-
Subject: NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, August 11, 1999
-
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 10:19:52 -0400
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Wednesday, August 11, 1999
INCIDENTS
98-497 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Follow-up: Employee Arrest
Park legal officer S.C. was charged with kidnapping and several
counts of child molestation by Fresno police on July 31, 1998, and
subsequently pled guilty in state court to four felony counts involving
unlawful sex with minors. He was sentenced on July 9 to 16 months in state
prison, but was released shortly thereafter because he had already spent
almost a year behind bars and had credits for good behavior. He must
register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and report to the state
parole office. None of the crimes took place in the park. [Fresno Bee,
submitted by Public Affairs, YOSE, 7/12]
99-443 - Great Smoky Mountains NP (TN/NC) - Rescue
While on foot patrol at the Sinks on Little River, ranger Kent Kleman heard
the shouts of a swimmer in distress. J.U., 27, of Powell, Tennessee,
had gotten his foot trapped in an area near a small waterfall. Kleman was
able to get a rescue rope under J.U.'s arms with the assistance of swimmers
in the area, thereby keeping his head above water. J.U. was able to free
his severely sprained foot after five minutes. Kleman subsequently cited him
for public intoxication. [Jason Houck, CR, GRSM, 8/11]
99-444 - Blue Ridge Parkway (NC/VA) - Suicide
On August 10th, the park received a visitor report of a person with an
unknown problem near milepost 23. The responding ranger found a man in the
vehicle who had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was later
identified as E.L., 51, of Charlottesville. A suicide note to his wife
was found nearby. E.L.'s wife had filed a missing person report on him
earlier that day. [John Garrison, Protection Specialist, BLRI, 8/11]
99-445 - Lake Mead NRA (NV/AZ) - Drowning
A.S., 37, was fishing from shore with a friend near the marina at
Overton Beach on August 8th. He went off to look at the marina and
apparently lost his balance on the docks, fell into the water and drowned.
He was reported missing by a companion an hour and a half later. Rangers
conducted extensive ground, water and air searches for him. A.S.'s body was
found in the marina two days later by a concessions worker. Alcohol is
presumed to have been a contributing factor. A.S. was on active duty in the
Army, so military authorities are investigating in conjunction with rangers.
[Dispatch, LAME, 8/10]
99-446 - Lake Mead NRA (NV/AZ) - Plane Crash with Fatality
A blue and white single-engine plane was seen flying low over Eldorado Canyon
on the afternoon of August 10th. The plane banked south, then flew into the
canyon wall. Pilot E.B., 51, was killed; a passenger was flown to
the trauma center at a local hospital. The incident is under investigation
by the park, FAA and NTSB. This is the park's 19th fatality this year.
[Dispatch, LAME, 8/10]
99-447 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Drug Seizure
Rangers from the park and from Saguaro NP seized 340 pounds of marijuana
smuggled in from Mexico during a special operation on the evening of August
9th. Three men were transporting the marijuana on five pack horses through a
remote wilderness area known for drug trafficking. When the rangers
confronted the three men, they dropped six bundles of marijuana and fled on
horseback and escaped capture. [Karl Pearson, Acting CR, ORPI, 8/11]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level III
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
Sun Mon % Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 8/8 8/9 Con Con
NV Winnemucca FO Dun Glenn Cx T2 361,658 361,658 UNK UNK
Battle Mtn. FO Battle Mtn. Cx T2 159,889 164,097 75 8/10
Eureka Cx -- 53,000 75,000 35 8/12
Elko FO Sadler Cx T1 180,000 297,000 70 8/12
* East Canyon -- - 800 UNK UNK
Carson City FO New Pass Cx T2 74,900 74,900 40 UNK
WA Wenatchee NF Lk. Wenatchee Cx T2 80 80 60 8/10
ID Salmon/Challis NF Soldier FUM 2,394 2,433 0 -
Lower Snake District Deer Creek -- 2,000 2,000 85 8/9
Upper Snake District * I-86, MP 4 -- - 500 UNK UNK
Payette NF * Ramey -- - 350 0 UNK
CA Modoc NF * Sheep -- - 500 10 UNK
OK State Potato Hills -- - 160 100 CND
VA State * Purgatory -- - 1,250 100 CND
MT State * Pine Ridge -- - 2,200 0 UNK
* Allen Creek -- - 1,000 0 UNK
NY State * Black Bear Mtn. -- - 750 NR NR
Heading Notes
Unit Agency or Area Office = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA
state resource or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; FO =
BLM field office; 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 I Team; T2 = Type II Team; T3 = Type III Team; ST =
State Team; FUM = Fire Use Management 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
FIRE NARRATIVES
Elko FO - Members of a 20-person NPS crew conducting burnout operations on
the Sadler Complex were injured on August 9th when a fire whirl appeared and
forced them and a San Carlos BIA crew into the burned area to escape. Fire
shelters were not deployed. Members of the affected squad were Tim Horton
(SEKI), Alex Naar (GOGA), Derrick Hyde (SEKI), David Deaton (SEKI), Peter
Giampaoli (GOGA), and Keren Christianson (YOSE). Deaton, Giampaoli and
Christianson were taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation and minor first
and second degree burns around the neck, ears and face. All have been
released. [Tom Nichols, PWRO]
NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Friday, 8/6 4 98 30 1 96 153 382
Saturday, 8/7 7 11 20 0 55 117 210
Sunday, 8/8 4 6 20 0 71 102 203
Monday, 8/9 2 3 13 0 369 82 469
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Friday, 8/6 74 129 21 4 436
Saturday, 8/7 174 393 68 1 748
Sunday, 8/8 190 338 71 1 805
Monday, 8/9 155 281 60 0 860
CURRENT SITUATION
Large fires continued to burn on Monday in the western Great Basin. Initial
attack and new large fires were reported in the northern Rockies, Northwest,
California and eastern Great Basin.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/10]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION
Reports pending...
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Reports pending...
MEMORANDA
Reports pending...
INTERCHANGE
No entries.
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Hot Springs NP - CORRECTION: The park will NOT be requiring a commission for
the two GS-9 protection rangers it is recruiting, as was stated in the entry
that appeared in this section on Monday.
* * * * *
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.
--- ### ---