NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, August 1, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1919, the city of San Francisco - with permission 
granted by Congress and strong opposition by John Muir and other park 
supporters - contracted to dam the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite 
National Park.  The dam and its reservoir became the greatest man-made 
intrusion in any national park.

INCIDENTS

00-439 - Yukon-Charley Rivers NP (AK) - Death of Employee

Seasonal maintenance employee John Coss passed away from natural 
causes at his home in Eagle on July 20th. John had worked as a 
seasonal in the park in several maintenance positions since 1993 and 
was responsible for maintenance on boats, vehicles and structures. He 
is survived by his father, R., his son, J., Jr., and his 
daughters, T. and D. A memorial service was held in Eagle on 
Sunday, July 30th; a second will be held in Colorado, with the time 
and place yet to be determined. John was an integral part of the small 
NPS family at Yukon-Charley Rivers NP and will be greatly missed. 
[CRO, YUCH, 7/31]

                   [Additional submissions pending...]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level V

CURRENT SITUATION

Three new large fires were reported yesterday; containment goals were 
met on seven others. Initial attack was extremely heavy due to dry 
lightning in western Montana, southern Utah, eastern Nevada and 
eastern Idaho. Dry lightning is again forecast for today in Wyoming, 
Nevada, Montana, Idaho and Utah. As aircraft, equipment, crews and 
overhead personnel are being released, they are being reassigned to 
high priority incidents by NICC.

The 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery (Fort Hood, TX) will arrive in 
Boise today and be transported to the Burgdorf Junction Fire. A second 
battalion has been ordered from the Marines (Camp Pendleton, CA). They 
will begin training on Friday.

Director Stanton has issued a memorandum to all parks regarding 
support for firefighting operations. Please see "Memoranda" below.

Priorities for fires in the eastern Great Basin and northern Rockies 
are being established by separate multi-agency coordinating groups. A 
Type II team is managing a staging area in Missoula.

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from yesterday's numbers in parentheses): 517 crews (- 37), 
2,854 overhead (- 144), 750 engines (- 61), 164 helicopters (- 14), 
and six air tankers (- 3).

Very high to extreme fire danger indices were reported in all eleven 
Western states.

[For more national fire news, go to www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html, 
which also provides links to web sites for specific fires]

NPS FIRES

Death Valley NP (CA) - Happy Fire (5,500 acres, 100% containment, 26 
firefighters and overhead): The fire was fully contained yesterday.

Great Basin NP/Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (NV) - Phillips Ranch Fire (1,162 
acres, 20% containment, 75 firefighters and overhead): The interior of 
the fire continues to torch and crown. Crews are working to suppress 
hot spots in the bristlecone pine forest. Extremely difficult terrain 
is impeding containment efforts.

SIGNIFICANT NON-NPS FIRES 

[Most of the following are fires being managed by Type I teams. 
Asterisks indicate new fires; fires that are no longer reported have 
been contained. For a full listing of all project fires, see 
www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.html] 

Upper Snake River District (ID) - Eastern Idaho Complex (186,340 
acres, 60% containment, Type I team, 546 firefighters and overhead): 
This complex includes the following fires, all of which were reported 
separately: Coffee Point North, Flattop, Fisher Springs, Rattlesnake, 
Moonshine, Gentile Valley, Putnam, Tin Cup, Supon and West Fork. All 
the fires are south of Pocatello. The Moonshine Fire made a major run 
on its southeast end yesterday. Torching and spotting were seen on the 
Putnam Fire.

Fishlake National Forest (UT) - Oldroyd Complex (43,129 acres, 30% 
containment, Type I team, 520 firefighters and overhead): This complex 
includes the following fires: Oldroyd, Mona West, Broad, Mourning Dove 
and Yance. The Broad Fire has been contained, but the others continue 
to grow. Dry lightning and strong shifting winds have been observed. 
The community of Oak City is being threatened by the Mourning Dove 
Fire - a structure protection plan has been developed.

