NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, June 14, 1994

Broadcast: By 0930 ET

INCIDENTS

94-290 - Martin Luther King (Georgia) - Special Event

On June 10th, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan visited the King
Center for Nonviolent Social Change in the park.  Emperor Akihito, the first
Japanese monarch to visit the United States in 19 years, laid a wreath on
Dr. King's grave site and met with King Center officials and invited guests. 
The emperor's visit was a major media story; approximately 140 local,
national and international press members were in attendance.  No significant
law enforcement events occurred.  Security was provided by rangers, the
Secret Service, city police, the State Department, Japanese security police,
and King Center security officers.  [Johnny Sims, CR, MALU, 6/13]

94-291 - Yellowstone (Wyoming) - Poaching Convictions

On June 1st, R.M., 18, of Gardiner, Montana, and R.C., 18, of
Pray, Montana, were convicted of aiding and abetting each other in the
killing of a pronghorn antelope in the park last fall.  On October 20, 1993,
two park visitors reported seeing a man, later identified as R.M.,
dragging a dead antelope out of sight of the Stevens Creek Road, while
another man, identified as R.C., waited in a vehicle on the highway.  The
visitors recorded the vehicle license plate number and notified rangers. 
Park investigators recovered the carcass, which had been shot with a
broadhead arrow, and eventually identified the two suspects.  During the
trial, one of the witnesses positively identified the two men as being
involved in the incident.  R.M. and R.C. were each fined $1,500,
placed on three years' probation, and prohibited from entering the park for
three years.  [Mike Murray, YELL, 6/10]

94-292 - Upper Delaware (New York) - Drowning

W.L., 33, and friends were jumping from the Narrowsburg Bridge into
15 to 20 feet of water on June 11th when W.L. hit the river and failed to
resurface.  The park dive team was summoned and recovered his body later
that evening.  The circumstances leading to his death are not yet entirely
known, but alcohol and drugs were contributing factors.  [Cliff Daniels,
UPDE, 6/13]

94-293 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Car Clouts

Nine vehicles in the Boulder Beach, Las Vegas Wash, Callville and Katherine
areas were burglarized and vandalized on June 9th.  Entry was gained by
breaking the vehicles' rear wind wing windows.  A pickup truck at Las Vegas
Wash also had all its windows smashed; another pickup was stolen at about
the same time, and that theft is believed to be related to the burglaries. 
The latter was subsequently found at an apartment complex in Las Vegas. 
Ranger have not yet been able to contact most vehicle owners to determine
the amount of loss, but one owner claimed losses in excess of $2,000. 
Investigations are continuing.  [Bud Inman, LAME, 6/10]

94-294 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Drowning

J.L.M., 22, of Las Vegas, was swimming near Hemenway Fishing Point
on June 12th when he began to have difficulties and called for help. 
Several friends attempted to rescue him, but were unsuccessful.  A dive team
later recovered his body.  [Grace Gerken, LAME, 6/13]

94-295 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Search; Probable Drowning

On June 6th, the park received a report that a man had disappeared while
sailboarding off Boulder Beach.  The reporting party said that the man had
not returned to his vehicle by 6:30 p.m., and that he'd last been seen
wearing a black helmet and white T-shirt but no life jacket.  Rangers
located a vehicle registered to J.P., 38, of Las Vegas, in the
parking lot.  A land and water search for J.P. was begun and continued
through the following day with the assistance of an Arizona state police
helicopter.  During the day, a visitor brought a sailboard that he'd found
at the entrance to Callville Bay to rangers at that location.  The bay is
about ten miles across the lake from the point where J.P. was last seen. 
J.P. did not show up for work as scheduled and has not contacted either
family or friends.  He had only moderate experience sailboarding.  The
search has been discontinued.  [Bud Inman, LAME, 6/10]

94-296 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Concessioner Arson Conviction

