INCIDENTS

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Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (WA)
Aircraft Crashes Short of Park Airport

On Thursday, August 7th, a pilot who had taken off from the airport in the park miraculously escaped serious injury when his two-seat single-engine Lancair 360 experimental aircraft crashed onto the westbound lanes of Washington State Route 14, rear-ending a garbage truck and slamming into the highway median before bursting into flames. According to reports, W.C., the 78-year old pilot, reported engine problems and smoke in the cockpit and issued a mayday call shortly after departure from Pearson Airfield. In an attempt to return to the airfield, W.C. crashed just short of the runway on State Route 14, approximately 500 yards from the park boundary. The highway bisects the park's waterfront and lower fort districts. No one was reported injured in the crash, although the aircraft was reported a total loss. The Vancouver Fire Department responded and extinguished the blaze with 25 gallons of foam mixed with 250 gallons of water. The FAA, NTSB and state police are investigating. About 72 of the airport's 200 plus acres are on park land. Facilities in the park include a runway, a parallel taxiway, several historic aviation museum buildings, and a Russian aviation monument.
[Submitted by Greg Shine, Chief Ranger]

Mammoth Cave National Park (KY)
Conviction in Ginseng Poaching Case

On August 4th, L.F., 39, of Beaver Dam, Kentucky, and D.F., 40, of Centerville, Kentucky, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to charges of theft of government property and destruction of natural resources. L.F. and D.F. were apprehended on September 20, 2002, after rangers received an anonymous tip that the two men were digging ginseng in the park. A surveillance operation involving all the park's law enforcement rangers was begun. L.F. was caught with over 600 ginseng roots in his possession. One root was determined to be 40 years old by park botanist Michele Webber. The plants were later returned to the park. D.F. served as the driver dropping L.F. off in the park and then later picking him up. L.F. was sentenced to two years supervised probation; D.F. was sentenced to a year of supervised probation. Each was fined a total of $1,625, with $1,000 of the fine being made in restitution to the park. This case marks the first felony plant poaching conviction in the park's history. Ranger Larry Johnson was the investigating ranger and served as the case agent.
[Submitted by Brad McDougal, LES]

Yosemite National Park (CA)
Drowning at Emerald Pool

Rangers from Yosemite Valley and the Little Yosemite Valley backcountry station responded to the Emerald Pool above Vernal Fall on the evening of August 4th to checkout a cell phone report of an unconscious man who had been pulled from the water and was currently receiving CPR. After over an hour of CPR and advanced life support measures by NPS medics, 20-year old M.L.P., of Milpitas, California, was pronounced dead by medical control at the Yosemite Medical Clinic over the radio. According to witnesses, M.L.P. was attempting to swim across the Emerald Pool when he began to struggle near the middle of the pool. He went underwater and about two minutes elapsed before friends brought him to the surface and got him on shore. His friends did not know CPR and it was another three or four minutes before a park visitor began resuscitation efforts.
[Submitted by Todd W. Bruno, Park Ranger/ Case Investigator]

Cape Cod National Seashore (MA)
Major Marijuana Eradication Operation

A large marijuana cultivation operation containing 238 plants was located and eradicated within the park on August 7th. The plants were found in deep woods and vegetation in an effort to keep them from being discovered. This is the largest concentration of marijuana plants ever found growing in the park. The plants, valued at $350,000, were removed and destroyed. The case continues to be under investigation.
[Submitted by Bill Hooper, Special Agent]

Yosemite National Park (CA)
Major Search Conducted for Missing Hiker

On August 5th, rangers received a report of a missing hiker who had failed to return from a trip into the Yosemite backcountry. F.C., 46, of Livermore, California, had planned a four-day solo hike starting at Twin Lakes, a popular trailhead north of the park near Bridgeport. F.C.'s planned itinerary was to circle the Sawtooth Ridge and 12,279-foot Matterhorn Peak. This ridge is the park boundary on the crest of the Sierra and includes glaciers and some of the most rugged terrain in the park. A joint command was established with Mono County to search inside and outside the park. Extensive air searching by helicopters from Yosemite, the California Highway Patrol, Inyo National Forest, Stanislaus National Forest and the California Air National Guard, coupled with ground searches by park and county SAR personnel and search dogs, were conducted throughout the area, but found no clues as to F.C.'s whereabouts. Rangers conducted a thorough investigation, which included 100 interviews, and searches of his vehicle, office, and home. A total of 142 persons were involved in the joint search effort. On August 10th, the ground search was scaled back. Limited continuous search operations will remain in effect as NPS and Mono County investigators pursue leads.
[Submitted by Greg Lawler, Canyon Ranch SDR/IC]

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (CA)
Rescue of Injured Hiker from Tehipite Valley

