NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, June 26, 2002


                           NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                              MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, June 26, 2002

INCIDENTS

02-259 - Denali NP&P (AK) - Search and Rescue

T.T., 67, and E.O., 53, both of Connecticut, were
reported overdue from a day hike on trail-less and exposed Primrose Ridge
on the evening of June 20th. The two women were minimally prepared and
weather conditions were poor, including heavy rain, wind, sub-freezing
temperatures, and snow above 4,000 feet. Hasty search teams and road patrol
rangers were deployed throughout the night to provide containment,
attraction, and clue identification. As air operations were about to begin
the next morning, ground searchers located T.T. and E.O., who were
following searcher footprints in the snow toward the park road. The women
were exposed to the harsh conditions for nearly 24 hours and attributed
their survival in part to information provided to them by a concession bus
driver, a backcountry ranger, and an NPS backcountry safety video they
viewed at the park visitor center. [Pat Navaille, IC, DENA, 6/24]

02-260 - Wright Brothers NM (NC) - Aircraft Accident

A rented Cessna 172 landing on the park's airfield on the afternoon of June
20th overshot the north end of the runway,  rolled about 250 yards across
sand and low grass, and came to rest after jumping a 25-foot wide drainage
ditch. Neither the pilot nor the passenger was injured. Damage to the plane
included a bent propeller and engine cowling. The front and right main
landing gear were also ripped from the plane. The North Carolina Highway
Patrol, Kill Devil Hills Police and Fire Departments, ranger Barry Munyan
and chief ranger Jeff Cobb responded. NPS pilot Bob Trick did aerial
observations of the crash scene and investigated on the ground. The pilot
said that he was trying to land when turbulence above the runway prevented
him from touching down. Dare County provided a mobile command post for the
Civil Air Patrol and rangers who secured the scene until the FAA
investigator arrived the next morning. [Jeff Cobb, CR, CAHA, 6/24]

02-261 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Drug Seizure

On June 14th, a ranger stopped a van on Highway 85 that he suspected of
having illegally entered the United States from Mexico. During the course
of the subsequent investigation, he found a concealed compartment in the
floor of the van which contained just over 613 pounds of marijuana. Driver
C.G.G., 20, and passenger L.M.L., 24, were
arrested. They admitted to picking up the van in Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico,
and to having been paid to drive it to Phoenix. They also admitted to
having driven the van into the country illegally by passing through in the
park. C.G.G. was five-and-a-half months pregnant. L.M.L. had a
methamphetamine pipe in her possession and admitted to smoking the drug.
[Jon Young, PR, ORPI, 6/22]

02-262 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Drug Seizure

A ranger on an interdiction overflight on June 20th spotted suspicious
looking items stashed under brush in a remote area of the park.
Investigation led to the discovery of eight backpacks containing 20 bundles
of marijuana weighting 357 pounds. Evidence at the site indicated that the
smugglers had been there recently and most likely fled as the helicopter
was approaching. A BLM ranger provided assistance in removing and
transporting the marijuana from the area. [Jon Young, PR, ORPI, 6/22]

02-263 - Whiskeytown NRA (CA) - Drug Seizure

On Thursday, June 20th, rangers Billy Watkins, Gary Panich and Aaron Scott
participated in an interagency raid on a large marijuana plantation on BLM
lands within a few hundred feet of the park's boundary. Shasta County
deputies and BLM law enforcement officers helped conduct the raid. A fully
loaded AK-47 assault rifle was seized and one person was taken into
custody. All 2,300 marijuana plants found at the site were removed along
with a processing plant, camping equipment and irrigation systems. Rangers
will continue to monitor nearby drainages and undeveloped areas of the park
for suspicious activity. [Steve Prokop, CR, WHIS, 6/21)

[Additional reports pending...]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation

Preparedness Level 5

There was moderate initial attack yesterday in the Rockies and California;
overall, 126 new fires were reported, three of which became large fires.

Three MAC groups and two area command teams are now in place. Priorities
for large fires in the Southwest, the Rockies and the Great Basin are being
established by the multi-agency coordinating groups for those areas. Mann's
area command team is managing the Hayman Fire; Ribar's area command team is
managing the Rodeo and  Chediski fires.

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, California,
Colorado, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.

Significant national fires include:

Arizona

Rodeo/Chediski Complex, Fort Apache Agency (375,000 acres, 5% contained) -
Four Type 1 teams (Dash, Martin, Humphrey and Bateman) are assigned.  The
fires are burning in chaparral, ponderosa pine, juniper and brush. Extreme
fire behavior continues to be reported. Crews are constructing lines and
burning out the southwest corner. Seven communities and surrounding areas
are evacuated, with 7,500 residences still threatened.

Colorado

Missionary Ridge Fire, San Juan National Forest (66,983 acres, 30%
contained) - A Type 1 team (Bennett) is assigned; a second Type 1 team
(Hart) and an area command team (Chesley) are on order. Extreme fire
behavior was observed yesterday on the northern, northeastern, eastern and
southwestern flanks. Crews are burning out on the southwestern flank. Ten
subdivisions remain evacuated; 1,271 residences are threatened. A damage
assessment group continues to evaluate losses.

