RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
MORNING REPORT
Attention: Directorate
Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
CC: RAD Information Net
Day/date: Tuesday, July 16, 1991
INCIDENTS
91-220 - Gettysburg (Pennsylvania) - Followup on Art Theft
On July 11th, Gettysburg rangers recovered the bronze bas-relief
sculpture which had been stolen from the Wells Monument on June
12th. The sculpture, which was retrieved from a business
establishment in Frederick, Maryland, had suffered only minor
damage. Names are being withheld while the investigation
continues. Prosecution is likely. The $1,000 reward which was
posted for information leading to the sculpture's recovery will
be paid to several citizens who provided assistance in locating
the work of art. [Mac Heebner, CR, GETT, via CompuServe message
from Chris Andress, RAD/MARO, 7/12]
91-289 - Big Cypress (Florida) - Lacey Act Convictions
On March 22nd, chief ranger Bill Carroll and ranger Brad Headley
investigated an illegal camp and discovered instruments and
paraphernalia associated with reptile hunting. A surveillance
operations was subsequently begun and led to the arrest of four
Michigan men S.G., 19, D.S., 26, S.E.,
25, and T.B., 24 on Lacey Act charges
associated with the illegal taking of a number of species from
the park, including lizards, turtles, snakes, and alligators. A
plea agreement was subsequently reached which contained the
following provisions:
S.G. pled guilty to felony conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act.
He was fined $15,000 minus the value of his vehicle ($1,000), ordered
to forfeit his vehicle and all instruments associated with the offense to
the park, and ordered to serve 200 hours of community service at Sleeping
Bear Dunes. He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of two months in
jail. D.S. pled guilty to felony conspiracy to violate the Lacey
Act. He was fined $7,500 minus the value of his vehicle and ordered to
forfeit the vehicle and all instruments associated with offense to the park.
He also faces a mandatory minimum of two months in jail.
T.B. pled guilty to misdemeanor provision of the Lacey Act and
was fined $750.
S.E. pled guilty to misdemeanor provision of the Lacey Act.
He also agreed to cooperate with the government in its case against a
fifth defendant, Norman Wright. S.E.'s fine was withheld, but he
has agreed to perform 200 hours of community service.
Based on information supplied by S.E., W. was indicted by
a grand jury this month on charges of felony violations of the
Lacey Act and conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act. T.B. will
be sentenced this month; S.G. and D.S. will be sentenced
in September. [Telefax and phone report from Bill Carroll, CR,
BICY, 7/15]
91-290 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Assist on Felony Arrest
On the night of July 3rd, rangers from the South Rim responded
to a request for assistance from the Coconino County sheriff's
office on an incident in a campground in Tusayan, just outside
the park's southern boundary. Gunshots had been fired in the
campground during an argument, and an assault had occurred.
Rangers arrived at the scene shortly thereafter and radioed
information on two suspect vehicles with six occupants to
deputies who were still 70 miles south on I-40. The vehicles
were immediately spotted and a felony stop was made on them. A
loaded AR-15, a .30 caliber carbine and several .22's and edged
weapons were taken from the passenger areas of the vehicles.
Subsequent investigation revealed that all six subjects were
wanted in connection with a homicide which had occurred in
California. The six, who are apparently members of a Los
Angeles gang, were in the park earlier in the day. [Cindy
Wadsworth, GRCA, via CompuServe message from Carl Christensen,
RAD/WRO, 7/8]
91-291 - Gateway (New York) - Theft of Government Vehicle
During the early morning hours of July 8th, a government-owned
1991 Dodge van valued at $20,000 was found to have been stolen
from the Gateway Job Corps Center. Following an extensive
investigation by U.S. Park Police detective William Stray and
investigator Edward Riepe, a juvenile suspect was identified and
subsequently picked up and interviewed. During the interview,
the juvenile admitted to the theft and provided information on
where the vehicle could be found. The van was located and
recovered. It had not been damaged. The juvenile, a former Job
Corps member, was arrested and charged with grand larceny of an
automobile. [Telefax from Dale Dickerhoof, New York Field
Office, USPP, 7/11]
91-292 - Gulf Islands (Florida/Mississippi) - Significant Auto
Burglary
Sometime between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. on the afternoon of the 11th,
a thief or thieves broke into a 1991 Lincoln Continental which
had been rented by J.C. of Paris, France, and stole
nearly $12,000 in cash and personal property. J.C. and his
fiancee parked the car in the Santa Rosa area while they went to
the beach. When they returned to the vehicle, they discovered
that the passenger window had been broken out and a travel bag
had been taken. The bag, which was left on the passenger side
in plain view, reportedly contained U.S. and French currency, a
diamond engagement ring, an amethyst ring, and a video camera.
The total value of the lost items was placed at $11,550. The
couples also lost their driver's licenses, passports, credit
cards and other items. There are no suspects at this time.
Local enforcement agencies and banks have been notified.
Rangers Daryl Rhodes and Thomas Howell are investigating.
