NPS Visitor and Resource Protection
The Morning Report

Friday, September 06, 2002


INCIDENTS


02-438
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (AZ)
EMS; Baby Delivered

On Sunday, September 1st, a 21-year-old woman returning home to Phoenix from Puerto Penasco in Mexico began experiencing labor pains as she was entering the park at Lukeville. Rangers Julie Horne and Lance Mattson, who were on a homeland security detail to the park, responded and provided assistance. Before an ambulance could arrive, the woman's water broke; within a few minutes, a healthy new baby girl was born. This was the first birth to occur at the Lukeville port of entry. Both mother and daughter are reportedly doing fine. [Bo Stone, PR, ORPI]



02-439
Yellowstone National Park (ID,MT,WY)
Visitor Injured by Bear

T.C., 43, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was hiking off-trail with a companion in a drainage near Columbine Creek on the morning of September 2nd when the two hikers topped a ridge and surprised a female grizzly and three cubs of the year. The hikers immediately turned and were starting back down the ridge when the bear charged. They dropped to the ground and remained still. The bear bit T.C.'s lower left leg, picking him up and shaking him for a few seconds before releasing him. T.C. sustained two large puncture lacerations and a fractured fibula. The grizzly then approached the second hiker, who was able to spray the bear's face with pepper spray, causing it to immediately turn away and leave the area with its cubs. T.C. and his companion hiked three miles back down the trail to their backcountry campsite on Columbine Creek, where they remained for the night. They flagged down an NPS boat the next day and were taken to Bridge Bay Marina, then to a local hospital. Strong bear warnings have been posted along the Thorofare Trail near Columbine Creek. No off-trail travel is allowed in the area, and some nearby backcountry campsites have been closed. [Public Affairs, YELL]



02-440
Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
Falling Fatality

On the afternoon of August 12th, park dispatch received a satellite phone call from a commercial river trip on the Colorado reporting that a member of the group had been seriously injured in a fall in the area of Beaver Falls and Havasupai Creek. The 43-year-old woman had fallen about 25 feet after losing her footing and handhold while attempting to cross a ledge, sustaining head and back injuries. Trip guides provided initial medical treatment. Rangers and paramedics flew in by helicopter. Resuscitation efforts were discontinued with the concurrence of medical control. Ranger Marty McCaslin was IC for the incident. [Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center, GRCA] [Additional reports pending . . . ]




FIRE MANAGEMENT


National Fire Situation

Preparedness Level 4

Initial attack was light everywhere yesterday. Three of the 127 newly-reported fires escaped initial attack; three other large fires were contained. Some highlights from yesterday's report:

         The Biscuit Fire on the Siskiyou and Six Rivers NF's is at last fully contained. Several incident management teams assigned to the fire have been or are being demobilized. The final acreage was just a bit under 500,000.

         The Curve Fire on the Angeles NF is 25% contained. Favorable weather conditions helped moderate fire behavior.

         Fire behavior has finally moderated on the Leona Fire on the Angeles National Forest. Evacuation orders have been lifted. The fire is 94% contained.

         The 3,400-acre Commissary Ridge Fire is now 80% contained.

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in the following states:

         Continued from last report - Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

         Added since last report - None.

         Removed since last report - Washington.

National Resource Commitments

Day Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu

Date 8/29 8/30 8/31 9/1 9/2 9/3 9/4 9/5

================================================================

Crews 335 367 361 444 305 307 333 281

Engines 548 538 574 706 464 589 605 579

Helicopters 128 148 120 134 107 103 105 102

Air Tankers 2 1 0 3 3 2 1 3

Overhead 3,536 3,526 2,967 3,295 2,551 2,611 2,463 2,468

National Team Commitments

New deployments indicated by asterisks.

Area Command Teams

Williams-Rhodes            Biscuit Fire, Siskiyou/Six Rivers NR's, OR

Type 1 Teams

Studebaker                 Curve Fire, Angeles NF, CA

Bennett                       Mt. Zirkel Complex, Routt NF, CO

Lohrey                         Apple Fire, Umpqua NF, OR

Type 2 Teams

Sandman                    Commissary Ridge Fire, BLM Rock Springs District, WY

Hartman *                   Thompson Creek Fire, White River NF, CO (team on order)

Gardner                       Office Bridge Fire, Willamette NF, OR

Swope                          Kraft Spring Fire, Custer NF, MT

Gray *                          Cow Creek Fire, Montana State

Fire Use Management Teams

Cook                            Big Fish Fire, White River NF, CO/Lost Lakes Fire, Routt NF, CO

National Fire Warnings and Watches

NICC has posted a RED FLAG WARNING for dry lightning and breezy, hot, dry and unstable conditions for the Black Hills and northeast Wyoming for today.

Park Fire Situation

 

Yellowstone NP (WY) - The lightning-caused Fountain Fire was reported on Wednesday about a mile northeast of the Nez Perce patrol cabin and Nez Perce creek. Initial attack was made with four firefighters who contained it to one acre. Little activity has been reported on other fires in the park.

Glacier NP (MT) - The lightning-caused Reach Out Fire is burning on the upper slopes of Three Tops Mountain and is being managed for resource benefits.

Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP's (CA) - No new information has been received regarding the 1,300-acre Palisade Fire, being managed for resource benefits.

Yosemite NP (CA) - There's been no significant changes to previous reports regarding the several wildland fire use fires burning in the park.




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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.

Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.