02-503
Big Thicket National Preserve (TX)
Park Prepares for Hurricane Lili
Big Thicket National Preserve has activated its
Hurricane Plan due to the projected path of Hurricane Lili. Staff are
moving files, documents and other items considered important from the
headquarters office in Beaumont, Texas, to our maintenance facility 35
miles north of the city. Items remaining in the headquarters
building will be secured. All personnel will be released as of
12:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 2, 2002, until further notice. The
Southeast Texas Golden Triangle region, three cities and surrounding
communities, may evacuate based on best available information
and action of emergency management officials.
[Submitted by Bob Valen, BITH]
02-504
Richmond National Battlefield Park (VA)
Major Vandalism; Multiple Arrests
On September 19, ranger Leslie Winston was on foot patrol in the
Parker's Battery unit of the park when he discovered spray painting in
five colors on all unit interpretive signs, a walking bridge, and a
Civil War monument. An investigation was conducted that led to the
identification of several students at Thomas Dale High School, located
three miles away, as suspects. The vandalism was so extensive and
offensive in nature that the park had to keep the unit closed to the
public until maintenance staff could clean it up. A local business, area
signs and a CSX train bridge were also vandalized. On September 24,
Winston and supervisory park ranger Tim Mauch served felony arrest
warrants on three students at the high school. A fourth person, who is a
dropout from the same school, was also arrested. Two of the four are
juveniles. All four are scheduled to appear in federal district court
within two to four weeks. The damage was placed at about $5,000. This
was the worst documented case of vandalism in the park's
history.
[Submitted by Tim Mauch, Supervisory Park Ranger]
02-505
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (AZ)
Drug Seizure and Arrests
Rangers detailed to the park for homeland security tracked a group of
narcotics backpackers 11 miles across the eastern boundary of the park
and into the Tohono O'Odham reservation on September 21. Four men were
taken into custody and 315 pounds of marijuana were seized. The drugs
were being carried in homemade backpacks made from sugar sacks and
spray-painted black. All were armed with pocket knives and they had
binoculars and a cell phone in their possession. A Customs Blackhawk
helicopter and an Arizona Army National Guard helicopter provided air
support during the operation. Customs and tribal police
assisted.
[Submitted by Bo Stone, Park Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Fire Situation
Preparedness Level 2
Only 29 new fires were reported yesterday, three of which became large fires. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in California, Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon and South Dakota.
National Resource Commitments
| Day |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
| Date |
9/24 |
9/25 |
9/26 |
9/27 |
9/28 |
9/29 |
9/30 |
10/1 |
| Crews |
189 |
193 |
205 |
229 |
204 |
162 |
130 |
52 |
| Engines |
481 |
551 |
630 |
562 |
458 |
341 |
270 |
156 |
| Helicopters |
61 |
67 |
64 |
57 |
52 |
47 |
37 |
23 |
| Air Tankers |
4 |
3 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
| Overhead |
1,128 |
964 |
1,172 |
1,270 |
1,318 |
1,222 |
1,189 |
1,097 |
National Team Commitments
| State |
Type Team |
Team IC |
Fire/Location |
Acres 9/30 |
Acres 10/1 |
Percent Contain |
Est. Contain |
| CA |
T1 |
Raley |
Williams Fire, Angeles NF |
36,530 |
38,094 |
100 |
CND |
National Fire Highlights
No significant fires.
[Submitted by NICC Incident Management Situation Report]
Park Fire Situation
No reports.
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.