An injured hiker was reported to the park by the Fresno County Sheriff's Department on August 8th. The hiker, a 46-year-old woman who'd been solo hiking in the park, was reported to be in Tehipite Valley, a remote and seldom-visited area of the park. She had sustained multiple lower leg fractures, a possible hip fracture and other injuries in a 50 foot fall while descending a steep, unmaintained trail into Tehipite Valley. The fall had occurred on Monday, August 4th, and the hiker had only been able to move a few feet to get to a nearby creek with running water during the four-day period. She was stranded at that location until a group of hikers came by and discovered her. The hikers left some of their group with the woman while others hiked out several miles to report the injury. They reached Crown Valley and contacted a resident there. Because Crown Valley is remote and not accessible by road, the resident rode a horse to a nearby peak from which he called a friend in Reedley, California, via cell phone. The friend then called 911 to report the injury. Notification to the park was further delayed because the location of the incident was not initially clear. Park medic Debbie Brenchley and EMT Fred Mason were flown into Tehipite Valley, then hiked about 800 feet vertically up the mountainside to reach the woman. There were no landing areas near the patient, so a California Highway Patrol helicopter with hoisting capabilities was asked to assist with the rescue. The woman was hoisted into the CHP ship and evacuated only minutes before nightfall. She was then flown to University Medical Center in Fresno.
[Submitted by Bob Wilson, Acting Chief Ranger]

Shenandoah National Park (VA)
Technical Rescue

P.D. was scrambling on rocks in the Betty's Rock area in Central District on the evening of August 11th when he fell about 40 feet to a cliff ledge and sustained several injuries. Family members called for help via cell phone and rangers and members of the park's technical rescue team responded. Ranger/parkmedic Bill Archard employed advanced life support to stabilize P.D., after which he was raised via litter and taken by ambulance to Page Memorial Hospital. The rescue took about four hours. Ranger Matt Richardson was the IC.
[Submitted by Clay Jordan, Acting Chief Ranger]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

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Fire and Aviation Management
National and NPS Fire Summary - Monday, August 18, 2003

Preparedness Level 5

Initial attack was light nationwide yesterday. Only 111 new fires were reported. Three of them were large fires; another seven large fires were contained.

Fire Danger

Day	8/8	8/10	8/11	8/12	8/13	8/18
Alaska	VX	VX	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
Hawaii	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX
Idaho	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX
Minnesota	--	--	--	--	--	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

No watches or warnings have been posted for today.

National Resource Commitments

Day	8/7	8/8	8/10	8/11	8/12	8/13	8/18
Crews	265	274	245	233	309	368	507
Engines	438	452	422	488	769	763	954
Helicopters	115	200	106	136	161	144	171
Air Tankers	0	9	0	2	6	1	0
Overhead	3,079	2,324	2,118	2,177	2,608	3,227	4,738

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	42,967	45	9/20
MT	T1	Ferguson Hart	Trapper Creek Complex Glacier NP	24,053	65	9/5
MT	T1	Hart	Wedge Canyon Fire Flathead NF	40,586	60	9/15
ID	T1	Mortier	Slims Complex Nez Perce NF	12,250	65	8/25
MT	T1	Vail	Crazy Horse Fire Flathead NF	9,807	15	UNK
ID	T1	Oltrogge	Rough Draw Complex Gallatin NF	1,968	5	UNK
ID	T1	Martin	Canyon Creek Fire Boise NF	5,475	55	8/28
ID	T1	Frye	Beaver Lake Complex Clearwater NF	9,700	15	UNK
MT	T1	Bennett	Mineral/Primm Fire State Lands	11,500	5	UNK
MT	T1	Humphrey	Cathedral Peak Fire Custer NF	1,065	5	UNK
MT	T1	Studebaker	Lincoln Complex Helena NF	5,223	0	UNK
MT	T1	Stam	Craig II Fire	5,250	0	UNK
MT	T2	Berndt	Strawberry Complex Lolo NF	1,300	65	UNK
MT	T2	Walker	E. Montana Complex Miles City FO, BLM	18,508	50	UNK
MT	T2	Sczepanik	Windmill Complex Crow Agency	16,000	30	8/25
MT	T2	Hendricks	Burnt Ridge Complex Lewis and Clark NF	575	6	UNK
MT	T2	Blume	Winslow Fire State Lands	8,150	10	UNK
ID	T2	Muir	Withington Fire Salmon-Challis NF	10,500	5	UNK
MT	T2	Chrisman	Dirty Ike Fire State Lands	850	90	8/30
MT	T2	Kechter	North Howard Complex Lolo NF	2,843	60	8/22
MT	T2	Dietrich	Black Mountain 2 State Lands	7,316	0	8/25
MT	T2	Hoff	Boles Meadow Fire State Lands	3,750	50	8/22
MT	T2	Sandman	Cooney Ridge Complex State Lands	15,260	10	9/15
ID	T2	Van Bruggen	North Fork Lick Fire Payette NF	6,253	NR	UNK
ID	T2	Saleen	South Fork Fire Boise NF	5,385	60	8/23
WY	T2	Mullinex	N. Bighorn Complex Bighorn NF	5,250	10	UNK
MT	T2	Swope	Cherry Creek Fire Lolo NF	4,000	60	UNK
MT	T2	Benes	Fish Creek Fire Lolo NF	10,250	0	UNK
MT	T2	Larsen	Hobble Fire State Lands	38,400	80	8/24
MT	T2	Philbin	Gold 1 Fire Bitterroot NF	6,168	10	UNK
OR	ST	Thorpe	Clover Creek Fire State Land	327	80	UNK
OR	ST	Thorpe	Hagelstein Fire State Land	422	60	UNK
WA	ST	Jennings/Perry	Togo Mountain Fire Colville NF	3,600	5	UNK
WA	ST	Holloway Reed	Black Canyon Fire State Land	2,280	80	8/20
ID	FUM	Cones	Cayuse Lake Complex Clearwater NF	5,607	0	UNK
ID	FUM	Cones	Clear/Nez Complex Clearwater NF	7,111	NR	UNK

