NPS Morning Report - Thursday, July 11, 2002



                           NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                              MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Thursday, July 11, 2002

INCIDENTS

02-297 - Denali NP&P (AK) - Aircraft Crash with Two Fatalities

L.E., 54, a long-time state Department of Fish and Game employee, and
Lori Churchill, 54, a female friend from Minnesota, were killed in a plane
crash on a mountain in Anderson Pass last week. The wreckage of L.E.'s red
and white Super Cub, missing since July 4th, was found on Monday, July 8th,
by Civil Air Patrol searchers. Although the pass is narrow, it is often
used by pilots as a path through the Alaska Range. The bodies were
recovered on the 8th. NTSB is investigating the accident. [Doug Stockdale,
PIO, DENA, 7/10]

02-298 - Prince William FP (VA) - Stabbing

The park received a report of a stabbing at the Oak Ridge campground at
1:25 a.m. on July 4th. Additional reports indicated that the assailant was
at large and carrying a six-inch knife on a set of brass knuckles.
Witnesses reported that the man was covered in blood. A coordinated search
was begun by the NPS and Prince William County PD, resulting in the
apprehension of David Chalmers for aggravated assault. The victim, M.S.,
was taken to the hospital and received a dozen facial stitches
and six more on his scalp. He was released later that day. [Stuart West,
CR, PRWI, 7/4]

02-299 - Yellowstone NP (WY/MT) - Pursuit; DUI Arrest

In the early morning hours of July 5th, ranger Joe Bueter was on patrol on
Park Street, which is adjacent to the town of Gardiner and within the park,
when he came upon a green Buick being driven toward him while blacked out.
When he activated his emergency lights and attempted to stop the car, the
driver accelerated and drove in excess of 60 mph through a residential area
that was posted 15 mph. The driver of the Buick lost control as he turned
into the parking area of a concession bunkhouse and crashed into a trailer
attached to a parked truck - hard enough to move them 15 feet and heavily
damage the car. The driver again accelerated away, drove a short distance,
and crashed into rocks and logs, this time permanently disabling the Buick.
The driver and passenger fled on foot. Bueter chased the driver through a
series of alleys and parking areas, into a bunkhouse, up a flight of steps,
down a hallway and fire escape, and between several buildings, eventually
capturing him after he fell near the Gardner River. The man - identified as
R.H. - sustained only minor injuries. He appeared the next day in
magistrate's court and was charged with an assimilated Montana statute for
reckless driving by fleeing and attempting to elude a law enforcement
officer, two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol, resisting
arrest, and driving without insurance. The passenger remains at large and
is being sought on other charges. [Brian Smith, Supervisory SA, YELL, 7/6]

02-300 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (PA/NJ) - Pursuit

Ranger Randy Seese was northbound on Route 209 on the afternoon of June
17th when a black Plymouth Neon hit his radar at 70 mph in a 45 mph zone.
When Seese turned to follow the Neon, the driver immediately accelerated
away, gaining speed and maneuvering dangerously through traffic. Seese
pursued, but the Neon continued to accelerate away - at least until it got
to a bend just above the intersection with Route 739, at which point the
driver found that his speed of 110 mph was also in excess of the prevailing
laws of physics. The Neon left the road, traveled for several hundred feet,
and came to an abrupt halt in thick, viney vegetation along the edge of the
forest, completely disappearing into a wall of multiflora rose, blackberry
and honeysuckle. As Seese pulled onto the road shoulder and got out of his
patrol car, he heard the driver get out of the Neon and challenged him to
stop. The driver instead fled into the forest. The passenger meanwhile
shouted that he was trapped and said that he had no weapon. Other rangers
arrived and extricated the 17-year-old from the car. He identified the
driver as D.D., adding that D.D. didn't like police,
that he'd just been released from jail in New Jersey, and that the last
time an incident like this had happened it had taken New York State Police
officers several hours and helicopters and a dog to capture D.D..
The passenger said that D.D. had fled because he had no driver's
license and didn't want to go to jail again. Rangers cordoned off the area,
which abuts the Delaware River. Meanwhile, a ranger on the New Jersey side
of the Delaware saw a man come out of the forest and jump into the river,
then turn around and head back to shore. He was met there and arrested,
then taken to the Pike County jail. Investigation revealed that he had a
criminal history that included property crimes, misdemeanor drug
possession, and aggravated robbery. He was arraigned before a federal
magistrate, then released under unsecured bond for a variety of traffic
violations and for eluding and interfering with federal officers. [Ed
Whitaker, DR, Pennsylvania District, DEWA, 7/2]

[Additional reports pending...]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Situation

Preparedness Level 5

Initial attack was moderate yesterday in the Southwest, Northwest and
eastern Great Basin and light elsewhere. Seven of the 270 newly reported
fires became large fires; another six large fires were contained.

