RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION MORNING REPORT Attention: Directorate Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC CC: RAD Information Net Day/date: Monday, September 30, 1991 INCIDENTS 91-518 - Delaware Water Gap (New Jersey/Pennsylvania) - Car Clout Arrests On August 26th, visitors to Delaware Water Gap saw two men breaking into their vehicle and chased them into Worthington State Forest, which is within the park's legislative boundary. A search and stakeout of a suspicious vehicle by park rangers resulted in the apprehension of L.E. and R.S. A search incident to the arrest led to the discovery of stolen property from several car clouts which had occurred in the immediate area. Due to limited jurisdiction (proprietary in that section of the park), the investigation was conducted jointly with New Jersey state police officers. Additional interviews with other suspects in the case led to the discovery of sufficient information to charge L.E. and J.J. with one count each of burglary, theft and criminal mischief. The investigation is continuing, and more charges may be forthcoming. Information received so far indicates that these two men are members of a larger group which has been active in burglaries and larcenies in a three state area. The investigation leading to the arrests was conducted by ranger Wayne Valentine and criminal investigator Greg Jablonski. [CompuServe message from Barry Sullivan, Acting CR, DEWA, 9/26] 91-519 - Point Reyes (California) - Marijuana Cultivation Arrest Rangers Larry IntHout and Paige Ritterbusch located a plantation with 111 marijuana plants on it during reconnaissance patrols of the backcountry on September 6th and 7th. Covert surveillance of the plantation was begun and videotapes of the area were made for evidence. A suspect K.G. of Berkeley, California was identified, and rangers and Berkeley police executed a search warrant on his residence on September 21st. The search revealed drying racks, scales, marijuana, a small amount of cocaine, timecontrolled watering devices, and photographs of marijuana cultivation activities. K.G. had two outstanding warrants against him one for false registration, and the other for a probation violation and was accordingly arrested by the Berkeley officers. Investigators also learned that K.G. had previously been arrested for narcotics violations in East Bay regional parks. The NPS investigation is continuing. The street value of the marijuana has been placed at $333,000. [LeeRoy Brock, CR, PORE, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 9/26] 91-520 - Golden Gate (California) - Water Rescue Park maintenance worker Dennis Glass spotted a surfer caught in a rip current off Ocean Beach on the morning of September 25th. Rangers Norm Simon and Steve Prokop responded along with two U.S. Coast Guard rescue boats and San Francisco fire department personnel. The surfer, F.K., 24, of Woodland Hills, California, was being carried rapidly northward by the current when rescued. Since he was in a wet suit and still on his surfboard, he was in good condition. Rangers remained on scene to warn other surfers of the danger. This was the fourth rescue that had taken place in the park that day. [Norm Simons, GOGA, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 9/26] 91-521 - Statue of Liberty (New York) - Rescue On the afternoon of September 19th, park maintenance foreman Joe Grigoli was in the park's food concession building when he was informed that L.K., 63, of Hobson, Texas, had become unconscious. Grigoli found L.K.'s airway obstructed, performed the Heimlich maneuver and notified dispatch of the situation. Lieutenant Mike Fellner of the Park Police and rangers Steve Connor, Ken Mehne and Dave McCutcheon, all EMT's, arrived shortly thereafter, found that L.K. was cyanotic and in cardiac arrest, and began CPR. The concession building was cleared of park visitors and a landing zone was secured for a medevac helicopter. L.K. was taken to a local hospital. Doctors there subsequently reported that L.K. would likely make a full recovery and that she would not have survived without the rangers' life-saving efforts. [Telefax from Mike Fellner, Acting CR, STLI, 9/25] 91-522 - Organ Pipe Cactus (Arizona) - Drug Interdiction Operation On September 22nd, U.S. Customs agents requested assistance from the park for an undercover detail on the Tohono O'Oodham reservation as part of an operation being conducted by Operation Alliance, a multi-agency task force. Ranger Bob Stinson joined Customs agents and Pima County detectives at a point where a marijuana delivery was to be made. After a five-hour stakeout, team members observed five males approaching the area carrying large quantities of marijuana from the Mexican border. The men were arrested and an undercover agent delivered the load to a house in Tucson. Raids were subsequently carried out on this house and a second dwelling elsewhere in the city. Over 250 pounds of marijuana were found by a county K9 unit behind a false wall in a hallway closet in one of the buildings. The investigation of the smuggling ring continues. [Cheto Olias, CR, ORPI, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 9/26] 91-523 - Delaware Water Gap (New Jersey/Pennsylvania) - Successful Rescue Park dispatch received a report of overdue hikers at about 9:30 p.m. on the evening of the 26th. The group, comprised of six 12 to 14-year-olds from Woodmere Academy and the Lawrence County Day School, were overdue at the Brink's Shelter on the Appalachian Trail. Although inexperienced