NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, August 11, 1998

INCIDENTS

98-309 - Great Smoky Mountains (NC/TN) - Follow-up on Death of Ranger

The investigation into the murder of ranger Joe Kolodski continues, but there
have been few developments recently.  The attorney general has not yet
decided on whether the death penalty will be sought.  Joe's ashes were spread
in the park last week in a very small, private ceremony.  More than $40,000
has been donated to the family to date.  Cards and/or donations may be sent
to the family in care of Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains NP, 130 West
Bruce Street, Suite #1, Sevierville, TN 37862.  [Jason Houck, CR, GRSM, 8/10]

98-479 - Petersburg NB (VA) - Homicide

The remains of 41-year-old L.H. of Petersburg were found just inside
the park's boundary on the morning of August 1st.  They were apparently
discovered by a family member and reported to city police.  The remains have
not yet been positively identified, but they are likely L.H.'s.  L.H. was
reported missing around July 17th.  It appears that he was approached or
accosted along the railroad right-of-way through the main unit of the park
and attempted to flea or seek refuge in the park.  Evidence recovered from
the scene includes four spent .25 caliber projectiles.  The motive is
unknown, but may have been robbery or a personal vendetta.  Rangers, FBI
agents and Petersburg police are investigating.  [Ike Kelley, CR, PETE, 8/10]

98-480 - Hawaii Volcanoes NP (HI) - Prostitution and Drug Arrest

On August 9th, rangers received a report of a woman soliciting sex for money
at the Namakani Paio concession rental cabin area.  They contacted the woman,
who appeared to be under the influence of narcotics and subsequently admitted
to being a heroin addict.  R.D., 38, and her male companion, K.C.,
41, were arrested on state warrants.  A syringe and a metal pipe
with drug residue were found in R.D.'s possession.  The U.S. attorney's
office in Honolulu was contacted; federal charges of prostitution and
possession of drug paraphernalia will be filed and served on R.D. when she
is released from prison by the state.  [CRO, HAVO, 8/10]

98-481 - Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Rescues and Recoveries

The last week of July and beginning of August were very busy for protection
rangers in the South Unit in San Francisco.  The following water-related
rescues occurred:

o     On July 25th, rangers Airey, LaSalle and Prokop responded in the park's
      surf rescue boat from China Beach to the base of a 300-foot coastal
      cliff in San Francisco to recover a body.  The extrication required
      rangers to swim a body bag and rescue board through the surf onto the
      rocky shoreline, then swim back out with the victim to a waiting rescue
      boat.  Neither climbers nor a helicopter could be used due to an
      overhanging cliff with very unstable rock and debris.
o     On July 31st, rangers Airey, Forbes, Warmerdam and Ehmann responded to
      Fort Funston to assist the passengers in a 17-foot motor boat that had
      washed ashore.  Once it was determined that all were okay and they were
      brought to shore, rangers helped swim the tow line through the surf to
      the boat and monitored the scene for any fuel spilled during towing.
o     On August 2nd, rangers again responded from China Beach in the surf
      rescue boat, this time to the aid of a person who had fallen near the
      base of a remote 300-foot cliff in Marin Headlands and suffered a
      possible broken ankle.  North Unit rangers had requested the boat due
      to the difficulty of a carry-out on an unstable scree slope.  The
      victim was transported back to a waiting ambulance at China Beach.
o     On August 4th, rangers returned to the same location in the rescue boat
      to retrieve a visitor who had fallen and suffered two broken ankles, a
      possible broken nose, and possible spine injuries.  Presidio paramedics
      scrambled down the scree slope and treated the victim, who was then
      evacuated by boat.  On the same day, rangers responded to a report of a
      victim in a rip current and arrived on scene within five minutes.  The
      victim was brought to shore and transported to an ambulance , but later
      died at a hospital.
o     On August 5th, ranger Airey was making water safety contacts with
      visitors on Ocean Beach in his four-by-four vehicle when he saw two
      people caught in a rip current and unable to make it back to shore. 
      Airey, a highly-trained surf rescue swimmer, enlisted the assistance of
      two surfers, then swam through the surf and brought them to shore with
      the surfer's aid.

[Steve Prokop, GOGA, 8/5]

98-482 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Drug Seizure

Border Patrol agents contacted rangers by radio on the afternoon of July 30th
and asked for help in stopping a vehicle suspected of illegally entering the
United States through the park.  The agents had tried to stop the vehicle,
but the driver had fled from them and raced south toward the border at speeds
approaching 100 mph on Highway 85, a north-south route that bisects the park. 
Customs agents pursuing the car asked rangers to place tire deflation devices
on the road to terminate the chase.  Ranger Fred Moosman did so, but the
vehicle continued on two deflated tires for another four miles before
stopping just a half mile short of the border.  The driver then attempted to
flee on foot, but was apprehended by Border Patrol agents.  Just over 213
pounds of marijuana were found packed in the vehicle's trunk.  [Fred Moosman,
ORPI, 7/31]