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, California,
Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

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.

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   Wed
Date              7/3   7/4   7/5   7/6   7/7   7/8   7/9   7/10

Crews             388   389   ***   329   276   264   207   197
Engines           715   768   ***   632   551   585   444   329
Helicopters       130   135   ***   145   137   141   119   110
Air Tankers       1     1     ***   1     3     4     4     1
Overhead          3,248 3,001 ***   2,877 2,890 2,711 2,141 1,934
Area Commands     2     2     ***   0     0     0     0     0
Type 1 IMT        8     9     ***   7     4     3     3     3
Type 2 IMT        15    15    ***   10    8     7     7     7
Fire Use IMT            1     1     ***   1     2     2     1     2

*** - Report not available

National Fire Warnings and Watches

NICC has issued a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for dry lightning in the northern
Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Mountains and a FIRE WEATHER WATCH for
dry lightning in the central and southern Sierra Nevada Mountains and the
mountains of southeastern California.

Park Fire Situation


Yellowstone NP (WY) - The park is now dealing with two fires. The Broad
Fire (4,100 acres) continues to burn actively and display extreme fire
behavior. A large column of smoke was visible yesterday evening, which is
not unusual since it is burning in very heavy fuels. The fire is in a very
rugged and inaccessible area, well away from developments. Crews were not
dispatched to the fire on Tuesday due to the hazardous fire behavior.
Cook's fire use management team has been assigned. The Divide Lake Fire (10
acres) flared up on Tuesday afternoon. Two 20-person crews, helitack,
smokejumpers and an engine were assigned. Crews constructed a line all
around the fire, which is located on Highway 191 at milepost 21. The
highway remains open. Crews worked to strengthen lines and knock down
hotspots yesterday. Some trails and backcountry campsites near the Broad
Fire have been closed due to unpredictable fire behavior and concerns for
public safety. The following have been closed: Specimen Ridge Trail, agate
Creek Trail, Yellowstone River Picnic Area Trail, Crystal Creek Trail, and
the Wapiti Lake Trail east of the junction with Ribbon Lake Trail. Travel
north of campsite 51B and Fern Lake and north of Fern Lake Patrol Cabin has
been prohibited.

Shenandoah NP (VA) - The Rocky Top Fire (775 acres) was declared out on
Friday, June 28th, but was found to be burning outside of previous
containment lines on Wednesday, July 3rd. Extremely dry conditions and
winds along the steep, rocky slopes caused the resurgence of the fire. The
fire had been 80% contained by Wednesday morning. Two hundred firefighters
have been committed to the fire; they are being supported by three engines
and a helicopter.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/11; Public Affairs,
Yellowstone NP, 7/10; Karen Beck-Herzog, SHEN, 7/10]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Jean Lafitte NHP&P (LA) - The park is currently recruiting for a
GS-025-5/7/9 permanent protection ranger. The position is currently being
advertised through www.USAJOBS.opm.gov and will close on July 22nd. It is
vacancy announcement DS-2-10-148470-SF, vacancy identification number
DS148470. The position is in Barataria Preserve near Crown Point. The
person selected will perform various duties in the Resource and Visitor
Protection Branch. Trails, boat and vehicle patrols are conducted over
approximately 10 miles of boardwalk and hard-surface trails, 20 miles of
waterways, and 6 miles of road in the 20,000 acre preserve. Boats include
Whalers, Airboats, canoes, and a patrol car equipped with radar, video
camera, and computer. Protection rangers conduct the hunting and trapping
programs and participate in resource management projects. Other patrolled
sites are the French Quarter visitor center/headquarters office and the
Chalmette Battlefield/Cemetery; in the future, the park may also be asked
to protect the newly developing Jazz National Historical Park in New
Orleans. There is no park housing, but abundant housing is available in the
surrounding area. New Orleans is a major metropolitan area with all the
usual amenities, including exceptional health care and several
universities. It is rich in history and offers extraordinary music and food
establishments. Recreation is plentiful, with NFL and NBA teams and various
other sporting/musical events, plus outstanding boating, fishing, and
hunting opportunities.  For more information, call Leigh Zahm at
504-589-2330, ext. 17. [Jim Carson, JELA]

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

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