- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, August 20, 1996
- Date: Tues, 20 Aug 1996
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Tuesday, August 20, 1996
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
96-478 - Whiskeytown (California) - Car Clouts; Assault with Deadly Weapon
More than 30 car clouts have been reported in the park over the past 45
days - a number which may be significantly higher due to victim hesitancy to
report these crimes. Six people were arrested and five others identified in
car clouting cases between August 9th and 14th, but five more auto burglaries
were reported on the 15th. On the 9th, criminal investigator Alan Foster
interrupted 19-year-old S.N. while in the act of breaking into a car
near East Beach. S.N. was arrested for tampering, use of a false name, and
two no-bail felony warrants, one for auto theft and the other for possession
of a controlled substance and a weapon. He pled guilty at his initial
appearance in court and is now awaiting sentencing. Three other suspects
were identified with S.N.; a fourth fled into the brush and was not
located. On the 14th, a visitor caught M.B., 20, stealing tools
from a truck at Brandy Creek. Foster and ranger Ron Nelson arrested M.B.
and two companions on various felony and misdemeanor charges and warrants.
Later that day, visitors R.D. and J.H. discovered J.C.,
19, breaking into their car near Whiskeytown Dam. When they tried
to apprehend him, J.C. got into his own car and attempted to run them
down. R.D. was struck a glancing blow by the side of the car and was
bruised. Herrera was thrown onto the hood of the car, breaking its
windshield and a side window; he sustained bruises and lacerations. J.C.
was apprehended by local officers and is custody on $50,000 bond for two
counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one of burglary. His 15-year-old
girlfriend was also arrested for conspiracy and for aiding and abetting.
J.C. subsequently confessed to the assault, four burglaries, credit card
fraud, check fraud and statutory rape of the girl. Information developed in
this case cleared several other burglaries and property thefts. Additional
charges are pending. [Alan Foster, CI, WHIS]
[Additional reports pending...]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level V
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
% Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 8/19 8/20 Con Con
CA Sequoia/Kings Can. NP Kaweah T1 4,116 4,179 70 8/21
Yosemite NP Ackerson Cx T2 9,840 14,382 10 NEC
Stanislaus NF Rogge T2 15,500 22,000 50 NEC
San Luis Obispo RU Highway 58 ST1 50,000 69,500 45 8/22
Mendocino NF Fork T1 69,000 70,000 17 NEC
Shasta-Trinity NF Rock T2 1,408 1,687 75 8/21
Butcher -- 380 450 80 8/20
East Fork -- 135 150 50 NEC
Morris -- 125 160 20 NEC
Lassen-Modoc RU Dixie -- 1,450 1,400 100 CND
Fresno-Kings RU Trimmer -- 2,500 5,607 100 CND
Sequoia NF Chalolo -- 300 300 40 8/19
OR Umatilla NF Bull Cx T2 4,750 8,000 15 NEC
Tower T2 2,400 5,000 15 NEC
Malheur NF Wildcat T1 10,260 10,530 60 8/25
Ochoco NF Ochoco Cx T2 1,170 1,170 99 8/18
Wallowa-Whitman NF Salt Cx T1 56,125 56,125 0 8/22
Indian Point T2 60 80 100 CND
State Hog Valley -- 350 350 20 NEC
Willamette NF South Zone Cx T2 2,700 3,003 70 8/25
Umpqua NF Spring T2 2,030 2,700 49 8/30
North Umpqua -- 358 358 85 8/21
Fremont NF Alder Ridge T2 3,547 3,723 100 CND
Warm Springs Agency Simnasho T1 120,000 109,094 90 8/20
WA Spokane Agency * Blue Creek T2 - 550 90 NEC
NV Elko District Shoemake -- 18,500 18,000 85 8/21
Toiyabe NF * Sun -- - 450 80 8/19
MT Bitterroot NF Willow Creek T2 398 398 100 CND
Nez Perce NF Swet/Warrior T2 29,200 29,200 0 NEC
Lewiston District Dovetail -- 700 700 100 CND
State Powderville Cx T2 52,000 66,000 80 8/20
Miles City District * Colbert -- - 1,250 60 8/20
UT Cedar City District Paiute -- 1,050 1,345 90 8/19
* Cunningham -- - 3,000 0 8/22
State * Hickman -- - 400 60 8/19
CO Mesa Verde NP Chapin #5 T2 650 2,500 0 NEC
Grand Jct. District Sink Creek T2 340 340 90 8/21
AZ Kaibab NF Saddle -- 470 400 75 8/20
State * Hot Spot -- - 350 80 8/19
AZ Strip District * One Way Pass -- - 1,289 100 CND
Phoenix District * Lost -- - 120 100 CND
AK Statewide 17 fires -- 419,659 419,659 -- NSS
Heading Notes
Unit -- Agency = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA state resource
or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; District = BLM
district; NWR = USFWS wildlife refuge
Fire -- * = newly reported fire (on this report); Cx = complex; LSS =
limited suppression strategy; CSS = containment suppression
strategy
IMT -- T1 = Type 1; T2 = Type II; ST = State Team
% Con -- Percent of fire contained
Est Con -- Estimated containment date; NEC = no estimated date of
containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report; LPS = limited
protection status
NPS FIRE NARRATIVES
Chapin #5 Fire, Mesa Verde - The fire blew out yesterday afternoon and ran to
the northeast. The lodge and visitor center at Far View were spared, even
though the fire surrounded the buildings. Communications is still a problem,
as phone lines were burned yesterday. Threats still exist to structures,
powerlines, and cultural and historic resources.
