NPS Morning Report - Saturday, August 11, 2001
- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Saturday, August 11, 2001
- Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2001 11:47:06 -0400
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Saturday, August 11, 2001
INCIDENTS
01-433 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Helicopter Crash; Multiple Fatalities
Although the report from the park is not yet in, the Associated Press
has transmitted a story on a helicopter crash at the edge of the park
yesterday that killed six people and critically injured a seventh. The
text of the story follows: "A helicopter crashed Friday near the Grand
Canyon, killing six people, authorities said. A seventh person was
critically injured. The Federal Aviation Administration said the cause
of the crash was not known. The National Transportation Safety Board
was expected to investigate. A woman was in critical condition with
severe burns at University Medical Center in Las Vegas, said hospital
spokesman Rick Plummer. The AS350 helicopter departed from Las Vegas
and went down at about 2:35 p.m. in a remote area near Meadview, about
70 miles east of Las Vegas, near the western edge of the Grand Canyon,
authorities said. The crash site was difficult to reach, National Park
Service spokesman Bert Byers said. 'Only the hardiest of 4-wheel-drive
vehicles would be able to get in there.' The flight that crashed was
operated by Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters of Las Vegas, Byers
said. A Papillon representative said company officials were
unavailable." [Salt Lake Tribune web page, 8/11/01]
01-434 - Capitol Reef NP (UT) - Flash Floods; Vehicle Swept Away
Intense storm activity over the past week caused significant flash
flooding in numerous drainages within the park. On August 7th, H.K.
and M.K. of Germany attempted to drive their Grand
Cherokee across a flowing wash on the Burr Trail Road in the
Waterpocket District. The vehicle was immediately swept away; it
floated and bounced downstream and the passenger-side window shattered
as the vehicle tipped back and forth, allowing some water to enter.
The couple stayed in the Jeep as the chocolate-colored stream flow
nearly reached window level, then began to drop. The vehicle finally
stopped moving down the wash, but the K.s remained sitting inside
for the next half-hour, hoping that they could eventually drive away.
A second surge of flood water came down the wash, however, and the
couple, unable to open the Jeep's doors, had to climb out through the
broken window and wade to the bank. Neither was injured. They
subsequently contacted another group of visitors, who drove them to
park headquarters. Park staff located the Cherokee on the morning of
the 8th about a mile downstream from the road. Muddy water had nearly
filled the passenger compartment and the vehicle has been totaled.
Staff members are working with the rental car company to develop a
plan to remove the Jeep from the park's backcountry. Meanwhile, floods
in Sulphur Creek, Grand Wash, Capitol Gorge, and the Fremont River
drainages have resulted in visitor evacuations and temporary road
closures. [Tom Cox, CRO, CARE, 8/9]
01-435 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Special Event
Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, NPS Director Fran Mainella, and
members and staff of the Arizona Congressional delegation visited the
park on August 8th. The two-day visit to Arizona was initiated by
Senator John Kyl's office, with the Grand Canyon portion focusing on
the general management plan and transit efforts. During the five-hour
visit, the group toured the South Rim Village area, including the new
Canyon View Information Plaza, and dedicated the first mile of the
planned 73-mile Greenway multi-use trail. Director Mainella stayed the
night and explored several of the park's issues with the
superintendent's management team. The visit was managed under ICS to
ensure appropriate logistical support for the 25 members of the party.
[Patrick Hattaway, IC/Mallory Smith, IO, GRCA, 8/10]
01-436 - Amistad NRA (TX) - Border Incidents
During the month of July and in early August, rangers and Border
Patrol agents tracked and apprehended 67 undocumented aliens and
documented associated resource damage at various locations in and
around the park:
o July 1st - The Border Patrol learned that a load of 350 to 450
pounds of marijuana had been transported through the park.
Agents and an Amistad ranger found evidence that confirmed
that the shipment had made it through the park undetected.
o July 26th - Border Patrol agents seized 252 pounds of
processed marijuana that had passed through the park on a
boat, then was backpacked out via the Cow Creek drainage.
There were five people in the group - four carrying marijuana,
and the fifth carrying a weapon. Agents captured three of them
and seized the marijuana. The armed smuggler made it back to
Mexico.
o August 7th - 9th - A joint federal-state drug interdiction
operation was conducted in and around the park. The agencies
involved included the NPS, Border Patrol, DEA, Customs and
Texas DPS. Based on information provided by a confidential
informant, agents were able to observe smugglers walk-in a
load of marijuana to a waiting pickup truck at the exact time
provided by the informant. They allowed the vehicle to drive a
distance from the pickup spot, then attempted to stop it. The
driver fled and a 20-mile pursuit ensued at speeds up to 100
mph. The vehicle was finally stopped and the driver arrested.
