Rocky Mountain National Park (CO)
Death of Park Researcher
On Saturday, July 26th, the body of K.Z. was found south of
Baker Mountain on the west side of the park. K.Z., a 33-year-old
field technician for Colorado State University, was working on a bighorn
sheep research project. Park dispatch was notified late Friday evening
that K.Z. had not returned from his backcountry assignment. Rangers
and CSU researchers began searching for him, retracing his intended
route. K.Z.' body was found at the bottom of a cliff face on Baker
Mountain above the Grand Ditch Road. The exact cause of death is
unknown, but traumatic injuries are consistent with a fall. Grand County
Search and Rescue volunteers assisted park staff with recovery efforts,
including a 900-foot technical scree evacuation. At the time of his
death, K.Z. was surveying bighorn sheep in the Never Summer Range
near the park boundary. The data collected from these surveys is helping
to determine how many sheep are in the park, how successfully they are
lambing and their general distributions. Superintendent Vaughn Baker
expressed the condolences of the park staff on the death of Kurt
K.Z.: "K.Z. participated in a number of research projects in the
park. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and co-workers at
Colorado State University. He had a passion for wildlife biology and the
park staff know more about the park's wildlife as a result of the
research projects K.Z. was involved in."
[Submitted by Doug Ridley,
Acting Chief Ranger]
Manassas National Battlefield Park (VA)
Car Burglary Arrest and Convictions
Beginning in July, 2002, the park experienced a series of vehicle
burglaries that continued over the following five months. In each of the
seven recorded cases, cars were entered and cash and credit cards were
stolen. The credit cards were subsequently used at nearby stores to
fraudulently purchase expensive jewelry, electronics, and clothing. An
investigation was begun and surveillance was set up in early August by
Manassas ranger Sarah Davis-Reynolds and regional senior LEO Will
Reynolds. On December 6, 2002, Davis-Reynolds saw suspect J.D.M.
parked in the Matthews Hill parking lot and arrested him on a
outstanding Prince William County theft warrant that had been obtained
using information gained during the NPS investigation. Credit card
receipts and evidence seized at the time of the arrest and during a
subsequent search of J.D.M.'s residence led to his indictment by a state
grand jury on 14 felony and two misdemeanor charges. In three subsequent
trials, J.D.M. was found guilty in five of the seven cases. He was
recently sentenced to six years in jail. The credit card fraud
convictions also constituted a violation of J.D.M.'s probation from a
1998 felony hit and run conviction. J.D.M. will be required to serve the
remainder of a year-long sentence on that charge, to be served
consecutively to the credit card fraud sentence. Information obtained
during the NPS investigation resulted in the clearance of numerous other
vehicle burglary cases in neighboring jurisdictions.
[Submitted by
Will Reynolds, Senior LEO, NCR]
Everglades National Park (FL)
Illegal Dumping Conviction
On May 26th, rangers Mike Foster and Michelle Gilbert discovered a
dump containing more than 100 cubic yards of construction debris along
the park boundary in East Everglades Subdistrict. Evidence contained
within the dump lead rangers to a nearby construction site. They also
learned that the Miami-Dade Environmental Crimes Unit was investigating
similar dumps within the county. The ensuing investigation lead to
A.R., 29, who confessed to dumping inside the park and at
several other locations in the county. On July 25th, he pled guilty to
depredation of federal property (18 USC 1361). A.R. was a commercial
trash hauler who had been subcontracted to haul and dispose of the
debris. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and $250,000 for the dump
within the park. He will be sentenced in October. State charges are
pending regarding the other dumps.
[Submitted by Allen Etheridge,
District Ranger, Northeast District]
Yellowstone National Park (ID,MT,WY)
Girl Drowns at Park Swimming Area
A 15-year-old girl drowned at a popular swimming area
on Firehole Canyon Drive on the afternoon of August 6th — only
the second drowning known to have ever occurred at this location.
