- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Monday, August 4, 1997
- Date: Mon, 4 Aug 1997
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Monday, August 4, 1997
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
97-428 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - MVA with Fatality
A head-on motor vehicle accident north of Sheepeater Cliff on the Grand Loop
road on the afternoon of August 1st claimed the life of motorcyclist from Ann
Arbor, Michigan. A northbound pickup truck towing a camper trailer pulled
into the opposite lane at a slow speed to pass several vehicles stopped in
the road. The truck almost immediately struck a southbound Harley-Davidson
being driven by B.T., 40. B.T. was traveling about 45 mph and
wearing a helmet. Although the headlight of her motorcycle was functioning,
it was raining heavily at the time and visibility was reduced. B.T.
sustained massive injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene after efforts
to resuscitate her by bystanders and emergency response personnel failed.
The accident is under investigation, and the U.S. attorney's office will be
consulted about possible charges. Motorcycle traffic in the park typically
increases just before and after the major annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis,
South Dakota. There were four MVAs involving motorcycles - two others with
serious injuries - during the period from Wednesday to Friday last week.
[Mike Murray, ACR, YELL, 8/3]
97-429 - Shenandoah NP (VA) - Search and Rescue
On August 2nd, M.B., 29, of Afton, Virginia, lost his footing
while at the top of the second falls on the White Oak Canyon trail, fell 35
feet, and landed on his head, sustaining multiple injuries. A team of a
dozen rangers conducted the five-hour, belayed carry-out operation. M.B.
was then transported by ambulance to the University of Virginia hospital.
[Clay Jordan, IC, SHEN, 8/3]
97-430 - Rocky Mountain NP (CO) - Suicide
On the morning of July 17th, visitors reported that they'd come upon the body
of a man with a gunshot wound to his chest in a locked vehicle in the parking
lot at Fall River Pass. Due to suspicious circumstances, FBI agents and the
county coroner were called in. Law enforcement rangers, interpreters and
maintenance personnel secured the area; Alpine visitor center, Trail Ridge
store and Old Fall River road were also closed for a few hours. A hand gun
and suicide note were found in the vehicle. The victim was identified as
H.R., 29, of Springfield, Massachusetts. Boxes in the car contained
unpaid bills and bounced checks to the IRS. [Kris Holien, ROMO, 8/1]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
Thu Sun % Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 7/31 8/3 Con Con
AK# Southwest Area Inowak T2 490,700 521,900 5 NEC
Chiniklik Mt. T2 3,340 3,283 85 8/5
Devils Peak -- 300 660 80 8/3
Galena District Simels -- 344,450 365,865 0 NR
Garfield Creek -- 51,000 53,000 0 NR
Magitchlie Creek -- 29,049 209,409 0 NR
Fairbanks Area Butte Creek -- 3,400 4,222 0 NR
CA San Diego RU * Laural -- - 723 100 CND
* Wohlford -- - 457 100 CND
NV Elko District * Reinhart -- - 650 50 8/4
# Alaska has 55 other large fires burning for a total of 1,613,240 acres.
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
NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FIVE DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Wednesday, 7/30 0 1 26 0 65 68 160
Thursday, 7/31 2 6 29 0 85 71 186
Friday, 8/1 1 4 20 0 121 64 210
Saturday, 8/2 0 5 11 1 52 79 148
Sunday, 8/3 0 1 9 0 45 67 122
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FIVE DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Wednesday, 7/30 57 127 45 7 214
Thursday, 7/31 54 82 36 6 170
Friday, 8/1 63 43 39 12 166
Saturday, 8/2 68 123 32 7 201
Sunday, 8/3 92 76 27 8 38
COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT
1997: YTD Ten Year Average: YTD
Number of fires 41,396 52,660
Acres burned 2,286,460 1,872,990
CURRENT SITUATION
Precipitation has aided suppression efforts on several large fires in Alaska.