Agents seized the vehicle and 229 pounds of marijuana.
[David Van Inwagen, DR, Rio Grande District, AMIS, 8/10]
01-437 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Border Incidents
Rangers made several significant drug cases in the park at the end of
July and earlier this month:
o July 31st - The Border Patrol notified rangers that several
vehicles had driven around their checkpoint on Highway 85 and
were returning to Mexico through the park at speeds up to 110
mph. Two of them were stopped north of the park; agents
attempted to road spike the third, but it kept on going.
Rangers were also unsuccessful in spiking the vehicle, which
made it back to Mexico. Two more vehicles were spiked near
park headquarters. Both drove into the desert on flat tires
and the drivers and passengers fled into the desert. A ranger
caught one of them after a one-mile footrace. The sixth
vehicle disappeared. A total of 1,835 pounds of marijuana and
the three people who were arrested were turned over to the
Pima County Sheriff's Office. Rangers seized another 793
pounds of marijuana in the incident.
o August 4th - During a nighttime interagency drug operation,
rangers and Fish and Wildlife Service agents seized 313 pounds
of marijuana on a smuggling route in a remote area of the
park. Five Mexican backpackers fled the area, but were later
apprehended with help from a Customs helicopter. The drugs and
individuals were turned over to Customs.
o August 5th - Eleven bundles with 659 pounds of marijuana were
seized during an interagency operation that involved rangers
and FWS agents. A group of Mexican backpackers was tracked
through the park for six hours on a known smuggling trail. The
marijuana was turned over to Customs for processing.
[Dale Thompson, CR, ORPI, 8/8]
[Additional reports pending....]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level 3
Seven new large fires were reported yesterday - three in the western
Great Basin, two in northern California, and one each in the Northwest
and South. Seven others were contained. Initial attack was moderate
to heavy in northern California and the Northwest.
Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in California,
Connecticut, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and
Wyoming (Connecticut has been added to yesterday's listing; Montana
has been dropped).
NICC has not issued any watches or warnings today.
For the full NICC report, see http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf.
National Resource Status (Five Day Trend)
Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Date 8/7 8/8 8/9 8/10 8/11
Crews 181 201 243 280 372
Engines 341 369 405 643 699
Helicopters 85 80 95 81 112
Air Tankers 7 4 8 3 13
Overhead 1,388 1,324 1,535 1,458 1,896
Park Fire Situation
Yellowstone NP (WY) - Crews continued to make excellent progress on
containment of the Arthur Fire (2,800 acres, 75% contained, 814 FF/OH
currently committed). Numerous isolated spot fires still need to be
contained.
Sequoia-Kings Canyon NP (CA) - The Burnt Fire has burned 106 fires and
is still within prescription.
Park Fire Danger
Extreme Hawaii Volcanoes NP
Very High N/A
High Mojave NP, Redwood NP, Redwood N&SP, Big Bend NP
[NPS Situation Summary Report, 8/10; NICC Incident Management
Situation Report, 8/11]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Joshua Tree NP (CA) - The park is seeking a GS 7/9 park ranger
(protection) for the Cottonwood District. This is a required occupancy
position in a relatively remote section of the park. The announcement
(#JOTR-01-08) is posted on USAJOBS and has a closing date of August
16th. Contact DR Keith Kelly at 760-367-5543 if you have any
questions. [Keith Kelly, JOTR]
FILM AT 11...
At 7 a.m. MDT on Monday, August 13th, C-SPAN will broadcast live from
Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This two-and-a-half hour long hour
program will focus on Theodore Roosevelt as a western writer,
particularly of his book "The Winning of the West." The program will
feature three nationally recognized Roosevelt scholars - Dr. Douglas
Brinkley, Dr. H.W. Brands, and Tweed Roosevelt, great-grandson of TR.
The live program, which will be televised from near the Maltese Cross
Cabin in Medora, is part of the series, "American Writers: A Journey
Through History." Throughout the weekend, special activities,
including a Theodore Roosevelt symposium, will take an in-depth look
the 26th president, emphasizing the lessons of life that TR learned in
the North Dakota Badlands and how these lessons ultimately influenced
his passion for the West and his work in conservation, politics, and
international affairs. [Bruce Kaye, THRO]
* * * * *
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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the
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