NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, September 5, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1604, the French explorer Samuel Champlain named Mount 
Desert Island on the Maine coast, where most of Acadia National Park 
is now located.

INCIDENTS

00-515 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Follow-up on Seriously Injured          
         Concession Employees

A fund has been set up for contributions to defray the medical 
expenses of T.M. and L.B., the two Amfac concession 
employees who were severely burned when they fell into a thermal pool 
in Lower Geyser Basin on August 21st. The accounts are at the 
Mid-Valley Branch of the Cyprus Credit Union in Salt Lake City. The 
account number for L.B. is 123834; the account number for T.M. is 
123835. The credit union's address is 5750 South Redwood Road, Salt 
Lake City, Utah 84123. [Cheryl Matthews, YELL, 8/30]

00-559 - American Memorial Park (Saipan) - Typhoon Saomai

Preparations are underway for the first significant typhoon to affect 
Saipan in almost three years. Typhoon warnings have been posted for 
the islands of Saipan and Tinian for Typhoon Saomai, which has 
sustained winds of 105 mph. The eye is expected to pass to the north 
and within 75 miles of Saipan at approximately 11:00 p.m. (local time) 
tonight. Park operations have been suspended until further notice. 
Commercial boats and private yachts are now seeking refuge in the 
park's marina. [Chuck Sayon, Site Manager, AMME, 9/5]

00-560 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (NJ/PA) - Suicide

On Friday, September 1st, rangers found the body of a 41-year-old 
California man at Hemlock Pond in the park's New Jersey District. He 
had evidently died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound sometime during 
the previous 24 hours. The victim had sent a suicide note to his 
father, which was received early on Friday afternoon. Information in 
the note indicated that his body could be found at Hemlock Pond in 
"Delaware Water Gap State Park." The father, who lives in New Jersey, 
contacted local police, who notified Worthington State Forest rangers, 
who in turn notified the park. Rangers immediately began a search for 
the victim. His vehicle was found at Crater Lake, not far from Hemlock 
Pond, and his body was subsequently found at the edge of the pond, a 
9mm handgun still in his hand. State police also responded. The 
medical examiner pronounced the victim dead at 6:30 p.m. Investigators 
determined that he'd flown from San Francisco to Baltimore, where he 
rented a vehicle and drove to the park. He apparently chose this 
location because he had hiked to the pond several years previously. 
[Doyle Nelson, CR, DEWA, 9/2]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level V

CURRENT SITUATION

Six new fires were reported yesterday, all in the South. Six Western 
fires were contained. Initial attack was again heavy in the South, but 
light elsewhere. An upper level trough over central Oregon will bring 
cool temperatures and a threat of showers to northern California, the 
Great Basin, and the northern Rockies. The Gulf Coast states will 
again be hot and dry. 

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from yesterday's numbers in parentheses): 475 crews (- 65), 
4,963 overhead (- 657), 688 engines (- 201), and 158 helicopters 
(- 37).

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in the western states, 
North Dakota, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.

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

NPS AND NPS-RELATED FIRES

Yellowstone NP (WY) - Spruce Complex (6,425 acres, 0% containment, no 
estimated containment date, 18 FF/OH). No new information reported.

Glacier NP (MT) - Sharon Fire [450 acres, 0% containment, no estimated 
containment date, six FF] and Park Peake Fire [2,100 acres, 75% 
containment, full containment expected by October 15th, two FF]. The 
fires continue to be relatively inactive.

Grand Teton NP (WY) - Teton Complex (15,723 acres, 0% containment, no 
estimated containment date, Type II team, 172 FF/OH). Crews continue 
to make significant progress constructing fire lines. Mop-up 
operations are underway.

Great Basin NP/Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (NV) - Phillips Ranch Fire [2,600 
acres, 60% containment, no estimated containment date, four FF). 
Monitoring of the fire continues.

Jewel Cave NM/Black Hills NF (SD) - Jasper Fire (83,500 acres, 80% 
containment, full containment expected by September 4th, Type I team, 
733 FF/OH). Winds have diminished and the relative humidity has 
increased. Demobilization of resources continues. The fire has been 
mostly lined. Interior islands continue to burn out.

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 for 
portions of southeast Texas and a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for low relative 
humidity and high temperatures for the eastern hill country, Balcones 
Escarpment, and oak woodlands of central Texas.

South Texas and the Gulf Coast states will be under a strong area of 
high pressure. A weak cold front will move across the Gulf Coast 
states. Continued hot conditions with only widely scattered afternoon 
thunderstorms are expected. Highs will be 85 to 95 with 100 to 110 in 
the hottest locations. Relative humidity will be 20 to 40 percent. 
Winds will be northwest to northeast 10 to 15 mph.

An upper level low pressure trough over central Oregon will bring a 
threat of shower activity and high elevation snows to portions of 
northern California, the Great Basin and the northern Rockies as it 
slowly moves east. Lingering monsoonal moisture across the southern 
Rockies and Southwest will bring partly cloudy skies along with 
isolated showers and thunderstorms to the region.

In the north, temperatures will generally be in the 50's to mid 60's 
in the mountains and the mid 60's to 80's elsewhere. Winds will be 
from the west to northwest 10 to 20 mph. In the Southwest and central 
Rockies, temperatures will be in the 60's and 70's in the mountains 
and 80's to 100 in the valleys. Winds will generally be from the west 
to southwest at 15 to 30 mph.

Relative humidity will be in the mid teens to upper 20 percent, except 
in the single digits across the warmer deserts. In portions of the 
north relative humidity of 40 to 60 percent are expected.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 9/5]

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

Submissions pending.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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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