NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, September 8, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1969, President Richard Nixon and Mexican President 
Diaz Ordaz dedicated Amistad Dam on the Rio Grande by meeting and 
embracing at the international boundary in the middle of the dam.  The 
reservoir created by the dam is part of Amistad National Recreation 
Area, Texas.

INCIDENTS

00-470 - Katmai NP (AK) - Follow-up on Search 

On August 8th, rangers began a search for an overdue Japanese couple 
who had been canoeing on Naknek Lake across from Brooks Camp. They 
found the body of A.S. entangled with the canoe, his life 
jacket still on, but there was no sign of his wife, N.S. An active 
search for her continued through August 20th. Sophisticated side-scan 
sonar was used to search the primary underwater search segments, which 
covered about 3,000 acres. Despite over 1700 hours of search time, her 
body has not yet been found. Much of the searching was done by the 
Trident Foundation, a non-profit service organization, and was funded 
by private donations. The Trident group came with equipment and seven 
team members who specialize in aquatic emergencies. Glen Canyon NRA 
dive team leader Pat Horning, a member of Trident, was part of the 
team that assisted in the search. Ranger Ed Dunlavey was IC. [Chris 
Pergiel, CR, KATM, 9/5]

00-565 - Aniakchak NM&P (AK) - Aircraft Accident with Three Fatalities

The Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage 
received an ELT signal that originated from a point near the park on 
the evening of August 23rd and determined that an aircraft had been 
reported missing in the same area. A Coast Guard helicopter from 
Kodiak was dispatched to the area, but weather conditions kept 
rescuers from reaching the scene until noon the following day. They 
found that pilot J.M. and passenger A.D. had been killed. 
Two other injured passengers - E.D. and L.B. - were 
medevaced to King Salmon, but E.D. died en route. Investigation 
revealed that the accident occurred within the park, but no park staff 
were involved in the recovery efforts. J.M., a park incidental 
business permittee, had been transporting his three clients, all from 
Jackson Hole, Wyoming, through the park when weather conditions began 
deteriorating. A second aircraft following J.M. advised him to turn 
around, but J.M. said he was committed to his route because clouds 
had closed in around the plane. Communications and visual contact with 
J.M.'s Cessna 180 were soon lost. NTSB is investigating. [Chris 
Pergiel, CR, KATM, 9/5]

00-566 - Aniakchak NM&P (AK) - Aircraft Accident with Injuries

On the evening of August 29th, the RCC at Elmendorf AFB received an 
ELT signal from near the park. Upon arrival on scene about 90 minutes 
later, rescuers discovered that an Alaska Department of Fish and Game 
Super Cub had crashed and that the two department employees on board 
had sustained significant injuries. They were medevaced to Kodiak and 
are expected to fully recover. The plane apparently encountered a 
violent downdraft as it was cresting a hilltop and was slammed into 
the ground. The original latitude/longitude reading placed the crash 
outside the park, but further investigation revealed that it was 
within the park. The park is working with the state on removal of the 
aircraft. [Chris Pergiel, CR, KATM, 9/5]

00-567 - Crater Lake NP (OR) - Sewage Spill

A sewer line about a mile above park headquarters overflowed on the 
afternoon of September 5th, spilling an estimated several thousand 
gallons of raw sewage into a tributary of Munson Creek. This creek 
supplies water for a fish raceway in which endangered bull trout are 
being held pending their release back into the wild as part of a 
recovery program. Employees working at the raceway noticed increased 
turbidity, which led to the discovery of the spill. Prompt action was 
taken to protect the fish. Two were found dead after the spill, but 
both may have had other injuries that lowered their resistance. A 
small area below the spill has been closed to entry because of the 
sludge that was deposited. The park is coordinating cleanup and 
monitoring with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the 
U.S. Public Health Service. The spill was located several miles from 
the source of the park's water system and domestic water supplies are 
not endangered. The line that overflowed carries sewage from the Rim 
Village area and evidently had been blocked by a large amount of solid 
waste. An investigation is underway. [David Brennan, CR, CRLA, 9/6]

00-568 - Hopewell Culture NHP (OH) - Special Event: Motorcycle Rally

The annual Easy Rider motorcycle rally was held at the Ross County 
Fairgrounds, two miles from the park, between August 31st and 
September 5th. Approximately 30,000 people attended, causing heavy 
traffic in the area and increased visitation to the park. A 
large-scale interagency search was conducted near the fairgrounds for 
a car-jacking suspect at the beginning of the event. It was suspended 
after two days, and the suspect is still at large. The park's law 
enforcement ranger provided extended coverage during the event. An 
arrest was made near the visitor center for driving on a suspended 
license and possession of a controlled substance. An assault occurred 
near park headquarters, but no charges were filed because the victim 
was uncooperative and was subsequently arrested for public 
intoxication and entering a closed area. A mailbox and fencing near 
the park's entrance were vandalized. [Wayne Rose, PR, HOCU, 9/7]

