NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Thursday, May 18, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved 
legislation giving the National Park Service responsibility for 
constructing and maintaining the Natchez Trace Parkway, a scenic road 
following a historic trail between Nashville, Tennessee, and Natchez, 
Mississippi.

INCIDENTS

00-210 - Lincoln Home NHS (IL) - Robbery

On the evening of May 15th, a man was sitting on the grass across the 
street from the Lincoln Home when he was approached by two men, one of 
whom - P.P. -  asked for money to "buy beer." The man 
provided some change, then a five dollar bill, but P.P. said he 
wanted more money and wrestled the man's wallet from his hand. 
P.P. took about $180 from the wallet and left the park on foot. 
Springfield police were notified and responded (the park's protection 
rangers were at firearms qualifications at an off-site location). 
P.P.'s companion, A.J., was found at a motel across the 
street from the park that is frequented by transients. A.J. said that 
P.P. had committed the robbery and that he and A.J. used the 
money to buy and smoke crack cocaine at the motel. P.P. then 
reportedly stole a by-passer's bicycle and fled the area. P.P. is 
a recent parolee; rangers are working with local police to find him 
and have been in consultation with the state and U.S. attorney's 
offices. [Jeff Budny, PR, LIHO, 5/17]

00-211 - Natchez Trace Parkway (MS/AL/TN) - MVA with Fatality

M.A., 51, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, was heading south on 
the parkway on April 28th when she swerved to miss a northbound 
vehicle that had drifted into her lane, left the road, and hit a tree. 
M.A., who was not wearing a seatbelt, sustained head and internal 
injuries and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where she 
remained on life support until succumbing to her injuries on May 16th. 
During the investigation, rangers determined that the other driver had 
fallen asleep at the wheel. The other vehicle also hit a tree, but the 
two occupants were wearing seatbelts and sustained only minor 
injuries. [Tim Francis, DCR, NATR, 5/17]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level III

CURRENT SITUATION

New large fires were again reported yesterday in the Southwest and 
South. Crews continued to make progress on large fires in the 
Southwest despite continued high winds.

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday: 165 
crews (up from 142 on Tuesday), 1,150 overhead personnel, 272 engines, 
32 helicopters, and 31 air tankers.

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, New 
Mexico, Utah, California, Texas, Oklahoma, and Maryland.

NPS FIRES

Blue Ridge Parkway (NC/VA) - The Cedar Ridge fire was contained 
yesterday at 310 acres.

Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - A Type I incident management team (Frye) has 
been assigned to the Outlet fire, which is burning in designated and 
proposed wilderness 25 miles south of Jacob Lake. The fire has burned 
13,350 acres and is 55% contained. Cooler weather and higher humidity 
have reduced fire activity. Crews completed lines along a significant 
portion of the north flank of the fire and have begun mop-up on the 
western third of the fire's perimeter. Currently committed are 1,162 
firefighters and overhead personnel, 32 engines and seven helicopters.

Bandelier NM (NM) - An area command team (Meuchel) and two Type I 
incident management teams (Humphrey and Gage] are assigned to the 
Cerro Grande fire. The fire has burned 47,574 acres and is 60% 
contained. High winds continued yesterday but didn't cause any 
significant increase in acreage burned. No significant fire activity 
was seen along the perimeter. Patrol, mop-up and rehabilitation 
operations are underway on the south side of the fire. Currently 
committed are 1,283 firefighters, 25 engines and nine helicopters.

Park staff returned to work on Wednesday for the first time in a week. 
An all-employee meeting was conducted by acting superintendent Alan 
Cox.  Park staff are now able to access cc:Mail and are making 
preparations for re-opening the park, possibly on Saturday.  
Additional resources are being ordered to support park operations. 

Director Stanton has transmitted a memo to all employees on ways in 
which contributions can be made to those affected by the fire. Please 
see the "Memoranda" section below.

Secretary Babbitt will hold a news conference at 1:30 p.m. today 
(Santa Fe time) in which he will release the preliminary findings of 
the fire investigation. The complete report and supporting 
documentation will be posted to the NPS web page at 
www.nps.gov/cerrogrande.  It will be posted during the press 
conference, and should be available in both PDF and HTML formats.

Secretary Babbitt has also announced the names of the four-member 
independent panel that will review the fire investigation findings.  
This review is to be completed by May 26th. 

SIGNIFICANT NON-NPS FIRES

Lincoln NF (NM) - There was significant activity inside the perimeter 
of the Scott Able fire yesterday due to high winds. The fire is 85% 
contained.

Florida State - The Flowers fire has burned 3,000 acres. Smoke from 
the fire led to intermittent closures of I-75 yesterday.

OUTLOOK

NICC has posted a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for low relative humidity in 
northeast and central Florida today.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 5/18; Larry Frederick, IO, 
ARM, 5/17; Public Affairs, WASO, 5/17]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No submissions.

MEMORANDA

"Assistance to Those Affected by the Cerro Grande Fire in New Mexico," 
signed yesterday by Director Stanton and sent to all NPS employees. 
The full text follows:

"Regional Director Karen Wade and I sincerely appreciate the 
outpouring of concern from NPS employees around the country and your 
willingness to assist the Los Alamos community, as well as the staff 
at Bandelier National Monument and the Santa Fe Support Office, in 
their efforts to cope with the effects of the fire and the rebuilding 
of the community.  If any of you are interested in helping the people 
of Los Alamos and the surrounding area, some options are:

"Give Blood - The citizens of Los Alamos have an annual blood drive 
that provides blood on a regionwide basis.  They were not able to 
conduct that blood drive due to the evacuation of the city.  Giving 
blood is a donation that saves lives and will be appreciated by many 
people for many years to come.  To give blood, contact your local 
American Red Cross office.  If you can't locate them in your telephone 
directory, you can call the American Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE, or 
obtain the information from their web site at: http://www.redcross. 
org/where/where.html.

"Financial Donations - The American Red Cross is administering the 
majority of the relief efforts for the people in Los Alamos who have 
lost their homes and possessions from the fire.  To make sure that 
your donation directly benefits the people of Los Alamos, the Red 
Cross suggests you send it directly to the Santa Fe Chapter.  Their 
address is: American Red Cross, Santa Fe Chapter, P.O. Box 22415, 
Santa Fe, New Mexico  87502. They will also accept credit card 
donations over the telephone at (505) 424-1611.

"I appreciate the manner in which we, as a family, are able to stand 
'shoulder-to-shoulder' in assisting citizens of the Los Alamos 
community and our fellow employees." 

PARKS AND PEOPLE

No submissions.

                            *  *  *  *  *

Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed 
by park, office and/or regional cc:Mail hub coordinators.  Please 
address requests pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your 
servicing hub coordinator.  The Morning Report is also available on 
the web at http://www.nps.gov/morningreport

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

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