NPS Morning Report - Monday, August 27, 2001





                        NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Monday, August 27, 2001

                            *** NOTICE ***

There was no Morning Report on Sunday, August 28th.

INCIDENTS

01-473 - Big South Fork NRRA (KY/TN) - Marijuana Eradication

During the period from August 6th to August 18th, rangers were 
involved in a marijuana eradication exercise called Operation Harvest. 
Joining rangers were officers from three county sheriff's departments 
and an area drug task force. Although only 400 plants were eradicated, 
the operation was viewed as a success, as the number of plants found 
and destroyed is down from a high of almost 20,000 plants in 1995. 
Rangers and local officers believe that the continuing eradication 
operations have pushed growers away from the Big South Fork area, 
which was the project's ultimate goal when it first began. A stolen 
truck was also found during overflights in Scott County, Tennessee. It 
proved to be a critical piece of evidence in a methamphetamine 
trafficking and lab case and a jail escape. The truck also provided 
probable cause information that permitted the Tennessee Bureau of 
Investigation to secure search warrants for the premises on the 
property where it was found. [T. Grooms, Eradication Coordinator, 
BISO, 8/22]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level 5

One new large fire was reported yesterday and two others were 
contained. Initial attack was light everywhere.

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, 
California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, 
Utah, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.

NICC has not posted any fire watches or warnings for today.

For the full NICC report, see http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf.

National Resource Status (Five Day Trend)

                        Thu     Fri     Sat     Sun     Mon 
Date                    8/23    8/24    8/25    8/26    8/27
        
Crews                   788     658     636     618     632
Engines                 1,171   854     777     640     607
Helicopters             217     199     205     191     196
Air Tankers             2       1       5       7       6
Overhead                5,021   4,207   4,445   4,535   4,672
Area Command IMT        1       1       1       1       1
Type 1 IMT              9       10      10      8       8
Type 2 IMT              9       8       8       9       9
State IMT               6       4       3       2       1
Fire Use Team           2       2       2       2       2

Park Fire Situation

Great Basin NP (NV) - The Granite Fire (618 acres, 85% contained, 63 
FF/OH) remained within containment lines yesterday. Significant 
progress was made in mopping up the fire. Full containment is 
projected for Friday.

Yosemite NP (CA) - Activity is expected to increase on the Hoover Fire 
(5,716 acres as of Saturday) over the next few days due to warmer 
temperatures and drier air. Winds should remain out of the south and 
southwest, which will continue to push the fire away from Yosemite 
Valley and toward the Clark Range. Smoky conditions are expected to 
continue in the early morning and early afternoon hours in the Valley 
and in the afternoons in the Tuolumne and Sierra Crest areas. Portions 
of the Buena Vista and Illilouette trails remain closed.

Zion NP (UT) - The Langston Fire (530 acres) has burned most fuel on 
the Langston Mesa. There are several places where the fire could burn 
off the mesa top, however, so it will still be monitored.

Yellowstone NP (WY) - Because of extreme fire danger, the park has 
further restricted use of fire within Yellowstone, effective today. No 
wood or charcoal fires will be allowed at any frontcountry areas. This 
includes the use of fire grates, charcoal grills, fire pans and any 
other ember-producing equipment in all campgrounds, picnic areas, 
parking areas, and employee housing areas. No smoking is permitted in 
the frontcountry except within buildings where smoking is normally 
permitted, in vehicles, or in designated smoking areas (provided that 
an ashtray is used). 

Extreme         Hawaii Volcanoes NP
Very High       Zion NP
High            N/A

[Public Affairs, YELL, 8/26; Johanna Lombard, YOSE, 8/26; NPS 
Situation Summary Report, 8/26; NICC Incident Management Situation 
Report, 8/26-27]

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MEETING AND EVENTS CALENDAR

This calendar appears every other Monday as an addendum to the Morning 
Report. Please note:

o       Entries are listed no sooner than FOUR months before an event, 
        except in cases in which registration dates close much 
        earlier. 
o       Brevity in submissions is required and appreciated.
o       Please send along web sites for additional information where 
        possible.
o       Asterisks (*) indicate new ore revised entries. 

