NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Sunday, July 23, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1885, Ulysses S. Grant died at Mt. McGregor, New York, 
four days after completing his memoirs.  Grant's Tomb, now General 
Grant National Memorial, was built in New York City between 1892 and 
1897.

INCIDENTS

00-410 - Redwood N&SP (CA) - Follow-up: Arson, Protests

On the morning of July 19th, a large fire of suspicious origins was 
reported in the Hidden Beach area. Park and CDF firefighters and 
engine crews brought the blaze under control.  Arson was suspected and 
has since been confirmed. A six-foot high pile of driftwood was 
constructed and ignited; the fire then spread to surrounding 
vegetation. It was declared out on July 22nd. The fire is thought to 
be related to protests against implementation of aspects of the park's 
new GMP. Several other incidents of vandalism and theft have been 
reported. Local truckers were making their feelings known earlier this 
week though numerous incidents of antagonism and careless driving, but 
phone calls to the dispatchers of the trucking firms seem to have 
remedied the problem. An attempt to breach the seashore at the mouth 
of Redwood Creek was detected on the morning of the 22nd, the same day 
that an ORV closure was put into effect at Crescent Beach in the North 
District. Work on gate installation continued unabated through the 
afternoon of the 21st at Freshwater Spit in the South District and 
will continue next week. [Bob Martin, CR, REDW, 7/22]

00-423 - North Cascades NP (WA) - Illegal Aliens Arrested

On the evening of July 20th, rangers received a report of two 
suspicious men along the East Bank trail. The pair were panhandling 
food from hikers and generally causing visitors to have concerns for 
their safety. The 25-mile-long trail, which parallels Ross Lake and 
runs from the Canadian border to Route 20, has a history of being 
utilized by drug smugglers and illegal aliens. Two rangers immediately 
began sweeping north along the trail and checking associated 
campsites, while a third provided confinement on the lake. Jaimie 
Brett and John Dunning, both from Vancouver, B.C., were discovered 
asleep in a campsite shortly after first light. Neither had camping 
gear. Investigation revealed that Brett had recently been convicted of 
felony smuggling of marijuana into the U.S. Dunning had an extensive 
arrest record in Canada, including trafficking in narcotics and armed 
robbery. Both men were taken into custody and turned over to the 
Border Patrol for prosecution. [Pete Cowan, CR, NOCA, 7/21]

00-424 - Lake Meredith NRA (TX) - Drug Laboratory

While investigating a flint collecting case on July 14th, ranger Scott 
Darrah encountered D.F. and D.O. in the Plum Creek 
area of the park. They had in their possession items normally 
associated with operation of illegal drug labs, including muratic 
acid, ephedrine, syringes, anti-freeze, and paint thinner. Rangers 
Carl Dyer and Mike Smith and local drug task force and DEA personnel 
from Amarillo responded and investigated further. An environmental 
cleanup firm from Oklahoma City was called in to remove all the 
hazardous materials. D.F. and D.O. were arrested and charged 
with manufacturing, delivering and selling a controlled substance. 
[Pam Griswold, Acting DR, LAMR, 7/21]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level III

CURRENT SITUATION

New large fires were reported throughout the West and in the South. 
Containment goals were met on four large Western fires. Mobilization 
of resources through NICC continues at a steady pace.

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from yesterday's numbers in parentheses): 191 crews (- 114), 
1,513 overhead (- 120), 244 engines (- 223), 76 helicopters (- 54), 
and no air tankers (- 14).

Very high to extreme fire danger indices were reported in all Western 
states and in Texas and Alabama.

NPS FIRES

Mesa Verde NP (CO) - The Bircher Fire has burned 6,000 acres along the 
park's east rim and is just 5% contained. A total of 506 firefighters 
and overhead personnel have been committed; a Type II team is 
assigned. 

Hovenweep NM (CO) - A Type II team has been assigned to this fire, 
which is threatening structures and power lines. Crews were pulled 
back yesterday because of erratic fire behavior.

The following was excerpted from an article by Electa Draper in 
today's Denver Post and pertains to both of the above fires:

"The lightning-sparked fire scorching the east rim of Mesa Verde 
National Park made a big push south Saturday, blazing 3 or 4 miles 
down the Mancos River Valley and invading the Ute Mountain Ute 
Reservation. The fire, which had burned 6,000 acres by evening, 
destroyed a historic cabin and damaged a lookout tower.

"The blaze is uncovering previously unknown ancient Anasazi sites in 
the park, spokesman Justin Dombrowski said. Thirteen archaeologists 
were working alongside fire crews to try to protect ruins and 
artifacts in the fire's path. 'We have absolutely no idea about when 
this fire will be contained,' Dombrowski said.

