NPS Visitor and Resource Protection
The Morning Report
Thursday, August 09, 2007


INCIDENTS

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (CA)
Shots Fired During Major Marijuana Eradication Operation

On Tuesday, August 7th, park rangers raided a large marijuana operation within the boundaries of Sequoia National Park. They removed 5,432 marijuana plants with an estimated value of $14 million dollars, and will continue to remove plants and collect evidence for the investigation. During the operation, gunshots were heard from the site. NPS personnel, working with officers from the Tulare County Sheriff's Office and the California Highway Patrol, closed the Mineral King Road to vehicular traffic for the safety of the public while investigating the source. Residents in the effected area were notified of the situation and were escorted from the area at their discretion. Until further notice, traffic needing access to Mineral King Valley and private residences will be escorted several times a day by park rangers. Arrangements must be made ahead of time through park dispatch by calling 1-559-565-3195. Also participating in this operation were rangers from Yosemite, members of the Pacific West Region special events tactical team, NPS special agents, and personnel from US Customs and Border Protection, the Tulare County Sheriff's Office, and the California Highway Patrol. The plantation contained several varieties of marijuana plants, including strains that had been genetically altered. These new hybrid plants have only three leaves and take less time to mature, allowing growers a chance to plant more than one crop in a season. In addition, the plants are shorter (less than three feet), which makes detection more difficult. It's estimated that several acres of designated wilderness have been impacted by this highly invasive and destructive marijuana growing operation. Anyone caught with connections to this or any other marijuana growing operation on federal lands faces federal charges. Operation Weed Free seeks to deny ground to illegal marijuana growers within the two parks. The investigation into such activities will continue. Information about illegal activities can be reported anonymously or in person by calling 1-888-NPS-CRIME (888-677-2746). [Submitted by Alexandra Picavet, Public Affairs Specialist]


Golden Gate National Recreation Area (CA)
Rescue Of Seriously Injured Hiker

Rangers and Park Police officers were notified of a serious injury to a hiker in the Marin Headlands around 9:30 p.m. on Friday, August 3rd. The caller reported that the person he'd been hiking with had fallen about 10 feet and struck  his head on the concrete of a military coastal defense battery. He also said that he didn't know their location. Rangers and officers began scouring the areas of the Headlands with coastal batteries in an effort to find them. While they did so, the dispatcher worked with the caller to try to nail down their location. The hikers were found at Battery Mendel about 20 minutes after the call came in. While Presidio paramedics and fire personnel responded, ranger Matthew Harrison, who was first on scene, began administering first aid to the 22-year-old hiker. Paramedics provided advanced care and took the man to Marin General Hospital, where he remains in critical condition. [Submitted by Kim Coast, Operations Supervisor]


Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Three Badly Injured In Single-Vehicle Accident

Park dispatch learned of a serious accident on Newfound Gap Road south of Sugarlands Visitor Center on the afternoon of August 7th. Rangers arrived on scene about 10 minutes later and found that a 1998 Ford Expedition had gone off the road and hit a tree and that two of the occupants were trapped inside. A family of four — K.H., 53, his wife S.H., 50, and their sons S., 18, and R. — 13 — had been heading northbound on the highway when the Expedition, driven by the father, drifted off the right side of the road and down a ten-foot bank, then hit the tree. Four ambulances and two rescue units from Gatlinburg arrived just minutes after the rangers. Rescue personnel cut the sides off the vehicle to free S.H. and R., who were trapped in the wreck. They were judged to be in sufficiently serious condition to warrant medevac flights to the University of Tennessee Medical Center. Two helicopters flew to the park, landed in the VC parking lot, picked them up, and flew them to the hospital. S. was taken by ambulance to Ft. Sanders Sevier Medical Center. Newfound Gap Road was closed for about three hours while the Expedition was removed and rangers conducted an investigation.
[Submitted by Bob Miller, Management Assistant]




FIRE MANAGEMENT

NIFC/NPS Fire and Aviation Management
National Fire/Incident Situation Highlights

National Fire Activity — Preparedness Level 5

Initial attack was light once again yesterday, with just 139 new fires reported. The 260-acre Tolo Fire is burning in North Cascades NP.

Further information on the national situation can be found at http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/nfn.htm

Fire Summary

Date

Wed

Thu

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Day

8/1

8/2

8/5

8/6

8/7

8/8

Initial Attack Fires

199

148

159

204

183

139

New Large Fires

6

2

8

2

4

1

Large Fires Contained

3

2

4

6

3

3

Uncontained Large Fires

33

33

33

41

39

36


National Resource Commitments

Date

Wed

Thu

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Day

8/1

8/2

8/5

8/6

8/7

8/8

Area Command Teams

2

2

3

4

4

3

NIMO Teams

1

1

2

1

1

1

Type 1 Teams

6

6

9

9

8

8

Type 2 Teams

12

15

17

17

16

16

FUM Teams

5

5

2

2

2

2


The full NIFC Incident Management Situation Report (a PDF file) can be obtained at http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf

Fire Weather Forecast

Thunderstorms over Idaho and Montana today. Thunderstorms, some dry, are expected today over portions of far eastern Oregon, central Idaho and Montana. Most areas in the West will be a little warmer and drier today.