Containment objectives were achieved yesterday on the large fires in southern
California. Initial attack increased in the northern Rockies, but was
minimal in most other geographic areas. Many units in California are
reporting very high to extreme fire indices.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/2-4]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No submissions.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Department of Interior Appropriations - The Senate recessed last Thursday
night without taking up the Department of Interior appropriations legislation
on the floor. Action has therefore been deferred until after September 2nd,
when the Senate reconvenes. [Jim Giammo, Budget, WASO]
Hurricane Information - The 1997 hurricane season is now upon us. The
National Hurricane Center (NHC) has provided the NPS with the following list
of web sites for obtaining information on the status of hurricanes:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
http://tropical.atmos.colostate.edu
http://thunder.met.fsu.edu
http://lumahai.soest.hawaii.edu/Tropical_Weather/tropical.html
http://www.fema.gov/fema/trop.html
http://cirrus.sprl.umich.edu/wxnet/tropical.html
http://www.solar.ifa.hawaii.edu/Tropical
http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/graphicsversion/main.html
There are many other sites out there as well. Some National Weather Service
local offices also have their own web sites, which carry hurricane
information without linking to the NHC site. NHC has asked that emergency
managers work closely with their state and local NWS offices for storm
information instead of attempting to call the center. NHC is not staffed to
handle a large number of calls. [Bob Panko, DR, EVER]
MEMORANDA
No submissions.
EXCHANGE
No submissions.
MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS CALENDAR
Two calendars alternate in the Morning Report on Mondays - this one, which
contains meetings, conferences and events, and a second, which contains
workshops and training courses. If you know of a conference, meeting,
workshop or training session with Servicewide interest and implications,
please send the information along. Entries are listed no earlier than FOUR
months before the event, EXCEPT in instances in which registration dates
close much earlier. Asterisks indicate new entries; brackets at end of entry
indicate source of information. Brevity is appreciated.
8/12-14 -- Seventh Annual Meeting, Bird Strike Committee-USA, Ramada Inn,
Logan International Airport, Boston, MA. Contact: James Forbes,
Animal Damage Control, USDA, 518-477-4837.
8/12-15 -- Mesocarnivores of Northern California, Biology, Management and
Survey Techniques, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA.
Contact: Sandra von Arb, 707-445-7805.
8/25-31 -- 61st Annual Meeting, Society of American Archivists, Fairmont
Hotel, Chicago, IL. Contact: Call SAA, 312-922-0140. [Diane
Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]
8/27-30 -- "Bridging Natural and Social Landscapes," 24th annual Natural
Areas Conference, Portland, OR. Contact: Gary Johnson, 202-208-
5886. [Tim Goddard, WASO]
8/31 -- Labor Day Concert, National Symphony, U.S. Capitol, Washington,
DC. Free. [PAO, NCRO]
9/2-6 -- Black Family Reunion, Washington Monument, Washington, DC.
Contact: National Council of Negro Women, 202-737-0120. [PAO,
NCRO]
9/10-11 -- International Energy and Environmental Congress, Richmond, VA.
One of several regional conferences sponsored by the Association
of Energy Engineers focusing on energy conservation and renewable
energy. Contact: Ted Collins, 202-586-8017. [Steve Hastings,
HOAL]
9/22-23 -- Annual Council Meeting, The Wildlife Society, Snowmass Village,
CO. Contact: Harry Hodgdon, The Wildlife Society, 301-897-9770
or tws@wildlife.org.
9/25-26 -- Meeting, Oral History Association, Royal Sonesta Hotel, New
Orleans, LA. Contact: Call 817-755-2764, or send e-mail to
OHA_Support@Baylor.edu. [Diane Vogt O'Connor, DCA/WASO]
9/25-29 -- Second World Congress, International Ranger Federation, San Jose,
Costa Rica. Registration is $600 per person for double occupancy
and $850 for single occupancy in a four-star hotel; the fee
includes six nights' lodging, all meals and tips, transportation
to and from the airport, and transportation for the field trips
to several nearby Costa Rican national parks. Congress
organizers are asking that those planning to attend register in
advance - even with a partial payment. Payment can be made by
VISA or Master Card. Contact: Lyn Rothgeb, Congress registrar,
730 East Main Street, Luray, VA 22835; 540-743-1775 (fax and
phone). [Bill Wade]
10/1-4 -- Annual Meeting, American Association for State and Local History,
Denver, CO. The meeting will be held in conjunction with the
Colorado-Wyoming Museums Association and will cover many aspects
of public history and interpretation. NPS speakers will be
featured. Contact: American Association for State and Local
History, 530 Church Street, Suite 600, Nashville, TN 37219-2325.
[Bill Gwaltney, FOLA]
* * * * *
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
pertaining to receipt of 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.
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