L.C.S. of Boise, Idaho, was visiting the park with
her mother, two brothers, and some friends. She and one of the brothers
were swimming in a channel that runs through a gorge that empties into a
swimming hole on the river. According to her brother, she pinched her
nose and ducked under the water, but failed to resurface. The family
looked for her for approximately ten minutes, then summoned help from
other visitors swimming in the area. After searching another ten
minutes, a park visitor saw her legs sticking out from an overhanging
ledge under the water. Visitors immediately removed her from the water
and started CPR; other visitors reported the incident by calling 911 on
their cell phones. Park staff continued CPR and administered advanced
life support, continuing their efforts until she was pronounced dead at
the scene. She was not wearing a life jacket.
[Submitted by Public
Affairs]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Interagency Fire Center
NIFC Situation Report - Tuesday, August 12, 2003
Preparedness Level 5
Initial attack was heavy yesterday in the eastern Great Basin, moderate in the Rockies and southern California, and light elsewhere. Nationally, there were 366 new fires; of these, 23 became large fires. Crew commitments jumped from 233 yesterday to 309 today. Also committed were four Type 1 and eight Type 2 teams.
Fire Danger
|
Day |
8/6 |
8/7 |
8/8 |
8/10 |
8/11 |
8/12 |
|
Alaska |
-- |
-- |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
Arizona |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
California |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
Colorado |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
Connecticut |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VX |
-- |
-- |
|
Hawaii |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
Idaho |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
Montana |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
Nevada |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
New Mexico |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
Oklahoma |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
Oregon |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
South Dakota |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
Texas |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
Utah |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
Washington |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
|
Wyoming |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VH — Very high
EX — Extreme
VX — Very high to extreme
Fire Weather Watches and Warnings
FIRE WEATHER WATCHES have been issued today for low humidity and isolated dry lightning in southwest, south-central and southeast Montana, and for gusty southerly winds and low humidity in western and south-central North Dakota.
National Resource Commitments
|
Day |
8/5 |
8/6 |
8/7 |
8/8 |
8/10 |
8/11 |
8/12 |
|
Crews |
271 |
270 |
265 |
274 |
245 |
233 |
309 |
|
Engines |
356 |
411 |
438 |
452 |
422 |
488 |
769 |
|
Helicopters |
111 |
110 |
115 |
200 |
106 |
136 |
161 |
|
Air Tankers |
0 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
|
Overhead |
3,201 |
3,335 |
3,079 |
2,324 |
2,118 |
2,177 |
2,608 |
National Team Commitments
New team commitments or changes in teams are indicated in bold face.
|
State |
Type Team |
Team IC |
Fire/Location |
Acres |
Percent Contain |
Est Full Contain |
|
MT |
ACT |
Mann |
Flathead NF/Glacier NP Fires |
--- |
--- |
--- |
|
MT |
ACT |
Greenhoe |
Lolo NF/Bitterroot NF Fires |
--- |
--- |
--- |
|
MT |
T1 |
Ferguson |
Robert Fire Flathead NF/Glacier NP |
36,640 |
58 |
9/15 |
|
MT |
T1 |
Ferguson Hart |
Trapper Creek Complex Glacier NP |
21,522 |
65 |
9/5 |
|
MT |
T1 |
Hart |
Wedge Canyon Fire Flathead NF |
27,524 |
70 |
UNK |
|
ID |
T1 |
Mortier |