During a two-week period in late May and early June, a series of nine arson
fires were ignited around the South Rim.  An arson investigator was assigned
to the case; after the third and fourth consecutive fires, a pattern began
to emerge, suspects were identified, and a surveillance operation initiated. 
The latter led to the arrest of a concession employee who subsequently
confessed to the crimes.  The person pled guilty in magistrate's court and
was sentenced to six months in prison and a $2,500 fine.  The funds will be
placed in an account to pay for the suppression of the fires and the arson
investigation.  [Jess Duhnkrack, GRCA, 6/11]

94-297 - Grand Teton (Wyoming) - Search and Rescue

On the afternoon of June 7th, D.T., 25, of Rock Falls, Illinois, was
crossing a snowfield above Lake Solitude near Paintbrush Divide when he
slipped and fell about 300 feet down a steep snow gully and over several
cliff bands, sustaining multiple injuries.  A Jenny Lake climbing ranger who
was in the area hiked to the scene, and two other climbing rangers were
flown in by helicopter.  D.T.'s injuries were stabilized; he was then
shorthauled to a nearby staging area, where he was picked up and flown to a
hospital in Jackson.  D.T. was treated for numerous deep wounds in both legs
and his head, and underwent surgery for a shattered patella.  The evacuation
was completed just before a significant storm dropped several inches of snow
in the area.  D.T. was inexperienced in mountain hiking and was not carrying
an ice axe.  [Cindy DuBois, GRTE, 6/10]

              [More pending incident reports tomorrow....]

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

2) LARGE FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency     Area            Fire              6/11      6/12   Status

 CO    State   -               * Divide Crk. - T2      -     1,000   NEC

 NM    USFS    Lincoln NF        Bridge - T1       5,380     5,380   CN 6/14
               Cibola NF         Ryan Comp. - T1  18,478    18,478   CN 6/16
       State   -                 Flat Comp. - T2  40,000    41,800   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 - Containment strategy    NEC - No estimate of containment
  CND - Contained              CN/CS (date) - Expected date of containment

3) FIRE NARRATIVES -

Divide Creek, Colorado State - The fire has destroyed one residence and is
threatening other rural residences, ranches and adjacent federal lands. 
High winds and extremely dry fuels are causing control problems.

Flat Complex Fires, New Mexico State - There are five fires in the complex. 
Four are in good shape; a major burn-out is planned on the fifth.

4) FIRES YESTERDAY (BY AGENCY) -

                NPS     BIA     BLM     FWS     States     USFS      Total

Number            3      13       7       1        131       42        197
Acres Burned    409      17      63     186      1,509    3,056      5,240

5) COMMITTED RESOURCES -

               Crews     Engines     Helicopters     Airtankers     Overhead

Federal           63        24           18               6           415
Non-federal        0        31            0               0            43

6) CURRENT SITUATION - Initial attack increased yesterday in Alaska; 56
smokejumpers have been committed.  There was also an increase in activity in
the Rockies.  Progress has been made on most fires in the Southwest, but
initial attack continues.

7) OUTLOOK - A red flag watch has been posted for low relative humidities
and strong gusty winds in Arizona.  A red flag warning has been posted for
Nevada for low humidities and strong gusty winds.  The potential for initial
attack and large fire activity exists in the Southwest, southern California,
southern Utah and Nevada.

[NIFCC Incident Management Situation Report, 6/14]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Devils Tower (Wyoming) - Leafy Spurge Removal

After over a year of research, planning, public comments and negotiations,
the park has implemented an innovative approach for controlling leafy
spurge, a noxious range weed.  The park has battled its infestation of
spurge with herbicides for decades, with only a devastated riparian woodland
to show for the effort.  Near monocultures of spurge still infest the
monument's floodplain.  On June 7th, a flock of 400 angora goats arrived on
site to being a summer's work of eating the ecologically disruptive weed. 
The initiative that lead to the goats' introduction was funded by $5,000
from the challenge cost-share program and was used to initiate a cooperative
venture with the county and two local ranchers.  It's expected that the
goats will eat the flowers and leaves off the spurge, thereby weakening the
plants and preventing seed production.  The flock will be rotated between
the park and adjoining private range lands as needed throughout the summer. 
Three species of biological control insects that are lethal to spurge have
also been released recently; the park staff hopes that combination of
insects and goats will provide the right integrated approach for controlling
and reducing the spurge.  Investigations have also begun to isolate and
incubate endemic soil pathogens for later application on spurge patches. 
For more in formation, contact George San Miguel at DETO Resource Management
or Tom Wylie at RMR.