PARK FIRE SITUATION

Glacier NP

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 (40,586 acres; 60% contained) — The fire was only minimally active yesterday. Heavy fuels in the interior of the fire were reported to be burning out. Structure protection remains in place for 80 residences. Resource commitments as of yesterday (last Wednesday's figure in parentheses):

• Firefighters/overhead — 590 (1,117)
• Crews — 14 (26)
• Engines — 29 (39)
• Helicopters — 4 (7)

Robert Fire (21,967 acres; 45% containment) — Fire activity diminished on Sunday due to rising relative humidity. Smoldering and creeping with occasional flare-ups were observed. The major road through Glacier National Park (Going to the Sun Highway from West Glacier Gate to Logan Pass) reopened. These areas also reopened: Apgar Visitor Center and village, Avalanche campground, Kelly Camp and Fish Creek Camps. Structure protection is in place for 140 residences and six commercial properties. Resource commitments as of yesterday (last Wednesday's figure in parentheses):

• Firefighters/overhead — 735 (756)
• Crews — 17 (16)
• Engines — 29 (37)
• Helicopters — 5 (16)

Trapper Creek Complex (24,053 acres; 65% containment) — The fires are in monitor status with no significant perimeter growth. The major road through Glacier National Park (Going to the Sun Highway from West Glacier Gate to Logan Pass) reopened today. Structure protection is in place for three commercial properties. Resource commitments as of yesterday (last Wednesday's figure in parentheses):

• Firefighters/overhead — 25 (60)
• Crews — 1 (3)
• Engines — 2 (2)
• Helicopters — 0 (0)

Yellowstone NP

East Fire (14,400 acres; 10%) — Gardner's Type 2 team is assigned. The fire is burning in timber ten miles east of Fishing Bridge. Fire growth was slowed yesterday by cooler temperatures and light precipitation. The East Entrance Road remains closed due to fire burning along the road and dangerous snags falling on the road. The Turbid Lake, Jones Pass, Ninemile and Avalanche Peak Trails are also closed due to the fire. Preliminary reports indicate that four personal vehicles parked at a trailhead were burned over when the fire made its big run on Friday. Structure protection is in place for five residences and 30 commercial properties. Resource commitments as of yesterday:

• Firefighters/overhead — 368
• Crews — 12
• Engines — 4
• Helicopters — 5

Grizzly Fire (300 acres) — The fire spread in several directions on Sunday. It is currently unstaffed due to unsafe conditions for firefighters caused by erratic winds and continuous, tinder-dry fuels.

Tyson Fire (100 acres) — The fire is being aggressively suppressed. The north flank has been secured with bucket drops and a hose lay. Another hose lay was to be added yesterday in an effort to secure the southern flank.

Union Fire (35 acres) — The fire is near Pitchstone Plateau and is spreading slowly to the north into a previously burned area. A confinement area is being established around the fire beyond which point it will be suppressed.

Other Park Fires

Fire operations elsewhere in the system include:

• Grand Canyon NP — The park has begun drying out and anticipates increased activity on their wildland fire use fires. There are nine burning at present, ranging in size from a tenth of an acre to seven acres.
• Grand Teton NP — Three new fires were reported over the weekend. One was suppressed at a tenth of an acre; the other two will be assessed for wildland fire use. Visitors are enjoying viewing bison using the area burned during the Blacktail Fire.
• North Cascades NP — The park has seven WFU fires, all of modest size and none showing much activity.
• Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP — The Williams Fire has burned 200 acres. It has the potential to spread outside the park, so park fire managers are working with Sequoia NF to cooperatively manage it. Three trails are closed — the Marvin Pass to Comanche Meadow Trail, and the Comanche Meadow to Rowell Trail, and the Kanawyer Gap Trail to the park boundary. The Giant Fire has burned 5.5 acres; the Dennis Fire has burned 3 acres and is being suppressed.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

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Servicewide
Special Agent Positions Open

The NPS has announced several GS-1811-11/12 special agent positions on USA Jobs. They are in various locations. The positions are in the Office of Criminal Investigations, and are supervised by supervisory criminal investigators or regional special agents in charge. Agnents will serve as criminal investigators with interstate responsibility to investigate known or suspected violations of Federal laws and regulations relating to the management, use and development of park lands, their resources, and visitor and employee safety. The major focus of these positions is the provision of support to parks, interagency program management and coordination of investigations, illegal civil and criminal operations, investigations and information/intelligence gathering. The positions are designated as primary law enforcement positions for the purpose of 6(c).
[Submitted by Clark Guy, Special Agent in Charge, NER]

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.