Hayman Fire, Pike-San Isabel National Forest (137,000 acres, 77% contained)
- Two Type 1 teams (Frye and Raley) assigned to the fire, but Frye's team
will assume sole command at 6 a.m. this morning. Rain fell on the area
yesterday, limiting fire activity and helping efforts to contain the fire.
Occupants of another 350 residences were allowed to return home on Tuesday.

For a map showing the locations of current major fires , click on
http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/firemap.html ; for details on all major fires
currently burning, click on http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf or
http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html.

National Resource Commitments

                  Wed   Thu   Fri   Sat   Sun   Mon   Tue
Date              6/19  6/20  6/21  6/22  6/23  6/24  6/25

Crews             351   409   377   365   289   293   281
Engines           835   832   867   798   630   553   532
Helicopters       118   118   112   109   106   98    102
Air Tankers       1     2     0     1     1     0     0
Overhead          2,509 2,531 2,639 2,369 2,172 2,400 2,271
Type 1 IMT        11    11    10    10    10    10    10
Type 2 IMT        4     4     2     2     4     4     5
Fire Use IMT            2     2     3     2     2     2     2

National Fire Warnings and Watches

NICC has not issued any watches or warnings for today.

Park Fire Situation

Shenandoah NP (VA) - The Rocky Top fire was first spotted seven miles north
of Grottoes on the west side of the Blue Ridge around sunset on Friday,
June 21st. The fire, which is entirely within the park, is burning in
steep, rocky terrain in pine, hardwoods, oak brush, mountain laurel and
bug-killed timber. It has consumed about 800 acres and is about 25%
contained, with full containment estimated at about 2,000 acres by this
coming Saturday. Yesterday, crews attacked the fire directly on its
northern perimeter, making substantial headway. They also strengthened
existing trails in preparation for burnout. A slopover on the western flank
was caught during the afternoon. The fire is being managed by the NPS as a
Type 3 incident; 103 firefighters from the park, BIA, FWS, Forest Service
and Virginia DOF have been committed. Skyline Drive remains open, but the
following trails have been closed - Brown Mountain, Rocky Mountain Run, Big
Run Portal, Patterson Ridge, Big Run Loop, Madison Run Spur, Rockytop,
Austin Mountain and Lewis Peak.

Florissant Fossil Beds NM (CO) - Due to the Hayman Fire, four staff members
have been evacuated from their homes and four more are on standby,
including the superintendent (for the second time). Only two are not
affected by the fire. Over 2,000 firefighters are beginning to gain on the
fire and the weather has cooperated the last few days, so the fire is not
as unpredictable as it has been. Park trails are closed, but the visitor
center and newly-constructed outdoor exhibit area are open, as is the
Petrified Forest loop trail when accompanied by an interpreter.  The
regular summer interpretive season is in full swing, but seasonals and
interns are taking turns working with Florissant Volunteer Fire Department
on the fire line. Trails will be closed until the south section of the fire
is totally contained. Severity funding has provided an engine boss for the
park's engine, plus staff, and Buffalo NR has loaned an engine. Rocky
Mountain NP, Hot Springs NP, Olympic NP and Buffalo NR have also provided
crews.

Zion NP/Bryce Canyon NP/Cedar Breaks NM (UT) - Stage II fire restrictions
have been put into place in the three parks due to extreme fire danger,
effective immediately. Prohibited are:

•     Setting, building, maintaining, attending, or using open fires of any
kind, including campfires within developed campgrounds or   picnic areas,
or permanently improved places of habitation.  Stoves fueled by petroleum
or liquid Propane Gas (LPG) fuels are
      allowed.
•     Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed
recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three
      feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material
down to mineral soil.
•     Discharging, or using any kind of fireworks or other pyrotechnic
devices, is prohibited at all times on all federal public lands.

For additional information, call 435-772-3256 (Zion), 435-834-5322 (Bryce
Canyon), or 435-586-9451 (Cedar Breaks).

Park Fire Danger

Not available.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 6/26; Jean Rodeck,
Superintendent, FLFO, 6/24; Debee Schwarz, PIO, WASO, 6/25; Lyn Rothgeb,
SHEN, 6/25; Greg Styles, Plans Chief, IMT, SHEN, 6/25; David Eaker, ZION,
6/25]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Unsung Hero Award - WASO has not yet received any nominations at all for
the Service's national Unsung Hero Award. The award will be given out at
the DOI convocation, tentatively scheduled for September 4th. Please take
this opportunity to recognize your local "heroes" and submit nominations to
Paula Platz no later than July 12th. If you have any questions, you can
contact her at 202-208-5093. [Paula Platz, WASO)

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Pinnacles NM (CA) - The park has extended the announcement for a permanent
full-time botanist (PGSO-02-139-DEU/MPP) to July 8th. Interested applicants
should contact Lori Frusetta via email or at 831-389-4485 ext. 227. [Lori
Frusetta, PINN]

                               *  *  *  *  *

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation
and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

                                --- ### ---