in outdoor activities, the group was reported in good physical shape and amplyequipped. Due to their youth and inexperience, though, the park initiated a hasty search in conjunction with rangers from Stokes State Park and New Jersey state troopers. The overdue party was eventually located by ranger Brad Clawson atop Mount Paradise around 3:30 a.m. They were about two-and-a-half miles south of their destination. Arrangements were made for the group to remain at that location through the night and to hike out with an adult leader the next morning. [CompuServe message from Barry Sullivan, Acting CR, DEWA, 9/27] 91-524 - Hawaii Volcanoes (Hawaii) - Successful Rescue R.G., a 31-year-old worker for a fence contractor in the park, became lost while working at the 7,000-foot level on Mauna Loa on September 26th. R.G. and a co-worker started back along the fence to their vehicles around 11:45 a.m. with R.G. in the lead. When R.G.'s partner reached the vehicles, though, R.G. was not there. He searched for R.G. for five hours without luck, then reported him missing. R.G. was reportedly no an outdoorsman and not well-suited to taking care of himself on his own. The location where he became lost was about a mile from the point where another fence contractor employee had disappeared a few weeks ago. The park conducted a hasty search on the morning of the 27th and found R.G. about a mile from the point last seen. He was unhurt, but suffered from exhaustion and exposure. [Jim Martin, CR, HAVO, via Carl Christensen, RAD/WRO, 9/27] 91-525 - Indiana Dunes (Indiana) - Suspected Arson An unoccupied structure under a use permit was totally destroyed by fire on September 26th. Park firefighters, assisted by units from five towns, extinguished the blaze. The building had been empty for years and did not have active utility lines. An investigation into the cause is underway by ranger Fred Grish, who is also a member of the county arson task force. A strike by independent steel haulers was in progress at the east gate of Bethlehem Steel, about 200 yards from the building, at the time of the fire. No connection between the strike and the fire has yet been made. [Joni Jones, INDU, via CompuServe message from John Townsend, RAD/MWRO, 9/27] 91-526 - Big Bend (Texas) - Flooding Over the past few days, flood waters from Mexico's Rio Conchos have run into the Rio Grande, causing the river to rise above flood stage and leading to the closure of some highways, trails and campgrounds in the park. The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for the section of the river from Presidio, Texas, downstream about 200 miles to Amistad. The park closed the Old Maverick Road, roads to Santa Elena Canyon and Paint Gap, and other backcountry roads and trails. The flooding is occurring because two weeks of rain in the Mexican state of Chihuahua caused reservoirs to overflow dams along the Rio Conchos. [UPI news story, 9/29] FIRE ACTIVITY 1) FIRE SITUATION Preparedness 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 9/29 9/30 Status CA NPS Yosemite NP Ill T2 3,814 3,814 CN Frog 2,655 2,655 NEC, MS USFS Shas.Trin. NF *Big Bar Comp. T2 260 495 CN 10/1 ID USFS Nez Perce NF *Rackliff 130 130 CN 9/30 Payette *Fawn Creek 230 230 CN OR USFS Mt. Hood NF *Beeline T2 180 180 CN 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 * None No estimate of containment * CS Confinement strategy 3) FIRE NARRATIVES a) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: Yosemite (California) Ill Fire - Strong winds of up to 50 mph pushed the fire past its containment area on Thursday, forcing the closure of the Vernal/Nevada Falls trail complex. Rangers walked all the closed trails, escorting visitors to the valley. Backpackers in Little Yosemite Valley were escorted to Merced Laek, about eight miles away. The park employed a helicopter on Thursday evening to evacuate 55 day hikers from Little Yosemite Valley. All were day hikers with no overnmight gear who were unable to return to Yosemite Valley because of the trail closure. Smoke concentrations in the valley were reported to be quite variable, but dense at times. The fire has now been contained. Frog Fire - The fire is now being managed under modified suppression strategy. 4) ANALYSIS - California and the Northwest continue to report very high to extreme indices. Containment targets have been met on most large fires and demobilization is in progress. 5) PROGNOSIS - Fire activity is expected to moderate because lightning is not expected in areas with extreme fire danger. The potential for humancause fires continues, however, because of the onset of hunting seasons. [NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0733 EDT, 9/30] OPERATIONAL NOTES 1) Jim Brady is now on board here in Ranger Activities. He can be reached through the main divisional numbers listed below. STAFF STATUS Division Chief: Brady at California state ranger conference, Sacramento, CA (10/2-10/3). Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Kreis at reservation system post-award conference, Reston, VA (10/2-10/3). Branch of Fire & Aviation: Broyles at NPS regional safety officer meeting, Omaha, NB (9/29-10/3); Norum chairing interagency task group on prescribed fire complexity, Denver, CO (10/1-10/5). Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities Telephone: All Offices FTS 2684874/6039 or 2022084874/6039 Telefax: Branch of R&VP FTS 2686756 or 2022086756 Branch of Fire FTS 2685977 or 2022085977 CompuServe: Branch of R&VP WASO-RANGER Branch of Fire WASO-FIRE-WO SEAdog: All Offices 1/650