98-483 - St. Croix NSR (WI/MN) - Drowning

M.L., 18, of Blaine, Minnesota, jumped off a 40-foot cliff into the
St. Croix River from Minnesota Interstate State Park on the evening of
Sunday, July 26th; he surfaced momentarily after entering the water, then
disappeared.  Rangers Joe Hudick, Charlie Lundin and Brian Adams assisted
several state and local law enforcement and rescue agencies in the search for
M.L.  The effort was hampered by swift currents and the large quantity of
logs and debris at the bottom of the river, and was suspended late that
evening.  The search was resumed the next day and continued until Wednesday,
when his body was recovered about 100 yards downstream from the point where
he entered the river.  This is the second drowning in the park this year, but
the first in three years involving cliff jumping from one of the two
interstate state parks adjoining St. Croix NSR.  [CR, SACN, 7/30]

98-484 - Denali NP (AK) - MVA with Fatality

A Toyota Forerunner went off the east shoulder of Parks Highway around 4 a.m.
on July 31st.  It traveled along the gravel embankment for about 300 feet,
then rolled three times and came to rest 30 feet off the road.  Both the
driver and passenger - J.M., 23, of Tucson, Arizona, and J.Z.,
23, of Redwood City, California - were ejected from the vehicle. 
J.M. was pronounced dead at the scene.  J.Z. suffered head and pelvic
injuries and was airlifted to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.  He is expected to
recover.  Rangers are assisting state troopers with the investigation.  [Ken
Kehrer, DENA, 7/31]

                       [Additional reports pending...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                     Sun      Mon    %  Est
State      Unit             Fire/Incident     IMT    8/9      8/10  Con Con

WA   Wenatchee NF           North 25          T2    6,300    6,300   80 NEC

OR   Burns District         Skull Creek       T2   20,000   21,000   60 NEC
     Prineville District    Butte             --    7,680    8,200   75 NEC 
     Mount Hood NF        * Rowena            --        -    2,440  UNK NEC
     Umpqua NF            * Clayton Cx        T2        -      130  UNK NEC

MT   Helena NF              Copper Creek      T2      110      110  100 CND 

ID   Boise NF               Gooseberry Cx     T3      111      111  100 CND 
     Salmon-Challis NF      Main Salmon Cx    --      295      652    0 10/15
     Idaho Falls District * Lone Pine         --        -    1,000   40 8/11
     Boise District       * Grassy Hills      --        -    1,000  100 CND

TX   State                  Wolf Creek        --    1,500    2,400   90 8/10
                            New Hope          --      300      300  100 CND
                    
                                  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
IMT         T1 = Type I; T2 = Type II; ST = State Team
% Con       Percent of fire contained; UNK = unknown
Est Con     Estimated containment date; NEC = no estimated date of
            containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report

NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                    NPS    BIA      BLM     FWS    States   USFS     Total

Friday, 8/7          1     18        27       3      109    153       311
Saturday, 8/8        1     11        50       0      109     78       249
Sunday, 8/9          1      4        28       0       76     58       167
Monday, 8/10         2     27        16       0      163     63       271

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Friday, 8/7        142        328         103            16           997
Saturday, 8/8      163        385         117            20           820
Sunday, 8/9        161        392         111            26           976
Monday, 8/10       168        370         104            24           891

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT

                              1998: YTD         Ten Year Average: YTD

Number of fires                  52,584                54,537
Acres burned                  1,770,718             2,233,480 

CURRENT SITUATION

Initial attack increased yesterday in the northern Rockies, Southwest and
South, but was moderate elsewhere.

Very high and extreme fire indices were reported in Texas, Arkansas,
Oklahoma, Minnesota, Michigan, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho,
Oregon, California, and Washington.

NICC has posted a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for dry lightning this afternoon in
northeast Nevada.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/11]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

No entries.

PARK DISPATCHES

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Wireless Telecommunication Facilities Procedures - The procedures expanding
on the telecommunications policy statements in Director's Orders 53A on
special park uses have now been completed, signed and distributed
electronically.  Copies in either Word 7.0 or Word Perfect 5.2 can be
obtained from your regional special park use coordinator.  These procedures
are to be inserted into and become part of NPS-53 in appendix eight on
rights-of-way as exhibit six.  Questions on this document are to be directed
to your regional right-of-way coordinator or to Dick S. Young at NP-COLO or
757-898-7846.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

No entries.

UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming weeks
on matters pertaining to the National Park Service or kindred agencies.  For
inquiries regarding legislation pertaining to the NPS, please contact the
main office at 202-208-5883/5656 and ask to be forwarded to the appropriate
legislative specialist.

There will be little activity in the House or Senate until September.  The
House is in recess through Tuesday, September 8th; the Senate is in recess
through Sunday, August 30th.

HEARINGS/MARK-UPS

Monday, August 24

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee: Field hearing in Anchorage,
Alaska, to receive testimony on high altitude rescue activities on Mount
McKinley in Denali National Park and Preserve, as well as the potential for
cost recovery for expenses incurred by the United States for rescue
activities.

Wednesday, September 2

House Resources Committee: Field hearing in Pasco, Washington, on H.R. 4335,
to transfer to the Secretary of the Interior the functions of the Secretary
of Commerce and the National Marine Fisheries Service under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973.  Also on the National Marine Fisheries Service role in
implementing the Endangered Species Act.

Thursday, September 3

House Resources Committee: Same as above in Boise, Idaho.

FLOOR ACTION

No action reported on NPS legislation.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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