Slims Fire Nez Perce NF |
11,500 |
60 |
8/20 |
|
WA |
T1 |
Lohrey |
Fawn Peak Complex Okanogan-Wenatchee NF |
81,343 |
85 |
8/12 |
|
MT |
T1 |
Vail |
Crazy Horse Fire Flathead NF |
1,500 |
0 |
UNK |
|
ID |
T1 |
Oltrogge |
Rough Draw Fire Gallatin NF |
250 |
0 |
UNK |
|
ID |
T1 |
Martin |
Canyon Creek Fire Boise NF |
3,500 |
0 |
UNK |
|
ID |
T1 |
Frye |
Beaver Lake Fire Clearwater NF |
2,500 |
0 |
UNK |
|
MT |
T2 |
Dietrich |
Black Mountain 2 State Lands |
409 |
0 |
UNK |
|
MT |
T2 |
Hoff |
Boles/Rattlesnake Complex State Lands |
4,000 |
0 |
UNK |
|
MT |
T2 |
Sandman |
Cooney Ridge Complex State Lands |
3,000 |
0 |
9/15 |
|
ID |
T2 |
Van Bruggen |
Marble Fire Payette NF |
500 |
NR |
9/10 |
|
ID |
T2 |
Van Brugeen |
North Fork Lick Fire Payette NF |
800 |
20 |
8/25 |
|
ID |
T2 |
Saleen |
South Fork Fire Boise NF |
2,000 |
5 |
UNK |
|
ID |
T2 |
Muir |
Falconberry Fire Salmon-Challis NF |
2,000 |
0 |
UNK |
|
WY |
T2 |
Mullinex |
Little Horn Fire Bighorn NF |
150 |
0 |
UNK |
|
WA |
T2 |
Johnson |
North Zone Complex Baker-Snoqualmie NF |
135 |
25 |
UNK |
|
WY |
T2 |
Blume |
Big Spring Fire Casper FO, BLM |
3,340 |
90 |
8/12 |
|
MT |
T2 |
Swope |
Cherry Creek Fire Lolo NF |
3,200 |
NR |
UNK |
|
MT |
T2 |
Benes |
Fish Creek Fire Lolo NF |
600 |
0 |
8/27 |
|
MT |
T2 |
Larsen |
Hobble Fire State Lands |
34,000 |
10 |
8/14 |
|
MT |
T2 |
Philbin |
Gold 1 Fire Bitterroot NF |
1,200 |
0 |
UNK |
|
ID |
T2 |
Broyles |
Hall Fire Payette NF |
1,000 |
15 |
UNK |
|
WA |
ST |
Holloway Reed |
Black Canyon Fire State Land |
1,100 |
10 |
UNK |
|
ID |
FUM |
Cones |
Clear/Nez Complex Clearwater NF |
600 |
N/A |
N/A |
PARK FIRE SITUATION
Glacier National Park
An area command team (Mann) is coordinating the Type 1 teams assigned to the Robert, Trapper Creek Complex, and Wedge Canyon Fires.
Wedge Canyon Fire (27,524 acres; 70% contained) — The fire was characterized by active backing with interior torching and short crown runs yesterday. Structure protection remains in place for 40 residences. Resource commitments as of yesterday (Friday's figure in parentheses):
- Firefighters/overhead — 1,089 (1,210)
- Crews — 27 (30)
- Engines — 34 (55)
- Helicopters — 5 (10)
Robert Fire (36,640 acres; 58% containment) — Running, spotting and short duration crown runs were observed on the north flank yesterday. The rest of the fire experienced creeping with isolated flare ups. The major road through Glacier National Park (Going to the Sun Highway from West Glacier Gate to Logan Pass) is closed until further notice. Structure protection is in place for six commercial properties. Resource commitments as of yesterday (Friday's figure in parentheses):
- Firefighters/overhead — 848 (1,033)
- Crews — 21 (30)
- Engines — 33 (31)
- Helicopters — 6 (6)
Trapper Creek Complex (21,522 acres; 65% containment) — Firefighters yesterday reported that the fire was spreading slowly on the surface, with some torching. Resource commitments as of yesterday (Friday's figure in parentheses):
- Firefighters/overhead — 42 (307)
- Crews — 2 (8)
- Engines — 3 (6)
- Helicopters — 0 (5)
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Manassas National Battlefield Park (VA)
Goodrich Wins Medal in International Mountain Bike Competition
Gil Goodrich, acting chief ranger at Manassas National Battlefield Park, won a silver medal in the mountain bike competition last week at the World Police and Fire Games held in Barcelona, Spain. Over 11,000 athletes representing 80 countries participated in the games this year. The games are held every other year, with Quebec City being the next host city in 2005.
For details, click on "More Information" below. When you get to the page, click on WPFG.
[Submitted by Office of Visitor and Resource Protection] More Information...
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.