"Fire behavior analyst Mike Frary of Meeker said that the fire has 
become plume-dominated, which means it was big enough to create its 
own environment and weather, including cumulus clouds and wind 
patterns. 'It's become extremely hazardous,' Frary said. 'It's got so 
much energy.'

"The fire didn't weaken overnight, which is atypical, Dombrowski said. 
Instead, it consumed hundreds more acres of pinyon, juniper, oak brush 
and stands of firs. Saturday afternoon, as predicted, the fire 'blew 
up,' raging bigger and smokier. Fire managers estimated late in the 
day that the fire stretched about 8 miles long, north to south, and 
was almost 2 miles wide in places. The Mancos River formed the fire's 
eastern boundary.

"The fire is keeping its distance of several miles from the park's 
world-famous attractions, the fabled cliff dwellings of the ancient 
Puebloan Indians, officials said. But fire managers were alarmed by 
today's forecast for western Colorado, which includes more heat and 
even dry lightning. 'The big picture is that West Slope is burning,' 
Dombrowski said. The fear is that resources will have to be stretched 
too far as fires proliferate in the region.

"From the incident command at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds, 
another towering smoke plume could be seen dominating the skyline 30 
miles to the west. A human-ignited fire near Pleasant View and 
Hovenweep National Monument had taken off at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, 
quickly hitting 150 acres in steep and rugged desert terrain, 
Durango-based Forest Service fire manager Mark Lauer said.

"Two 20-person teams and several air tankers were peeled off the 
Bircher fire at Mesa Verde to help fight the Pleasant View blaze, 
which was burning on public and private land, threatening several 
homes. At least 10 were evacuated. And Lauer was told at 8:30 p.m. 
that lightning ignited a fire in the high country near Pagosa Springs.

"Mesa Verde National Park and two county roads in the Mancos Valley, 
closed since the fire started Thursday afternoon, remain off-limits. A 
few dozen park residents were allowed to stay behind. By evening, the 
fire stayed several miles away from park residences and main 
buildings. . . 

"By evening, firefighters had a line around the northern tip of the 
fire, roughly 5 percent of the inferno's perimeter, incident commander 
Joe Hartman said. It offered protection for Morefield Village, a large 
campground with a store, amphitheater, ranger station and gas station 
that was less than a mile from the blaze. . . 

"Temperatures here hit the mid-90s, and humidity was mercilessly low, 
in single digits. A heavy brown and gray pall settled low on the 
landscape, from Mancos to beyond Cortez, blanketing Montezuma County 
for much of the day. Thin haze unfurled eastward to Durango and 
beyond, and as far west as the Utah state line. . ."

SIGNIFICANT NON-NPS FIRES 

Salmon-Challis NF (ID) - Clear Creek Fire (40,000 acres, 20% 
containment, Type I team, 869 firefighters and overhead): Fire line 
was burned out on both the northwest and northeast corners of the 
fire. One division had to be abandoned due to extreme fire activity.

Payette NF (ID) - Burgdorf Junction Fire (6,200 acres, 25% 
containment, Type I team, 650 firefighters and overhead): Torching, 
spotting and rapid rates of spread occurred yesterday. A running crown 
fire developed yesterday due to high winds over ridges. About 100 
homes are threatened. A road closure is in effect.

Boise NF (ID) - Horn Creek Fire (350 acres, 20% containment, Type I 
team, 250 firefighters and overhead): The fire is in a high visibility 
area where primary structures and outbuildings are threatened. Active 
torching and spotting up to a quarter of a mile from the main fire 
have been reported. Very hot and dry conditions are hindering control 
efforts.

Bitterroot NF (MT) - Little Blue Fire (5,800 acres, 90% containment, 
Type I team, 898 firefighters and overhead): High temperatures and low 
RH are increasing the possibility of spotting and rapid fire growth. 
Significant effort is being directed towards detection and mop-up of 
spot fires.

Klamath NF (CA) - Bark Fire (862 acres, 40% containment, Type II team, 
574 firefighters and overhead): The fire is burning in timber with a 
brush understory and in concentrations of heavy logging slash. Winds 
yesterday afternoon caused the fire to make major runs. 

OUTLOOK

NICC has issued two RED FLAG WARNINGS - the first for wind and low RH 
in portions of western and northern Montana, the second for gusty 
winds and low RH in portions of western Wyoming - and a FIRE WEATHER 
WATCH for dry lightning and low RH in portions of eastern Utah and 
western Colorado.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/23; Electa Draper, 
Denver Post, 7/23]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No submissions.

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

INTERCHANGE

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

No submissions.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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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