NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, September 10, 1999

INCIDENTS

99-187 - Mount Rainier NP (WA) - Follow-up: Search in Progress

The remains of hiker J.R., 51, were sighted from a helicopter on the
flank of Mount Rainier on September 7th.  Climbing rangers Mike Gauthier and
Aaron Billhart retrieved the body from a jumbled icefall below and to the
southeast of Anvil Rock at the 8,100-foot elevation, near the point where the
Paradise and Cowlitz Glaciers separate.  J.R. was last seen on the Muir
Snowfield on the afternoon of May 16th and was the subject of an intensive
eight-day search.  The cause of death has not yet been determined.  [Maria
Gillett, Incident IO, MORA, 9/7]

99-540 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Falling Fatality

On September 4th, N.V., 74, died from injuries sustained when she
fell approximately 80 feet, then rolled another 420 feet into the Grand
Canyon of the Yellowstone River at Grandview Point overlook.  The victim and
her husband, Calvin, both of Billings, Montana, had visited the park many
times in the past.  When they arrived at Grandview Point on Saturday
afternoon, Mr. V. remained in their vehicle to look at a map.  Mrs.
V. got out of the car to look at the view; she apparently walked directly
from the vehicle toward the canyon, passed a warning sign, and slipped on the
loose rock and dirt at the edge of the canyon.  There were apparently no
witnesses to her fall.  When Mr. V. went to the overlook a few minutes
later, he was unable to locate her.  He searched the area for about 45
minutes, then contacted a park ranger for assistance.  A search was begun
immediately; dog teams, a helicopter and additional search teams were called
in to assist.  An observer in the helicopter spotted her about 500 feet below
the overlook.  There was no sign of life and she was pronounced dead of
massive trauma at the scene.   Recovery of her body was delayed until Sunday
morning due to the lateness of the hour and high winds above the canyon rim
late Saturday afternoon.  A technical recovery operation involving about 20
park staff took place early on Sunday morning.  Both the North and South
Canyon Rim Drives were closed to the public before and during most of the
operation.  All areas were reopened by noon on Sunday.  [Public Affairs,
YELL, 9/5]

99-541 - Denali NP&P (AK) - MVA with Hazmat Spill

A semi-truck carrying sodium hydroxide solution rolled near mile 235 on the
George Parks Highway around 4 a.m. on September 7th.  The driver apparently
fell asleep at the wheel.  Park staff, state troopers and local fire and
ambulance companies responded; ranger Chuck Passek was IC.  The sodium
hydroxide was in a 50% solution and small leaks were observed coming from
three locations.  Appropriate hazmat precautions were taken and the highway
was closed.  Due to cool temperatures and absence of rain, the leaking
material posed no immediate threat to highway traffic.  The highway was
accordingly reopened.  The Alaska State Department of Environmental
Conservation oversaw the removal of the solution from the truck and will
continue until cleanup and removal of contaminated material has been
completed.  Although the truck was completely destroyed, the driver walked
away with only a separated shoulder.  It's estimated that between 500 and 700
gallons of the sodium hydroxide spilled.  [Ken Kehrer, CR, DENA, 9/8]

99-452 - Hawaii Volcanoes NP (HI) - Marijuana Eradication

During the week of August 22nd, rangers participated in a multi-agency
marijuana eradication operation throughout the island of Hawaii.  The
operation, under the aegis of the state's Department of Land and Natural
Resources, included officers from Kauai, Maui, Honolulu and Hawaii counties
and agents from DEA.  A total of 17,000 plants ranging in height from
seedlings to nine feet were located and destroyed during the six days of the
operation.  Eradication efforts were conducted on both side of the park,
almost to the boundary on the east side and close to the Thurston lava tube,
one of the park's most heavily visited sites.  No arrests were made, and no
booby traps were found.  The operation is part of a fall and early winter
effort to locate and eradicate growers' late season harvests, although
operations continue on the island throughout the year due to the mild
winters.  [Jeff Judd, CI, HAVO, 9/7]

                       [Additional reports pending...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level III

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                      Wed      Thu   %  Est
State      Unit              Fire/Incident   IMT      9/8      9/9  Con Con
 
CA    Plumas NF              MHRD Cx          T1   26,769   29,439   65 UNK
      Shasta-Trinity NF      Big Bar Cx       T2   19,081   21,472   66 9/14
      Klamath NF             Stein            T1      720      840   30 UNK
      Sequoia NF             Rich Bar Cx      T2      300    1,850   60 9/9
      Los Padres NF        * Kirk             --        -      400    0 UNK

NV    Humboldt-Toiyabe NF  * Bruneau          --        -      700   20 9/11

NY    State                  Noonmark Mtn.    --       90       90   20 UNK

                                  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 
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; UNK = unknown; NR = no
            report; RBF = resource benefit fire, no containment action being
            taken; LR = last report unless significant activity occurs

NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)

                    NPS    BIA      BLM     FWS    States   USFS     Total

Monday, 9/6          0      1         5       0       59     33        98
Tuesday, 9/7         0      4         3       0      379     36       422
Wednesday, 9/8       3      5         9       1      138     31       187
Thursday, 9/9        0      2        14       0      266     39       321

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Monday, 9/6        321        574          73             4         1,560
Tuesday, 9/7       429        649          94             0         1,957
Wednesday, 9/8     430        606          85             1         1,976
Thursday, 9/9      392        569          84             9         1,692

CURRENT SITUATION

There was little initial attack anywhere in the U.S. yesterday.

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Oregon, Washington,
California, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming, Mississippi,
Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 9/10]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, PROTECTION AND EDUCATION 

Reports pending.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Reports pending.

MEMORANDA

Reports pending.

INTERCHANGE

Reports pending.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

WASO - Jack Brown, who worked in WASO from 1974 until his retirement in 1988,
died on August 29th.  During his 14 years with the NPS, Jack worked mostly on
transportation and concessions issues and also assisted with coastal barrier
research.  He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on September 8th. 
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 10201 Lee
Highway, Suite 210, Fairfax, VA 22030.  Messages of condolence should be sent
to Georgiana Moser, 44035 Florence Terrace, Ashburn, VA 20147.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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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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