Kaweah Fire, Sequoia-Kings Canyon/Tulare Ranger Unit - The fire is
threatening giant sequoia groves and giant forest development, which have an
estimated value of $140 million. Steep terrain and limited access are
hindering control efforts.
Ackerson Complex, Yosemite - The Ackerson and Poop/Naut fires have burned
together. The fire continues to burn actively towards Camp Mather. The fire
camp is being moved from Camp Mather to Drew Meadows.
NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Friday, 8/16 11 17 79 1 86 195 389
Saturday, 8/17 0 6 24 4 71 86 191
Sunday, 8/18 4 8 33 0 23 64 132
Monday, 8/19 1 5 25 0 50 40 121
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Friday, 8/16 625 832 156 27 2,854
Saturday, 8/17 722 1,070 171 43 3,513
Sunday, 8/18 647 842 159 35 3,436
Monday, 8/19 616 1,110 153 30 3,624
CURRENT SITUATION
Moderate initial attack activity was reported throughout the West yesterday.
A Type II team was mobilized to the Northwest. Elements of the 4th Infantry
Division from Fort Carson will be dispatched to the Fork fire in northern
California today (Paul Head, NPS FMO from the SSO in Boston, is chief of
party for the battalion to be deployed today; Chuck Scott, FMO at Saguaro,
will be chief of party for the second battalion to be sent out later this
week). Resource mobilization through NICC remains constant.
NATIONAL OUTLOOK
NICC has posted a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for scattered thunderstorms and winds
associated with a cold front for eastern Montana. Windy conditions are
forecast for eastern Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Winds shifting to
northwest behind the front will bring cooler temperatures and higher
humidities.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/20; Doug Erskine, NPS, NIFC]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Gettysburg (Pennsylvania) - Archeological Excavation; Human Remains
Yesterday morning, archeologists began a five-day excavation at a site on the
battlefield where human remains were found this past March. The remains were
discovered by a park visitor who found bones eroding from the ground in an
area where intense fighting took place on the first day of the battle. The
location - withheld from the public until yesterday in order to protect the
site from looting - is just east of Reynolds Avenue and north of Route 30,
near the Reynolds Avenue bridge over the railroad tracks. Human remains were
found in the area in 1914 and 1939, and in both cases the remains were
attributed to the battle. There is no record of the area being used as an
unmarked cemetery, but prehistoric sites have been found throughout the park,
making a Native American context possible. Archeologists from the NPS and
GAI Consultants will conduct the excavation, with donated professional
assistance from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the
Smithsonian Institution Department of Anthropology, and the Army Corps of
Engineers. Park volunteers will assist with crowd control and visitor
services at the site, which will be open to the public throughout the work.
Park Watch volunteers are working with the NPS and other law enforcement
officials to provide 24-hour security for the site. [Katie Lawhon, PIO,
GETT]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Reports pending.
MEMORANDA
No submissions.
EXCHANGE
No submissions.
Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by park,
office and/or field area cc:Mail hub coordinators. Please address requests
for the Morning Report to your servicing hub coordinator.
Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
--- ### ---