NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, August 8, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1911, President William Howard Taft traveled to 
Paradise Valley in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington.  His 
touring car had to be dragged the final distance from Narada Falls by 
a mule team.

INCIDENTS

00-460 - Mount Rushmore NM (SD) - Rabid Bat Bite

A 15-year-old male employee of NPS concessioner AmFac Recreational 
Services was bitten by a bat in the concession dining room on August 
2nd. The bat reportedly flew into the dining room late on the evening 
of August 1st and was seen there again on the 2nd. It fell to the 
floor that afternoon; when the employee picked it up to remove it, the 
bat bit him, then died. The body was sent to the state epidemiologist 
and tested positive for the rabies virus. The boy is now undergoing 
rabies treatment. The dining room was temporarily closed on August 
5th, the day the park was notified of the findings, so that a search 
for additional bats could be conducted by a local bat expert. None was 
found. The dining room reopened on the morning of the 6th. This is the 
second incident of a person being bitten by a rabid bat in the Black 
Hills area this summer. The state epidemiologist has asked the park 
for assistance in informing the public about the hazards of handling 
bats or any other wildlife. [Mike Pflaum, CR, MORU, 8/7]

00-461 - Olympic NP (WA) - Assist to Agency: Officer Fatality

On the afternoon of August 5th, Clallam County deputy Wally Davis was 
shot and killed while responding to a disturbance call at a residence 
just outside Port Angeles. The suspect, armed with a shotgun and 
handgun, remained inside the house. Over the next 25 hours, 100 
officers from agencies throughout western Washington aided local 
officers in his apprehension. Seven rangers assisted, providing 
logistical coordination and perimeter security. The man finally 
emerged from a gas-filled crawl space in the building after officers 
fired the last of numerous barrages of gas devices. At the request of 
the county sheriff, special agent Mike Butler has been assigned as 
logistics section chief on the incident team planning the funeral, 
scheduled for Thursday at 2 p.m. Several other park personnel are also 
assisting. Current estimates are that 2,000 to 2,500 officers and 
emergency service personnel will attend the services. [Curt Sauer, CR, 
OLYM, 8/7]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level V

CURRENT SITUATION

Moderate initial attack was reported yesterday in Arizona, southern 
Utah, eastern Nevada, New Mexico, western Montana and southern Idaho. 
Ten new large fires were reported; eight others were contained. Dry 
lightning is forecast in Oregon today, which may increase fire 
activity in the Northwest.

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from yesterday's numbers in parentheses): 687 crews (- 36), 
4,820 overhead (+ 3), 919 engines (- 119), 179 helicopters (+ 10), and 
eight air tankers (+ 4).

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

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

Glacier NP (MT) - Parke Peak Fire: 1,300 acres, 40% containment, 20 
FF/OH (- 20). The fire received two-tenths of an inch of rain 
yesterday, and activity has been minimal. Spotting across Red Medicine 
Bow Creek was reported.

Craters of the Moon NP/Upper Snake River District (ID) - Craters Fire: 
700 acres, 100% (+ 20%) containment, 41 FF/OH (- 26). The fire has 
been contained.

Great Basin NP/Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (NV) - Phillips Ranch Fire: 1,300 
acres (+ 25), 25% containment, 10 FF/OH (- 65). The fire is now being 
monitored only due to extremely difficult terrain. Limited spread was 
observed yesterday, with some internal torching on the south end.

Mesa Verde NP (CO) - Pony Fire: 5,000 acres, 5% containment, Type I 
team, 364 FF/OH. The fire made a run to the south along Wetherill Mesa 
yesterday. About 90% of the fire is burning in inaccessible terrain. 
Firefighters continue to protect park residences.

For a listing of all fires, see www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.html. 

OUTLOOK

NICC has issued a RED FLAG WARNING for low relative humidity and gusty 
winds in southern and central Wyoming, and a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for 
dry lightning for most of Oregon.

Monsoonal moisture continues to stay in place over the southwestern 
United States, bringing isolated to scattered thunderstorms across New 
Mexico, Arizona and Colorado.  A low off the California coast will 
usher some moisture out of Nevada and into portions of Oregon, causing 
a threat of afternoon dry thunderstorms for the Great Basin.  Montana 
and western Wyoming will have a few cumulus clouds. Eastern Wyoming 
will receive isolated thunderstorms.  Low clouds and fog will linger 
along the California coast, with a chance for isolated thunderstorms 
over northern California.  Southern California will remain dry.

High temperatures will reach into the 80's and 90's in most areas and 
up to 110 in the western deserts of Utah, Arizona and southern Nevada. 
 Temperatures will be between 110 and 115 degrees across the deserts 
of southern California and southwestern Arizona.

Minimum relative humidities will drop to the single digits and teens 
in the southern portion of the west and range from 10 to 20 percent 
across the north.  Winds are forecast to be generally 10 to 20 mph 
during the afternoon hours. 

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/8]

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.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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