NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, September 6, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1869, Brigadier General John A. Rawlins, Ulysses S. 
Grant's aide-de-camp during the Civil War, died in Washington, D.C., 
five months after President Grant appointed him secretary of war.  He 
is honored by a statue in Rawlins Park, part of National Capital Parks 
in Washington.

INCIDENTS

00-559 - American Memorial Park (Saipan) - Follow-up on Typhoon Saomai

Typhoon Saomai, which was forecast to pass north of the island of 
Saipan late last night, headed southward instead and became stationary 
approximately 150 miles southeast of Saipan and 185 miles east of 
Guam. It was downgraded to a tropical storm early Wednesday morning 
with sustained winds of 60 mph, but is expected to strengthen and 
regain typhoon status within 24 hours as it begins to move in a 
north-northwesterly direction through the Northern Mariana Islands 
chain. Tropical storm warnings remain in effect for Saipan, and a 
tropical storm watch is now in effect for Guam. Both parks are 
experiencing heavy local flooding. Park operations at American 
Memorial Park and War in the Pacific NHP remain suspended until 
further notice. Current predictions by the National Weather Service 
are for the typhoon to pass within 50 miles of Saipan to the northeast 
on Thursday afternoon. [Chuck Sayon, Site Manager, AMME, and Karen 
Gustin, Superintendent, WAPA, 9/6]

00-561 - San Antonio Missions NHP (TX) - Sewage Spill

On the evening of Friday, September 1st, a city sewer line ruptured, 
causing raw sewage to enter a creek that flows through the park and 
drains into the San Antonio River.  On Saturday,  police closed off 
several roads leading into the area and park staff closed off a small 
section of the park while city officials attempted to find and repair 
the break and erect a series of small dams to impound the sewage and 
prevent it from flowing into the creek and river.  City crews are 
currently working on cleanup efforts. The Texas Natural Resource 
Conservation Commission is monitoring all activities and conducting an 
environmental assessment of the incident along with park staff.  Media 
attention has been extensive.  [Dan Steed, CR, SAAN, 9/4]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level IV

The preparedness level has gone down one step.  Preparedness Level IV 
goes into effect when the following conditions are met: Two or more 
geographic areas experiencing incidents requiring Type I teams.  
Competition exists for resources between geographic areas.  Either 450 
crews or nine Type I teams committed nationally.

CURRENT SITUATION

Twenty new large fires were reported yesterday, most of them in Texas. 
Containment goals were met on 13 fires, most of those also in Texas. 
Initial attack was heavy in the South and moderate in the Rockies. 
Showers are again forecast for the northern Rockies today, but hot 
weather will persist in Texas and other Southern states. 

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from yesterday's numbers in parentheses): 414 crews (- 61), 
4,272 overhead (- 691), 592 engines (- 96), 143 helicopters (- 15).

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Oregon, Washington, 
California, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, 
Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma 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 AND NPS-RELATED FIRES

Yellowstone NP (WY) - Spruce Complex (7,200 acres, 0% containment, no 
estimated containment date, 17 FF/OH). A slight increase in fire 
activity has been 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, 176 FF/OH). Crews are 
patrolling and mopping up on the Moran, Wilcox and Enos Fires. Strong 
winds and low relative humidities caused an increase in fire activity.

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, 85% 
containment, full containment expected by September 8th, Type I team, 
143 FF/OH). Winds increased yesterday and the relative humidity 
dropped. Crews continue mop-up and rehabilitation operations. 
Smoldering and creeping fire behavior has been observed, with some 
torching in interior islands. Demobilization of resources is underway.

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 in 
southern Louisiana.

South Texas and the Gulf Coast states will continue to be under a 
strong area of high pressure. Continued hot conditions with only 
isolated afternoon thunderstorms are expected. Highs will be 85 to 95 
with 100 to 110 in the hottest locations. Relative humidities will be 
20 to 40 percent. Winds will be northwest to northeast 10 to 15 mph.

An upper level low pressure trough will swing across the northern 
Rockies this morning, which will help scour out some of the moisture 
that has been over the northwest for the past few days. Lingering 
moisture will bring a chance of showers to portions of the Pacific 
Northwest, northern Rockies and portions of the Great Basin. Monsoon 
moisture will be present across the central Rockies and Southwestern 
states. The tail end of the Pacific trough will bring partly cloudy 
skies and isolated showers and thunderstorms to the central Rocky 
Mountains. 

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 at lower elevations. Winds will generally be from the 
west to southwest at 20 to 30 mph. 

Humidities will be in the mid teens to around 30 percent. In the 
warmer desert areas, humidities could drop into the single digits. In 
portions of the north, humidities of 30 to 50 percent are expected.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 9/6]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Submission pending.

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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