NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

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INCIDENTS

Everglades NP

Park Personnel Join In Saving Miccosukee Homes From Wildfire

On the afternoon of August 5th, the South Florida National Parks Communication Center received a report of a quickly growing wildland fire in the Miccosukee Reserved Area, a Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida community within the park. When rangers from Northeast District arrived on scene, they found that high temperatures, low relative humidity and gusting winds were causing the fire to spread rapidly, threatening several homes along the south side of Old Highway 41. The blaze had been started by fireworks. Firefighters were making progress in containing the fire until departures of firefighting aircraft due to darkness and a change in wind direction after 8 p.m. sent an intense wall of flames straight toward the residential area. Rangers and Miccosukee PD officers assisted firefighters from Everglades, Biscayne, Big Cypress, the Miccosukee Fire Department, and Miami-Dade County Fire-Rescue as they employed aggressive tactics to protect threatened structures, motor vehicles, and airboats while urging residents to evacuate the area. The Miccosukee fire chief credited the efforts of interagency personnel with preventing damage to over 40 residences, 65 outbuildings, and numerous motor vehicles and airboats. Because of outstanding teamwork under difficult conditions, no property was lost or injuries reported. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger]

Yosemite NP

Arrest For Abusive Sexual Contact With Children

Yosemite agents and Madera County deputies executed a federal arrest warrant on N.C., 76, in Oakhurst, California, on August 10th. This action brought to a culmination a three-month-long investigation into sexual abuse of children at Camp Wawona, a Seventh Day Adventist church camp on private property within the boundaries of the park. The criminal activity occurred over a period of many years. N.C. had been a maintenance worker at the camp. A federal magistrate judge signed a criminal complaint on August 9th, charging N.C. with 15 counts of abusive sexual contact with children (18 USC 2244(a)(5)). Each count carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. [Thane Weigand, Special Agent]

Sequoia/Kings Canyon NPs

Body Of Missing Hiker Found By Searchers

An intensive search for a missing hiker came to a conclusion last Thursday when with the discovery of his body in Dusy Basin. H.N., 39, of Garden Grove, California, began a backcountry hiking strip on July 30th and was scheduled to have complete his hike on or about August 6th. He started out at the Birch Creek trailhead west of Big Pone on the east side of the Sierra Nevada and his itinerary included possible travel along the Sierra Crest south of Bishop Pass before returning to the Birch Creek trailhead. H.N. was known to be a strong hiker with a history of long summer hikes, sometimes for weeks at a time. He also liked to climb “bag peaks” while hiking. The search for him involved ground searchers, man trackers, search dogs, and helicopters. A climbing team from Yosemite National Park was also brought in to search mountain summits that he might have climbed within the park. The search was coordinated by the park and by the Inyo County Sheriff's Office. H.N. evidently died in a fall from Isosceles Peak. An investigation is underway. [Debra Schweizer, Public Affairs Officer]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories (among others) can be read on either the InsideNPS web site (if you are within the National Park Service) or at the InsideNPS public ‘news digest' site (if you are outside of the NPS). The web sites are, respectively, HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/ and ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/).

* Glen Canyon - While cleaning graffiti from various locations around the park last year, members of the park's volunteer Graffiti Removal and Intervention Team (GRIT) came upon an inscription on a cliff that may have been inscribed by someone on the famed 1776 Dominguez-Escalante expedition.

* Legislative and Congressional Affairs - This week's update on past and upcoming hearings and the status of legislation pertinent to the National Park Service.

* Delaware Water Gap - Bob Karotko is the new deputy superintendent.

* Lassen Volcanic - Darlene Koontz is the new superintendent.

* Jobs - Four listings today, including this year's Bevinetto Fellowship (two positions instead of one) and ranger positions at Santa Monica and Virgin Islands.

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Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov, 570-686-3828).

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