00-569 - Great Smoky Mountains NP (NC/TN) - Suicide

On the morning of September 4th, two hikers attempting to cross Mill 
Creek near the Abrams Falls parking area discovered a body lying near 
the stream. The hikers reported the discovery at the Cades Cove VC, 
then accompanied rangers to the scene. The 32-year-old male victim had 
died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. His car was 
found in a nearby parking lot and contained a recently-written will in 
which he left the car and its contents to an acquaintance. [Jack 
Piepenbring, DR, GRSM, 9/6]

                  [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level IV

CURRENT SITUATION

Seven new large fires were reported yesterday; four others were 
contained. Initial attack was moderate in the South, but light 
throughout the rest of the United States. Increased winds in Montana 
and Wyoming may present problems for firefighters in those states 
today. Fire activity in Texas and other Gulf Coast states should 
diminish, as scattered thunderstorms will bring some moisture to those 
areas.

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Washington, Oregon, 
California, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, 
Kansas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas.

The following resources were committed nationwide as of yesterday 
(changes from yesterday's numbers in parentheses): 309 crews (- 105), 
3,327 overhead (- 945), 350 engines (- 242), and 121 helicopters 
(- 22).

NPS AND NPS-RELATED FIRES

Yellowstone NP (WY) - Spruce Complex (7,200 acres, 0% containment, no 
estimated containment date, 12 FF/OH). There's been little activity 
due to cooler temperatures, high humidity and precipitation. This will 
be the last report unless significant fire activity occurs.

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]. Same 
as above.

Grand Teton NP (WY) - Teton Complex (15,723 acres, 0% containment, no 
estimated containment date, Type II team, 124 FF/OH). Crews are 
patrolling and mopping up on the Moran, Wilcox and Enos Fires.

Jewel Cave NM/Black Hills NF (SD) - Jasper Fire (83,500 acres, 95% 
containment, full containment expected by September 8th, 150 FF/OH). 
Winds have increased in the area. Crews are completing mop-up 
operations and conducting inventory for rehabilitation planning.

Devils Tower NM (WY) - The park was closed and evacuated on September 
2nd when a 1,500-acre fire spread quickly toward the park. When it got 
within a mile-and-a-half, though, the 30 to 40 mph winds that had been 
pushing it died off, making it possible to get a line around the fire.

OUTLOOK

NICC has issued two FIRE WEATHER WATCHES - the first for gusty winds 
and dry thunderstorms for south central, eastern and southwestern 
Montana, northwestern South Dakota, and Wyoming's Big Horn Mountains, 
the second for strong winds from southwestern to north central 
Montana.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 9/8; Mike Warren, NPS Fire 
Management Program Center, 9/7]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - California Condors

Sixteen California condors will be re-released this week following 
treatment for lead poisoning. This past April and May, five condors 
died from ingesting lead shot and fragments of various sizes after 
feeding on carrion in the vicinity of the park. When the birds began 
showing signs of  poisoning, capture efforts were undertaken by the 
park in order to conduct blood analyses and begin treatment. Each of 
the condors had nearly lethal doses of lead in its system and had 
suffered from extreme weight loss. An interagency meeting was held 
with FWS, BLM, the Navajo Nation, the Peregrine Fund and the state 
wildlife agency to come up with a strategy for re-release and 
investigation into the poisoning. The investigation included aerial 
detection of carcasses (organized by park pilot Mike Ebersol), land 
observations, and inspections of carcasses within the park and on 
adjacent land management areas. The park is also working closely with 
the local power company to "raptor proof" power lines within the park 
(for further information on this process, contact the park). The 
condors have regained their former weight levels; blood analyses show 
that lead levels are now low. Park biologists will be working closely 
with FWS and the Peregrine Fund to monitor the birds' activities and 
feeding locations. Although this has been a slight setback for the 
recovery program, the re-release of 16 healthy birds provides hope and 
encouragement that California condors will remain a permanent fixture 
in the skies over the Colorado Plateau. [Elaine Leslie, Wildlife 
Technician, GRCA] 

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No submissions.

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

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.

                             --- ### ---