**********************************************************************

August 24 - October 5: WASO RELOCATION. The Washington Office begins 
moving from the Department of Interior building at 18th and C Streets 
to its new office on 1800 G Street. Additional information has been 
received. Here's the timetable for moves:

o       August 24th - Administration and Natural Resources
o       September 21st - Operations, Professional Services and 
        Cultural Resources
o       October 5th - Offices of the Director and the Directorate

For more information on the move, check the associated web site: 
http://165.83.219.72/wapc/themove.html. [Betsy Chittenden, WASO]

September 1 - 3: RAIL EXPO 2001 - A CENTURY OF RAILROADING, Steamtown 
NHS, PA. This fifth annual tribute to America's industrial heritage 
will feature an array of activities over the Labor Day Weekend. This 
year's event will feature Steamtown's extensive collection of vintage 
steam locomotives, restored passenger coaches, boxcars, flatcars, 
cabooses and other rolling stock, contrasted by an eclectic selection 
of visiting rail equipment.  An assortment of activities, exhibits and 
interpretive programs, will set the stage for a multi-faceted journey 
that explores the roots of our industrial heritage and technological 
growth. Information and details on this and other upcoming special 
events, interpretive and educational programs, rail excursions, group 
rates or annual passes may be obtained by calling 570-340-5200 or 
888-693-9391 (toll free) or by visiting the Steamtown web site at 
www.nps.gov/stea. [Ralph Coury, STEA]

September 19 - 21: RIVER MANAGEMENT SOCIETY CONFERENCE, Wasilla, AK. 
For more information, go to http://www.river-management.org. [Sheila 
Lee, NCRC/WASO]

September 25 - 29: EIGHTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE, WILDLIFE SOCIETY, Reno, 
NV. Call 301-897-9770 or go to http://www.tws.org. [Sheila Lee, 
NCRC/WASO]

September 29: NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY. An annual event in which 
volunteers undertake projects to improve the nation's public lands. 
Contact: National Environmental Education and Training, 202-833-2933. 
[Sheila Lee, NCRC/WASO]

October 3 - 6: NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION ANNUAL 
CONGRESS AND EXPOSITION, Denver, CO. For more information, check 
http://www.activeparks.org. [Sheila Lee, NCRC/WASO]

* October 8 - 10: "YELLOWSTONE LAKE: HOTBED OF CHAOS OR RESERVOIR OF 
RESILIENCE," SIXTH BIENNIAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ON THE GREATER 
YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM, Mammoth Hotel, Yellowstone NP, WY. The 
conference will focus on a central feature of the greater Yellowstone 
ecosystem's landscape, Yellowstone Lake, where submerged hot springs 
and spires emerge atop the Yellowstone caldera and rare plants and 
evidence of prehistoric peoples erode at the mercy of wind, waves, and 
modern footsteps. The conference is interdisciplinary in nature and 
includes presentations on geology, wildlife, human history, 
archeology, and recreational use around the lake. The conference is 
open to all interested individuals. To register contact AmFac 
Reservations Department - Attn: Tami, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone 
National Park, WY 82190, or call 307-344-5518 or email to 
tami@travelyellowstone.com. Information, including a preliminary 
agenda, is also available at the conference's website at 
www.nps.gov/yell/technical/conference.htm. [Roger Anderson, YELL]

October 10 - 12: NATIONAL LEADERSHIP COUNCIL (NLC) MEETING.

October 15: NINTH ANNUAL LINCOLN SYMPOSIUM, Ford' Theatre NHS, 
Washington, DC. The topic of this year's symposium will be the 
conspirators. The program will feature an in-depth look at those 
people who aided and abetted the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The 
symposium is free and open to the public. No advanced reservation is 
required. Seating is available on a first-come-first-serve basis. For 
more information, call the park at 202-426-6924. [Donna Birchard, NCR]

October 29 - November 2: ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL PARK RANGERS 
RENDEZVOUS XXV, Snow King Resort, Jackson Hole, WY. Twenty-fifth 
anniversary Rendezvous, held at the site of the first Rendezvous back 
in 1977. The single/double rate is $85 plus tax. Condos (studio to  
four bedrooms) are available if you want to share accommodations.  
Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-522-KING (mention the group 
name: National Park Rangers). The block will expire three weeks prior 
to the  start of the RR, so reservations should be made early. Check 
the website at www.snowking.com. For details on the program, check 
ANPR's web site at http://www.anpr.org/agenda.htm. 

November 4 - 5: NATIONAL INTERPRETERS WORKSHOP, Des Moines, IA. For 
more information, contact Brook McDonald at brookmcd@ais.net. [Sheila 
Lee, NCRC/WASO]

                            *  *  *  *  *

The Morning Report solicits entries from the field and central offices 
for its daily and weekly sections (below). The general rule is that 
submissions, whatever the category, should pertain to operations, be 
useful to the field, and have broad significance across the agency. 
Additional details on submission criteria are available from the 
editor at any time (Bill Halainen at NP-DEWA, or 
Bill_Halainen@nps.gov). Ask for either incident reporting criteria 
(issued by WASO, June 18, 2000) or general criteria. 

Daily and weekly sections are available for news or significant 
developments pertaining to:

Field incidents                 Interpretation and visitor services
Natural resource management     Cultural resource management
Operations (WASO only)          Memoranda (WASO only)
Requests/offers of assistance   Park-related web sites
Parks and employees             Media stories on parks
Training, meetings, and events  Queries on operational matters  
Reports on "lessons learned" 

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.

                             --- ### ---