NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, June 8, 1999

INCIDENTS

99-243 - Badlands NP (SD) - Severe Storms

Several severe weather fronts moved across Nebraska and into southwestern
South Dakota on June 4th and 5th, bringing several tornadoes and heavy rains
to the area and causing the park to activate its emergency response system.
On June 4th, tornadoes were spotted just south of the park near the towns of
Manderson, Potato Creek and Sharps Corner.  One tornado struck the town of
Oglala, destroying structures and causing a number of fatalities.  Funnels
passed over the park's south unit, causing employees to seek emergency
shelter.  On June 5th, tornadoes were again seen just south of the park, this
time near the towns of Pine Ridge, Allen and Kyle.  The National Weather
Service also reported that a funnel system was approaching the town of
Interior, two miles south of the park headquarters and employee housing area. 
Reports stated that the air mass would pass over the park in 20 minutes.  The
park immediately activated an incident command system and evacuated all
residents and visitors to designated shelters.  Park law enforcement
personnel reported an incomplete tornado moving across Robert's Prairie Dog
Town in the Pinnacle District.  During the two days of storms, no damages or
injuries occurred within the park.  More than 560 visitors, employees and
local residents were contacted and provided with emergency directions,
assistance, and, in some cases, shelter. [Mark Gorman, DR, BADL, 6/5]

99-244 - Chickasaw NRA (OK) - Robbery; Arrests

Visitor K.R. was struck in the face with a large piece of wood and
robbed of $240 near Cold Spring campground around 2:30 a.m. on May 29th. 
K.R. suffered a broken jaw and minor cuts.  His companion, D.R.C.,
fled from the area.  Ranger Scott Kalna interviewed K.R. in the hospital,
then returned to the campground in the early morning hours to talk with
D.R.C..  D.R.C. could not be found.  Interviews with campers indicated that
D.R.C. and William Dunn, both of whom had also been camping there, were
likely suspects.  D.R.C. was subsequently contacted and confessed to the
robbery, adding that he'd conspired with Dunn and others to rob K.R. 
Rangers and county deputies contacted Dunn and arrested him that evening.  He
also confessed to the robbery and implicated two others in the crime.  All of
the men were camping at the campground at the time of the incident.  D.R.C.
and Dunn are being held in the county jail in lieu of $30,000 bond on charges
of first degree robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree. 
The maximum sentence is 10 to 20 years in prison.  Charges are pending
against the remaining two men.  Kalna is leading the investigation.  [Len
Weems, CR, CHIC, 6/7]

99-245 - Bighorn Canyon NRA (WY) - Assist; Horseback Riding Fatality

The park received a request for assistance in responding to a horseback-
riding accident just outside the park's boundaries around 8 p.m. on the
evening of May 28th.  Rangers Patrick Peralez and Diane Jurgens and two EMT's
drove cross-country over rough terrain for a mile to Dead Man's Creek, where
they found the victim.  The rider, an English woman in her early 40's, had
died.  She had been bucked off a horse, but her foot caught in a stirrup and
she was dragged on the ground and trampled.  The rangers assisted the coroner
in removing the body.  The woman, who was four months pregnant, had been
staying at a local dude ranch and had been roping cows.  [Chris Ryan, ACR,
BICA, 6/7]

99-246 - Bighorn Canyon NRA (WY) - Boating Rescue

A boat with four people on board swamped where the river channel flows into
Bighorn Lake northeast of The Causeway on the evening of May 29th.  Very
strong winds were blowing at the time.  Rangers Patrick Peralez, Diane
Jurgens, and John Osgood responded.  Peralez and a Bighorn County Sheriff's
Office deputy ran two miles to their location with blankets and EMS gear. 
The four had been in the water for over 30 minutes and were hypothermic.
Lovell search and rescue personnel responded on ATV's and transported the
victims a mile-and-a-half to the road, where an ambulance met them and took
them to the hospital.  Another two occupants of the boat had walked part way
out and reported the incident to a fisherman.  Several of the victims refused
treatment; the others were released from the hospital that evening.  The boat
completely capsized and has not been found.  All six persons were wearing
life jackets, which probably saved their lives.  [Chris Ryan, ACR, BICA, 6/7]

99-247 - Little River Canyon NP (AL) - Rescue

Two boys, ages 10 and 13, were swept over Little River Falls on June 6th. 
The older boy had several scrapes and bruises, but was able to walk out of
the canyon on his own; the younger boy had a laceration to his scalp and
complained of pains in his left leg.  He was packages on a stokes basket and
raised out of the canyon using a rope haul system.  Both boys were taken to a
local hospital for treatment.  Recent rains have raised river levels, causing
the boys to be swept off their feet and carried over the forty-foot falls. 
[Dwight Dixon, CR, LIRI, 6/7]

99-248 - Little River Canyon NP (AL) - Rescue

On June 7th, rangers received a report that a woman had gone over Little
River Falls.  When they arrived, they found S.D. of Calhoun, Georgia,
being cared for by other visitors.  Witnesses said that S.D., her daughter,
and other friends were crossing the river just upstream of the falls when her
daughter slipped and fell.  When S.D. reached for her, she too was swept off
her feet.  A friend was able to grab the daughter, but S.D. was swept over
the forty-foot falls.  She was knocked unconscious and was floating face down
in the water when a park visitor jumped in and brought her to shore.  S.D.
was strapped into a stokes basket and raised on a rope system to the top of
the canyon with the assistance of local rescue squads.  Her injuries included
facial and scalp lacerations and complaints of tingling in her lower
extremities.  She was the third person to wash over the falls in a twenty-
four hour period.  [Dwight Dixon, CR, LIRI, 6/8]