MEMORANDA

"1994 Incident Reporting Procedures", signed by Acting Associate Director,
Operations, Mike Finley, on June 13th, and will be sent to all Regional
Directors and Superintendents this week.  An advance cc:Mail copy was sent
to regional and park chief rangers yesterday, June 12th.

IN CONGRESS

The following activities have occurred recently or will be taking place in
Congress during coming weeks on matters of interest or consequence to the
National Park Service.  If you would like further information on any of
these hearings or bills, please contact Mary in WASO Legislation at 202-208-
3636.

Upcoming Hearings

6/14 -- House Natural Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests
and Public Lands (Vento): Hearing on H.R. 3898, to establish the
New Bedford Whaling District National Historical Park, New
Bedford, MA; and H.R. 4448, to amend the act establishing Lowell
National Historical Park.

6/15 -- Senate Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Public
Lands, National Parks and Forests (Bumpers): Mark-up of H.R.
1348, to establish the Quinebaug and Shetucket National Heritage
Corridor in Connecticut; and H.R. 3498, to establish Great Falls
Historic District, New Jersey.

6/16 -- House Natural Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests
and Public Lands (Vento): Mark-up of H.R. 1716, to amend the act
establishing Rocky Mountain National Park to provide for
protection of certain lands within the park; H.R. 3708, to
reform the operation, maintenance and development of Steamtown
National Historic Site; H.R. 2577, to authorize the Secretary of
Interior to participate in the operation of certain visitor
facilities associated with but outside of Rocky Mountain
National Park; and H.R. 4364, to direct the Secretary of
Transportation to transfer administrative jurisdiction over
certain lands for inclusion in Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

6/21 -- House Natural Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests
and Public Lands (Vento): Hearing on H.R. 3408 and S. 1586, to
establish New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park in
Louisiana; H.R. 4158, to establish Lower East Side Tenement
Museum National Historic Site.

-- Senate Energy and Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Public
Lands, National Parks and Forests (Bumpers): Oversight hearing
on Disney's America project and its potential impacts on nearby
Civil War battlefield sites.

6/23 -- House Natural Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests
and Public Lands (Vento): Oversight hearing on Everglades
issues.

6/27 -- House Natural Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests
and Public Lands (Vento): Hearing on H.R. 3079, to establish the
Augusta Canal National Heritage Corridor in Georgia; H.R. 1685,
to establish the Essex Heritage District Commission; H.R. 3144,
to authorize funding within the Department of Interior to
implement the plan of the Steel Industry Heritage Project; and
H.R. 3988, to provide for the preservation and interpretation of
certain lands and structures relating to the coal mining
heritage of the state of West Virginia and the nation.

Recent Actions

House -- The House has reported bills on the American Heritage Areas
Partnership Program Act (H.R. 3707) and the National Park System
Reform Act (H.R. 4476).

Senate -- One bill of interest to the NPS has been introduced - S. 2156,
to provide for the elimination and modification of reports by
Federal departments and agencies to the Congress.  Reports have
been made on a number of pieces of legislation; among the more
significant are bills to expand the boundaries of Saguaro (S.
316), to improve NPS housing (S. 472), to establish Cane River
Creole NHP and Cane River National Heritage Area (S. 1890), to
designate a portion of the Farmington River in Connecticut as a
wild and scenic river (S. 103-278), and to authorize
appropriations for preservation and restoration of historic
buildings at historically black colleges and universities (H.R.
2921), and to establish Shenandoah Valley National Battlefields
and Commission (S. 1033).  The latter has since passed the
Senate. 

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone: 202-208-4874
Telefax:   202-208-6756
cc:Mail:   WASO Ranger Activities
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