NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Saturday, August 5, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1852, Father John J. Bax, senior Jesuit priest at the 
Osage Indian Mission, died in the U.S. Army Hospital at Fort Scott, 
Indian Territory.  Fort Scott National Historic Site, Kansas, 
interprets the history of this era.

INCIDENTS

99-478 - Gettysburg NMP (PA) - Follow-up on Rape

On August 1st, D.O., 31, of Gettysburg, was sentenced for 
kidnapping a female juvenile from a T-shirt shop in Gettysburg last 
August and raping her several times within and near the park. The 
county judge sentenced D.O. to 99 months to 20 years on each of two 
rape charges, 90 months to 20 years for involuntary deviant sexual 
intercourse, and 69 months to 20 years for kidnapping. The terms are 
to be served consecutively. D.O. will not be eligible for parole 
for nearly 30 years. According to the district attorney, D.O. told 
investigators that he didn't believe he'd caused the victim physical 
harm and said he wasn't sorry for what he'd done. He also admitted to 
raping seven other women outside the Adams area. During the 
proceedings, D.O. rejected an attempt by his lawyer to withdraw his 
guilty plea in exchange for a plea of guilty but mentally ill, which 
would have permitted him to serve his sentence in a mental health 
facility rather than state prison. Said the judge before handing down 
sentence: "Maybe one of these days, science will figure out what to do 
with you. I haven't the slightest idea what makes people like you 
tick." [Peter Walzer, SPR, GETT, 8/3, based on report by Jennifer 
Donatelli, Hanover Evening Sun, 8/2]

00-450 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Boating Accident with Fatality

At 8:30 a.m. on the morning of July 22nd, a 45-foot concession jet 
boat from Canyon Jetboat Service struck a submerged sandbar while 
traveling up the Colorado River. Two of the three passengers were 
thrown forward and received injuries. The vessel operator fired four 
smoke flares in his attempts to signal overhead aircraft for help. One 
passenger complained of chest pains, had difficulty breathing, and 
stopped breathing entirely 90 minutes later. He also had no pulse. The 
vessel operator and another passenger performed CPR for over an hour. 
The operator was finally able to signal another boat to send for help. 
An Arizona DPS helicopter responded at 11:20 a.m., and rangers Thane 
Weigand and Larry Stafford from Lake Mead and Chris Mengel from Grand 
Canyon headed there by boat. A paramedic from the DPS helicopter 
pronounced the man dead at the scene. The other injured passenger was 
taken by helicopter to the hospital in Kingman for medical treatment 
and evaluation. The vessel and deceased were removed from the sandbar. 
The accident site was in remote part of the park. All those on scene 
had extreme communications difficulties and were unable to radio out 
for additional resources on numerous occasions. [Chris Mengel, IC, 
GRCA, 8/4]

                 [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level V

CURRENT SITUATION

New large fires were reported on Friday in the Rockies, Great Basin 
and Northwest. Widely spread lightning storms started fires requiring 
initial attack in Nevada, Utah, Montana, California, Wyoming and 
Colorado. Some fires were contained; significant progress was made on 
others. 

An area command team is managing the large fires in the Bitterroot NF; 
another area command team is assigned to the large fires in the 
Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF. Priorities for fires in the northern Rockies 
and Great Basin are being established by multi-agency coordinating 
groups.

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from yesterday's numbers in parentheses): 656 crews (+ 45), 
3,625 overhead (- 312), 981 engines (- 78), 157 helicopters (- 4), and 
nine air tankers (- 2).

Very high to extreme fire danger indices were reported in many areas 
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

Great Basin NP/Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (NV) - Phillips Ranch Fire: 1,275 
acres, 25% containment, 75 FF/OH. No new information. This will be the 
last report unless significant activity occurs.

Glacier NP (MT) - Parke Peak Fire: 400 acres, 20% containment, 35 
FF/OH. No change in acreage, containment or staffing from yesterday. 
Bucket drops and light winds aided firefighters in suppression 
efforts. This will be the last report unless significant activity 
occurs.

Death Valley NP (CA) - The park still has an engine and crew2 
committed to the Ash Fire, currently 1,700 acres and 75% contained. 
Mid-day temperatures on the fire were over 115 degrees. 

SIGNIFICANT NON-NPS FIRES 

Time constraints preclude a summation of significant fires today. For 
a listing of all project fires, see www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.html. 

OUTLOOK

NICC has issued a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for dry lightning and gusty winds 
in southwest and central Oregon.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/5; Bill Blake, CR, DEVA, 
8/4]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Condors 

Condor management has taken a new and deadly turn at Grand Canyon.  
Condors released north of the park and monitored by the Peregrine Fund 
have frequented the south rim and awed visitors.  Evidence is now 
showing that recent fatalities among at least four of the condors were 
a result of lead poisoning.  The lead has been traced to shotgun 
pellets, probably ingested when the scavengers' found an animal killed 
by a shotgun.  An attempt is being made to capture and field test all 
condors for lead poisoning.  Those found with high levels will be 
treated for removal of lead.  Hunters are being asked to remove 
portions of animals with lead in them.  Rangers have been issued 
special copper rounds for dispatching injured animals.  Condors were 
first released in Arizona in 1996, and their continued success in the 
wild is at risk.  [Nancy Muleady Mecham, PR, GRCA]

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

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