99-249 - Indiana Dunes NL (IN) - Special Event

The park sponsored a region-wide water safety expo on Friday, May 28th, in a
concerted effort to promote water safety awareness and reduce or eliminate
fatalities this summer.  More than 20 public safety agencies from Chicago and
northwest Indiana participated with displays, educational exhibits, and
demonstrations.  The Memorial Day weekend kick-off event at the park's West
Beach was attended by 800 school children, 150 parents and teachers, and 600
visitors.  [Al Nash, PAO, INDU, 6/7]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                      Wed     Sun    %   Est
State      Unit              Fire/Incident   IMT      6/2     6/6   Con  Con

FL    Osceola NF             Friendly         T1    64,000  69,060   70  6/15
      Everglades NP        * Lostman's        --         -   1,700    0  NR
      Ocala NF             * Richard          --         -     191   60  6/6
      State                  Brooker Creek    --       300     302  100  CND

MN    Superior NF            Little Trout     --       140     177   90  6/6

AZ    State                  Crossroads       --     1,200   1,200  100  CND

NM    Cibola NF            * La Jara          T2         -   3,382   50  6/9
      State                * Water Canyon     T2         -     400   75  6/7
      Carson NF            * Kiowa            --         -     100   80  NR
      Mescalero Agency     * Whitetail        T2         -     707   50  6/7

                                  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; UNK = unknown; NR = no report
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

Thursday, 6/3        1      3         6       1      110     43       164
Friday, 6/4          0      5         0       0      425      9       439
Saturday, 6/5        0      1         0       0       60      8        69
Sunday, 6/6          0      0         0       1        0      5         6

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Thursday, 6/3       43        118          24             5           567
Friday, 6/4         45        112          24             5           522
Saturday, 6/5      115        138          38             5           462
Sunday, 6/6         95        127          42             5           570

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT (as of 6/6)

                              1999: YTD         Ten Year Average: YTD

Number of fires                  41,966                33,845
Acres burned                    841,693               638,637 

CURRENT SITUATION

Large fires continued to burn in the South and Southwest on Sunday, but there
was little activity elsewhere.  Very high or extreme fire indices were
reported in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas.  [NICC Incident Management
Situation Report, 6/4-7]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

Point Reyes NS (CA) - Update on Tule Elk Reintroduction

On June 1st, 21 adult tule elk and seven calves were reintroduced into the
park's 32,000-acre wilderness area.  The elk had been restricted to 25 fenced
acres for the past six months to acclimate them to the new site and allow
park staff to conduct testing for any diseases.  Over the next few years, the
radio-collared, free-ranging elk will be monitored by park staff.  The
release is an important phase in the park's tule elk management plan, which
was developed with assistance from California's Department of Fish and Game. 
The tule elk reintroduction program was approved last July after three years
of plan development and public meetings.  These adults and calves were
relocated from the park's fenced herd on Tomales Point, which now has a
population of just over 500 animals - the second largest tule elk in
California.  At one time, over a half million tule elk roamed California's
coastal mountains and valleys, but only two small herds remained by 1860. 
Today, 22 herds support a population of approximately 3,200 animals
statewide.  The release of this small herd marks the first time in over 100
years that tule elk have roamed free across lands now within the park.  [Don
Neubacher, Superintendent, PORE, 6/7]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

No entries.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

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.

HEARINGS/MARK-UPS

Wednesday, June 9

House Resources Committee (Young): Markup of the following:

o     H.R. 592 (Fossella, NY), a bill to redesignate Great Kills Park in
      Gateway National Recreation Area as "World War II Veterans Park at
      Great Kills" (see S. 497).
o     H.R. 791 (Gilchrest, MD), a bill to amend the National Trail System Act
      to designate the route of the War of 1812 British invasion of Maryland
      and Washington, District of Columbia, and the route of the American
      defense, for study for potential addition to the national trails system
      (see S. 441).

The markup will be at 11 a.m. in 1324 Longworth.

Thursday, June 10

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands (Hansen):
Hearing on:

o     H.R. 940 (Sherwood, PA), a bill to establish the Lackawanna Heritage
      Valley American Heritage Area.
o     H.R. 1619 (Gejdenson, CT), a bill to amend the Quinebaug and Shetucket
      Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor Act of 1994 to expand the
      boundaries of the corridor. 

The hearing will be at 10 a.m. in 1324 Longworth.  

Saturday, June 12

House Resources Committee (Young): Field hearing on:

o     H.R. 701 (Young, AK), a bill to provide outer continental shelf impact
      assistance to state and local government, to amend the Land and Water
      Conservation Fund Act of 1965, the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery
      Act of 1978, and the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (commonly
      referred to as the Pittman-Robertson Act) to establish a fund to meet
      the outdoor conservation and recreation needs of the American people,
      and for other purposes.
o     H.R. 798 (Miller, CA), a bill to provide for the permanent protection
      of the resources of the United States in the year 2000 and beyond.

The hearing will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Tuesday, June 22

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands (Hansen):
Oversight hearing on franchise fee calculations for Fort Sumter Tours
(rescheduled from May 18).  The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in 1324
Longworth.

Thursday, June 24

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands (Hansen):
Oversight hearing on noxious weeds.  The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in
1324 Longworth.

Thursday, July 1

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands (Hansen):
Hearing on:

o     H.R. 20 (Gilman, NY), a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior
      to construct and operate a visitor center for the Upper Delaware Scenic
      and Recreational River on land owned by the State of New York.
o     H.R. 1615 (Sununu, NH), a bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
      to extend the designation of a portion of the Lamprey River in New
      Hampshire as a recreational river to include an additional river
      segment.

The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in 1324 Longworth.

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED

No new park-related legislation introduced.  If your keeping track, there
have been about 80 park-related bills introduced in the House and another 60
in the Senate so far this session...

NEW LAWS

No park-related bills have been signed into law.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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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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