NPS Fire News

North Cascades NP — The Tolo Fire has burned 271 acres and is 40% contained. Full containment is expected next Wednesday. Sixty-five firefighters and overhead are currently assigned to the fire. For more info, go to http://www.inciweb.org/incident/884/

*****

For brief supplemental narratives on fires listed below, click on the bar with the arrow. Internal NPS readers can link directly to full reports on each fire by clicking on the notepad icon; public readers of the Morning Report can obtain similar information by going to http://www.nps.gov/fire/public/pub_firenews.cfm

Park State Fire Type Acres Percent
Contain		 Est. Full
Contain
Denali National Park & Preserve AK Cod Lake-ref#515, DR0Z Wildland Fire Use .7 N/A N/A
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks CA Willow Fire Wildland Fire Use 165 acres N/A N/A
Shenandoah National Park VA Chimney Rock Wildland Fire 5 100 August 6
North Cascades National Park WA Tolo Fire Wildland Fire 8/6-271 acres, 8/1-225 acres, 7/29-190 acres,7/19-154 acres 35 9-15-07
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For more information, go to the NPS Fire and Aviation Management at http://www.nps.gov/fire/index.cfm





OPERATIONAL NOTES

67
Infectious Fish Disease Found In Great Lakes Region

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is a serious emerging infectious disease of fresh and saltwater fish.  A newly identified strain of VHS virus (genotype IVb) has been detected, as of mid-2007, in fish in Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, inland lakes in New York, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and coastal areas of eastern Canada.  

Due to its high mortality and severe economic, and potentially ecologic, consequences, further spread of VHS virus is a concern to fisheries and natural resource managers.  Introduction of the disease to the Great Lakes area may have occurred via transport in ballast water or infected migratory fishes.

The following provides some facts on the disease:

Fish species affected - This new strain of VHS virus has a broad host range and has been isolated from over 25 species of finfish.  Mortality has been reported in species including muskellunge, smallmouth bass, northern pike, freshwater drum, gizzard shad, yellow perch, black crappie, bluegill, rock bass, white bass, redhorse sucker, bluntnose sucker,  walleye, and emerald shiners. The list of susceptible fish is expected to increase.

Occurrence in other animals - VHS virus does not affect humans or other types of animals.  Fish are safe to eat and handle; however, regardless of cause, sick fish should not be consumed by humans.  Decomposing dead fish may provide an environment conducive to other diseases in an ecosystem (e.g., botulism that may kill birds).

Transmission - Although the specific route of transmission is currently unknown, the disease spreads easily between fish of all ages.  It is suspected that VHS virus can spread through the water, infected fish, or their body fluids.  Mortality is highest at low water temperatures between 37 and 54 degrees Fahrenheit.  Because fish may survive infection but still carry and transmit the virus, there is risk of transport of VHS through bait fish and fish stocking if stocks are infected.

Clinical signs - Clinical presentation of infected fish ranges from no observable signs to acute mortality.  Clinical signs may include hyperactivity, erratic swimming, lethargy, bulging eyes, bloated abdomen, or hemorrhage on the body.  Laboratory testing is required for diagnosis.

Control - No treatment exists for wild fish stocks.  Therefore, prevention actions should be the management focus.

Actions to prevent spread - Anglers and boaters should take the following simple prevention actions while fishing or boating:

  • Thoroughly drain and dry fishing equipment, boats, and trailers before using them in a new body of water.  
  • Do not transfer fish, bait or fish parts from one water body to another water body.  Movement of infected fish, bait and fish parts can transfer the disease to new locations.  
  • Where stocking is allowed, work with state and federal managers to verify that the stock is tested and certified free of VHS virus

Report unusual mortality incidents - If you observe unusual and unexplained fish die-offs or observe clinical signs of VHS, investigation and reporting is necessary.  Contact your state fish and game department or NPS Natural Resource Program Center (NRPC) staff.  Go to http://www1.nrintra.nps.gov/brmd/nativespecies/wildlifehealth/disease.cfm for general information on carcass collection and diagnostic submission.  Parks may also contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fish Health Center in their area (view a list at http://www.fws.gov/fisheries/nfhs/fhc/index.htm) for information regarding collection and testing of sick or dead fish.  

For more information about VHS and steps to protect parks contact — Margaret Wild, wildlife veterinarian, Biological Resource Management Division, NRPC, or Jim Tilmant, fisheries program leader, Water Resources Division, NRPC.

For fact sheets and outreach materials go to -www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/Programs/ncrais/vhs_factsheet.html
http://biology.usgs.gov/faer/documents/VHSV_fs2007.pdf
[Submitted by Linda Drees, Chief, Invasive Species Branch]




PARKS AND PEOPLE

Big Bend National Park (TX)
WS-4749-7 Trails Supervisor

Dates: 08/07/2007 - 08/28/2007

Big Bend National Park has a vacancy for a permanent, subject-to-furlough WS-4749-7 maintenance worker supervisor (trails supervisor). The person in this position is responsible for maintaining trails parkwide and supervises the maintenance of the parkwide trails crew.The vacancy (CK148630LV) is open to merit promotion eligibles and all U.S. citizens on USA Jjobs. For a copy of the announcement, click on "More Information." For information on the Big Bend Area, view the website: http://www.nps.gov/bibe/
[Submitted by Big Bend National Park, 432-477-2251]  More Information...




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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.