Wasatch-Cache NF (UT) - Wasatch Complex (2,895, no estimate of 
percentage containment, Type I team, 333 firefighters and overhead): 
This complex includes the following fires: Oak Hill, Iron Mine Lake, 
Cottonwood, East Vivian and Wallsburg. All are located southeast of 
Salt Lake City. The fire was kept away from residential areas by air 
tankers, helicopters and firefighters. The fires are spotting in 
unpredictable patterns, with numerous fingers and potential reburn 
areas. Downdrafts from passing thunderstorm cells will challenge 
suppression efforts today.

Salmon-Challis NF (ID) - Clear Creek Fire (83,000 acres, 30% 
containment, two Type I teams, 892 firefighters and overhead): All 
fuels are burning readily, with some spotting reported. Structures, 
residences, an inn, and wildlife habitat are threatened.

Payette NF (ID) - Burgdorf Junction Fire (15,000 acres, 37% 
containment, Type I team, 574 firefighters and overhead): The fire was 
active on its north and east flanks yesterday.

Boise NF (ID) - Twin Creek Fire (458 acres, 90% containment, Type I 
team, 522 firefighters and overhead): Isolated torching and flare-ups 
are reported. Remaining spot fires have been located and contained. 
Thunderstorms moving over the fire have resulted in numerous new 
starts.

Helena NF (MT) - Canyon Ferry Complex (37,432 acres, 35% containment, 
Type I team and Type II team, 847 firefighters and overhead): Control 
lines southeast of York continue to hold despite winds from passing 
thunderstorms. Crews are constructing line east from Hedges Mountain.

Miles City Field Office (MT) - Fort Howes Complex (55,800 acres, 50% 
containment, Type I team and Type II team, 381 firefighters and 
overhead): Additional fire line has been constructed and a burnout 
operation was successful. The fire has made no major runs in the past 
24 hours.

Sequoia NF (CA) - Manter Fire (63,270 acres, 10% containment, Type I 
team, 1,703 firefighters and overhead): High clouds significantly 
decreased fire activity. Firing operations along the Kennedy Meadows 
Road have been successful. The southern perimeter is holding and 
minimal spotting is reported.

Los Padres NF (CA) - Plaskett 2 Fire (5,750 acres, 90% containment, 
Type I team, 1,193 firefighters and overhead): Full containment is 
expected today. Crews are completing a burnout operation along the 
bottom of Willow Creek.

OUTLOOK

NICC has issued three RED FLAG WARNINGS and six FIRE WEATHER WATCHES 
for today.

The RED FLAG WARNINGS have been posted for:

o       hot and dry conditions, dry fuels, dry thunderstorms and gusty 
        winds in western Wyoming.
o       dry lightning and gusty winds in east central Nevada.
o       strong winds in eastern Washington and northern Idaho.

The FIRE WEATHER WATCHES have been posted for:

o       strong winds, low RH and dry lightning in eastern Montana. 
o       gusty winds and low RH in western Montana and central Idaho.
o       dry thunderstorms in eastern Wyoming.
o       gusty winds and low RH in southwest Idaho and southeast 
        Oregon.
o       gusty winds, low RH, high Haines index and isolated dry 
        lightning in southeast Idaho.
o       dry lightning and strong thunderstorm winds in northern Utah.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/1]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

