100 CND
- 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 -
* NPS Areas - No significant fires are being reported in park areas.
Zion, Grand Teton and Whiskeytown have new starts, but all are small.
* Winema NF - The Lone Pine Fire is threatening over 150 homes. Explosive
fire behavior, shifting winds and low fuel moistures are impeding
suppression efforts. Four MAFF air tankers are being activated today.
* Shoshone District - The Black Ridge Complex is made up of four fires
which have burned together. Extreme fire behavior and rugged terrain
are hindering control efforts.
* Humboldt NF - The Coffee Pot Fire is threatening the town of Jarbridge,
which has been evacuated.
4) FIRE ACTIVITY - 302 fires for 102,022 acres reported in past 24 hours.
1991 Fires (Year-To-Date): 52,612 1991 Acres (Year-To-Date): 1,877,603
1992 Fires (Year-To-Date): 64,816 1992 Acres (Year-To-Date): 809,745
5) ANALYSIS - Mobilization of resources to the Great Basin and Northwest is
continuing as fire activity persists. Fire indices are escalating to
very high and extreme in numerous areas of the West.
6) PROGNOSIS - Continued activity is expected in the Northwest and the Great
Basin areas, as no breaks in current weather patterns are foreseen. High
demand for national resources is expected to continue. A red flag
warning for hot temperatures, low humidities and unstable air has been
posted for southeast Oregon, southern Idaho and western Wyoming.
[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 8/5; Diane Wisley, Branch of Fire, 8/4]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Statue of Liberty (New York) - Historic Site Discovered
The remains of Fort Gibson were uncovered at Ellis Island recently while
preliminary excavations were being made for the centennial edition of the
Wall of Honor. Present day Ellis Island was the site of one of a series of
coastal fortifications designed to protect New York Harbor in the event of a
naval attack during the War of 1812. Plans are being made to incorporate
part of the archeological find as an exhibit on the history of the island
within the Wall of Honor. [Denise Chicketano, STLI]
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 Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Public Lands,
National Parks and Forests [Bumpers]:
Hearing on S. 2577, H.R. 4769, H.R. 4770, and H.R. 5118, to provide for
the exchange of certain federal lands between the State of Utah and the
Secretary of the Interior.
Wednesday
House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee [Miller]:
Markup of H.R. 5001, to conduct a National River Systems Recreation
Assessment.
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee [Johnston]:
Markup of S. 1624, to improve the management of Glacier Bay; H.R. 2321,
to establish the Dayton Aviation Heritage NHP; and H.R. 2929, to
designate certain lands in the California desert as wilderness and
establish the Death Valley, Joshua Tree and Mojave National Parks.
Thursday
Senate Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Public Lands,
National Parks and Forests [Bumpers]:
Hearings on S.2890, to provide for the Brown Versus Board of Education
NHS in Kansas; H.R. 2109, study of Revere Beach in Massachusetts; S.
2244, construction of World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.; S.
2549, to establish Hudson River Artists NHP in New York; H.R. 3665, to
create Little River Canyon National Preserve in Alabama; and S.J. Res.
161, to authorize the Go For Broke National Veterans Association to
establish a memorial to Japanese-American War Veterans in D.C.
House Interior and Insular Affairs' Subcommittee National Parks and
Public Lands [Vento]:
Markup of H.R. 4326, to improve the wilderness management and wilderness
research programs of the NPS and BLM in the Department of Interior; H.R.
4327, to improve the wilderness management and wilderness research
programs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Department of
Interior, including better coordination with the NPS and BLM; and H.R.
5534, to authorize the Secretary of Interior to enter into a cooperative
agreement with the William O. Douglas Outdoor Classroom.
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: Brady on annual leave (8/3-8/7).
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Martin on annual leave (8/3-8/7);
Schamp on annual leave (8/6-8/14); Marriott at Big Bend (8/3-8/7).
Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd on fire program review in Alaska (8/1-8/7);
Gale on annual leave (8/3-8/5).
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