[CompuServe message from Gene Phillips, CR, GUIS, 7/15]
91-293 - Glen Canyon (Arizona/Utah) - Fourth of July Weekend Summary
As a result of good weather, crowds in the park were larger than
any in the previous four to five years. The recently expanded
parking lots were filled to overflowing, and beach areas were
lined with boats. There were 263 incidents requiring ranger
intervention, including ten serious boat accidents, five motor
vehicle accidents, one boat fire, two search and rescue
operations and 31 EMS runs. One 21-year-old male nearly drowned
near Antelope Point, but he was pulled from the water and saved
via CPR conducted by visitors and rangers Jack Gossett and Andy
Baxter. The victim regained consciousness in a local hospital
and is expected to recover fully. Other incidents included an
attempted rape, an assault with a firearm, two larcenies, nine
incidents of disorderly conduct, three incidents of vehicle
tampering, and three weapons violations. Rangers issued 133
violation notices and arrested 14 persons. The arrests were for
driving under the influence (three), boating under the influence
(one), violation of alcohol laws (five), disorderly conduct
(two), larceny (one), and outstanding felony warrants (two).
[CompuServe message from Larry Clark, CR, GLCA, 7/9]
91-294 - Lake Mead (Nevada)- Drowning
E.B., 60, of Las Vegas, Nevada, apparently drowned
while fishing near Las Vegas Wash between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m. on
the morning of July 13th. E.B. and a neighbor came to the park
to fish. E.B.'s companion fell asleep and awoke to find E.B.
floating face down in the wash. Rangers attempted CPR but were
not successful. The incident is under investigation. [David
Hamilton, LAME, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO,
7/15]
91-295 - Yosemite (California) - Falling Fatality
Late on the afternoon of July 11th, three separate parties who
were hiking in the vicinity of Upper Yosemite Falls reported
seeing what appeared to be a body going over Upper Yosemite
Falls. Rescue personnel searched the trail on foot and
interviewed hikers and the park helicopter searched from the air
that evening, but they were unable to locate a victim. A day
pack was found at the top of the falls that evening which
contained possible identification of the victim. Searchers
found the body at the base of Upper Yosemite Falls above the
Middle Cascades at about 1:00 p.m. on the 12th. Nine rescue
personnel recovered the body. Identification of the victim was
confirmed; notification of next of kin is pending. [CompuServe
message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 7/15]
FIRE ACTIVITY
1) ACTIVITY LEVEL Planning Level II
One geographic area experiencing high fire danger. Numerous
Class A, B, and C fires occurring and a potential exists for
escapes to larger (project) fires. Minimal mobilization of
resources from other geographic areas occurring. The potential
exists for mobilizing additional resources from other geographic
areas.
2) FIRE SUMMARY
State Agency Area Fire 7/15 7/16 Status
AK BIA Up. Yukon Zone B564 3,300 3,300 NEC
Southwest Area B544 4,710 4,800 NEC
Galena Zone B687 T2 7,500 7,500 CN 7/17
FWS Up. Yukon Zone B460 67,200 69,610 NEC
Tanana Zone B568 32,570 32,570 NEC
B628 31,700 31,700 NEC
B569 119,620 119,620 NEC
Up. Yukon Zone B562 58,356 58,356 NEC
AK Tanana Zone B615 9,840 9,840 NEC
ID BLM Boise Jarbidge 1,200+ 2,349+ CL
Thousand Springs 300+ 340 CL
Three Creek Well 6,000+ 3,757 CL
County Line 100 174 CL
* Sugar Loaf 240 CL
Burley * Hanel Mountain 1,000 NEC
UT BLM Richfield * Rockwell 2,300 NEC
NV BLM Elko Oasis 3,520 2,000 CN 7/17
Ely * Becky 125 CN 7/16
CA USFS San Bernadino * Hook 117 CN 7/16
Alaska also has 11 fires under modified suppression strategy for
282,584 acres and 58 fires under limited suppression for 397,936 acres.
NOTES:
Fires - Asterisk indicates newly reported fire (on this report).
T1 and T2 indicate assigned Type I and Type II Teams.
Status - The following abbreviations are employed:
NR No report received MS Modified suppression strategy
CN Contained MN Being monitored
CL Controlled NEC No estimate of containment
CS Confinement strategy DM Demobed
3) 1990/1991 COMPARATIVE ACTIVITY SUMMARY
Fires Acres
1990 (Year-to-date) 37,359 1,430,001
1991 (Year-to-date) 38,897 1,560,193
1990-1991 (% difference) + 4% + 9%
4) ANALYSIS - Significant progress has been made on most large
fires. Several areas in Utah and Nevada are reporting very high
to extreme indices.
5) PROGNOSIS - The potential exists for continued activity in
Nevada and for increasing activity in Utah due to predicted
thunderstorms accompanied by high winds. No resource shortages
are expected.
[Fire Management Situation Report, NIFCC Intelligence Section,
7/16]
STAFF STATUS
Division Chief: Dabney on leave (7/15), then in the office
(7/16-7/17), then on his way to Canyonlands (7/18...).
Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Schamp on AL (7/19).
Branch of Fire & Aviation: Hurd at IFCC and branch meetings in
Boise, ID (7/15-7/19); Spruill at OAS and branch meetings in
Boise, ID (7/16-7/19); Broyles, Norum and Gale at joint USFS/NPS
meeting, Denver, CO (7/14-7/18); Botti on AL (7/15-7/26).
Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities
Telephone: FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
Telefax: FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977
CompuServe: WASO-RANGER (Branch of R&VP); WASO-FIRE-WO (Branch of Fire)
SEAdog: 1/650