BASE Jumping Regulations Ruling - The Ninth Circuit has upheld several 
important regulations that are employed against BASE jumpers who 
illegally jump from heights within NPS areas.  The court agreed with 
the Tenth Circuit in holding that the rectangular shaped ram-air 
aeroplastic wings employed by BASE jumpers are "parachutes," in spite 
of the sophistication of the device and its ability to operate like a 
hang glider. The defendant BASE jumpers had argued that the device 
qualified as powerless flight and accordingly could not be prohibited 
by 36 C.F.R. section 2.17(a)(3). The court also agreed with the Tenth 
Circuit that the term "delivery" used in section 2.17(a)(3) includes 
self-delivery, or "moving oneself from one area to another," which 
would apply to a single individual who BASE jumps.  The court also 
noted that the NPS has authority to enforce these regulations. 
Although the Federal Aviation Administration has jurisdiction to 
"develop plans and policy for the use of the navigable airspace and 
assign by regulation or order the use of the airspace necessary to 
ensure the safety of aircraft and the efficient use of airspace," the 
FAA does not have exclusive jurisdiction in NPS areas and nothing 
precludes the NPS from regulating landings within NPS areas.  Most 
important, the court also affirmed the conviction of a defendant for 
disorderly conduct under section 2.34(a)(4) for recklessly creating a 
risk of harm to himself, other BASE jumpers and to members of the 
public by "creating or maintaining a hazardous or physically offensive 
condition."  "The safety threat implicated in BASE jumping is most 
often the potential harm to the jumper due to the fatalities and 
injuries characterizing the extreme sport.  We do not, however, 
discount the safety risks in BASE jumping to members of the public, 
particularly in areas where people are likely to congregate... We 
therefore affirm the district court's determination that BASE jumping 
can create a risk of harm to the public and defer to the courts' 
evidentiary findings."  United States v. Albers, No. 99-10071 (9th 
Cir. 7/17/00). See also earlier appellate case relating to seizures by 
rangers on houseboat in United States v. Albers, 136 F.3d 670 (9th 
Cir. 1998). For more information on this case or other court 
decisions, contact NPS legal instructor Don Usher at FLETC via cc:Mail 
at NP-WASO.

MEMORANDA

"Current Wildfire Emergency," signed on July 31st by Director Stanton 
and sent electronically to all regional directors, associate directors 
and superintendents. The full text follows:

"Dry lightning continues to contribute to escalating wildfire activity 
in the western United States. With ongoing fires in Idaho, Montana and 
Colorado, the new activity in Utah, California, Washington and Oregon 
has stretched our capabilities significantly.  In addition, 
unseasonably dry conditions in the South and Southwest and numerous 
initial attack fires limits the ability for those areas to respond.

"On Monday, July 24, 2000, the National Multi-Agency Coordination 
Group declared a National Preparedness Level IV, based on the 
prevalence of large-scale project type fires in several geographic 
areas creating intense competition for wildfire suppression and 
support resources.

"The National Interagency Fire Center has activated all eight of the 
military C-130 Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems units to 
supplement the civilian air tanker fleet.  A liaison has been 
established with the military in the event military battalions are 
needed.

"We expect the West will be hotter than normal through October.  
Rainfall will be near to below normal except in Arizona, New Mexico 
and Colorado where the monsoon should produce adequate rain to temper 
the fire season.  The unknown factor is of course the amount of dry 
thunderstorms activity which will occur over the next 45 days.

"In all agencies, initial attack forces are becoming taxed with the 
number of fire starts and the weather conditions.  Attention to prompt 
initial attack remains essential to control fires while they are small 
and prevent any further compounding of the national situation.

"All offices are to assess their need for qualified fire personnel, 
those not essential are to be made available to initial attack or 
critical park operations.  Permanent employees should be assigned to 
overhead assignments, wherever possible, while seasonal employees 
should generally fill our commitments for crew assignments.  Those 
personnel that have received additional training since their last 
assignment should be identified for a qualifying trainee assignment 
into that newly acquired skill.  Program managers are reminded that 
they have authority to shift regular hours to fire accounts (Base 8) 
or they have backfilling authority for positions assigned to emergency 
wildfire operations (see Shifting Regular Hours to Fire Accounts (Base 
8) page 4, Chapter 19, RM-18 and Backfilling, page 5, Chapter 19, 
RM-18).

"All regions are to expedite their mobilization efforts in concert 
with their cooperators."

INTERCHANGE

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Submissions pending.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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