NPS Morning Report - Friday, October 19, 2001


                       NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, October 19, 2001

INCIDENTS

01-566 - Whiskeytown NRA (CA) - Marijuana Eradication

Rangers and members of Shasta County's marijuana eradication team
investigated a large marijuana plantation on Whiskey Creek on October
16th. As they approached the main site, they saw five Hispanic men
processing marijuana near a campsite. All five ran into the brush. An
extensive search was conducted by California Highway Patrol helicopters
and aircraft and by interagency narcotics task force units on the
ground, but without immediate success. Over 1,000 plants were seized
from five patches; together, they had an estimated street value of more
than $1 million. This is the third cultivation complex found in or
immediately adjacent to the park this year. [Alan Foster, SA/Acting CR,
WHIS, 10/18]

01-567 - Rock Creek Park (DC) - MVA; Road Closure

A tractor trailer traveling northbound on Rock Creek Parkway struck the
K Street overpass on October 18th. Although the bridge was not affected,
the trailer was severely damaged. The parkway was closed while the truck
and trailer were removed. All lanes were subsequently reopened. This is
the third such incident to occur this year involving a truck striking
the same overpass. [Sgt. R. MacLean, USPP, NCR, 10/18]

01-568 - Blue Ridge Parkway (VA/NC) - MVA with Fatality

On October 8th, ranger Greg Johnston received a missing person report
from a volunteer rescue department in Cana, Virginia. J.S., 19,
of Mt. Airy, North Carolina, had left his family cabin between 8:30 and
9:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 6th, but failed to arrive at his
destination. Johnston checked the likely path J.S. would have traveled
and found a wrecked 1996 Nissan truck near milepost 191 with J.S.'s
body inside. Evidence indicated that he lost control of the vehicle and
struck a tree and was killed instantly. Although the truck was only 30
feet from the side of the road, it was covered by tree branches and not
readily visible from the parkway. [John Garrison, LES, BLRI, 10/18]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation - Preparedness Level 2

Two Type 1 teams are assigned to FEMA to support operations in New York
City.

Initial attack was light nationwide on Wednesday. Very high to extreme
fire indices were reported in Colorado, California, Utah, Arizona and
Texas.

Park Fire Situation

No new reports.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 10/17; NPS Situation Summary
Report, 10/18]

*  *  *  *  *

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.

--- ### ---