- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Thursday, August 15, 1996
- Date: Thurs, 15 Aug 1996
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Thursday, August 15, 1996
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
95-109 - Obed (Tennessee) - Follow-up on Car Clout Arrests
On July 11th, a juvenile responsible for a series of car cloutings in the
park was sentenced to 90 days in prison by a federal magistrate. Upon
release, the juvenile will be on supervised probation for a year; he will
also be banned from the park for a year and required to pay $600 in
restitution to his victims. Following consultation with his attorney, the
juvenile consented to be tried and sentenced as an adult. S.H.,
another person found guilty of car cloutings in the park, was recently
sentenced to probation, banned from the park, and ordered to pay $2,000 to
his victims. The arrests and convictions stemmed from a lengthy surveillance
operation which was initiated last year following a dozen car clouts in the
park. [Rob Turan, OBRI]
95-497 - Yosemite (California) - Follow-up on Kidnapping
On the morning of August 3, 1995, park investigators received a call from a
Colorado man who said that he'd been assaulted and abducted from the Valley
the previous morning. He said that he was approached by a man in civilian
clothes who said he was a ranger and was placing him under arrest. The
victim said that he believed the man really was a ranger because he had
handcuffs and because he walked off into the bushes for a minute and appeared
to call dispatch on a portable radio. In any case, the "ranger" threatened
him with violence if he refused to cooperate, so the victim allowed himself
to be handcuffed. The man then beat him severely about the head, neck and
chest with a large flashlight, forced the victim to drive him from the park
in his (the victim's) pickup truck, and made him withdraw cash from an ATM in
Mariposa. The victim was able to escape when they stopped for gas in Merced.
An investigation was begun, but the man's assailant remained at large. On
July 19th, criminal investigators in Wichita, Kansas, called the park and
advised that they had a man in custody for a double homicide who had
confessed to a kidnapping and robbery in the park in August, 1995. The
description of the man - M.M, 20, of that city - and his personal
background were identical to the information worked up by FBI and park
investigators. M.M. was AWOL from the Army at the time of the Yosemite
abduction. The NPS and FBI are currently working together to get an
indictment on M.M. for kidnapping and assault on a federal reservation.
[Jeff Sullivan, CI, YOSE]
96-251 - Shenandoah (Virginia) - Follow-up on Double Homicide
A task force comprised of a dozen NPS and FBI investigators is continuing the
investigation into the murders of J.W. and L.W. Over the
past month, investigators met with FBI laboratory and behavioral sciences
personnel to develop avenues of investigation. Some 200 interviews have been
conducted with Appalachian Trail hikers along the length of the trail, and
hundreds more interviews have been conducted in and around the park.
Numerous leads have been sent to FBI and NPS investigators around the
country. The report on the crimes on "America's Most Wanted" generated about
100 new leads. The victims' families will be placing newspaper ads seeking
information in local papers and nationwide hiking magazines. Follow-up
investigations have been completed on about three-quarters of the over 1,000
leads developed to date. [Clark Guy, SHEN]
96-436 - Mount Rushmore (South Dakota) - Follow-up on Special Event
The annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally officially ended on August 11th. The
park again sustained significant impacts from traffic and incidents
associated with the event. About 44,000 bikers visited the park during the
rally period, with over 900 motorcycles per hour passing through the entrance
during peak periods. Mount Rushmore rangers, assisted by five rangers from
other areas, responded to six motorcycle accidents with injuries, made drug
cases against ten individuals, and issued two open container violation
notices. They also handled numerous other law enforcement, medical and
visitor service incidents. Members of at least 47 different outlaw
motorcycle gangs wearing "colors" were observed, including Hells Angels,
Bandidos and Sons of Silence. Rally events in the park were covered by about
ten different media groups. Governor Bill Janklow and senator Larry Pressler
visited as part of the "Governor's Tour" motorcycle ride. The rally also
impacted operations in all of the other Black Hills area NPS units. [Mike
Pflaum, CR, MORU]
96-449 - Grand Teton/Yellowstone (Wyoming) - Follow-up on Special Event
The Service's Type I all-risk incident management team and the staffs of the
two parks continue to provide support for the First Family's vacation and
related presidential activities. Yesterday's operations focused on providing
security for motorcades and on the perimeter around the First Family's
quarters. Logistical support was also provided for a whitewater raft trip
which was subsequently canceled. A total of 69 people - 59 from the NPS -
are currently committed to the Challenge '96 Incident. [Kim Dreyfus, IMT,
GRTE]
96-461 - New River (West Virginia) - Rescue
Seasonal ranger Jay Connerley was chosen as a volunteer river rescue team
member for the Olympic whitewater competition, held on the Ocoee River near
Benton, Tennessee, on July 27th and 28th. Connerley played a key role in the
rescue of a Macedonian competitor who flipped his boat in the "Humongous"
rapid during the solo canoe event on the 27th. The canoer was unable to roll
upright; since he was strapped into the canoe tightly to keep himself from
falling out, he was also unable to free himself. He continued downriver,
upside down. Numerous attempts to reach him with throw ropes and a tethered
swimmer failed. Connerley and another rescue kayaker paddled out to him and
held his head out of water long enough to effect the rescue by pushing him to
shore. The canoer had been underwater an estimated 50 seconds before
Connerley and the other kayaker reached him. It took three people to pull
the canoer out of his boat because he was strapped and jammed into the bow so
tightly. [Rick Brown, DR, NERI]
96-462 - Blue Ridge (North Carolina/Virginia) - Apparent Homicide, Suicide
Park visitors discovered the bodies of a man and woman at the Rockfish Valley
overlook near the north end of the parkway around 10 a.m. on August 14th.
They were later identified as H.S., 18, and K.M., 26,
both of nearby Waynesboro, Virginia. Each had sustained a gunshot wound to
the head, and a 9 mm pistol was found near K.M.'s body. The couple had
recently divorced. Autopsies will be performed. District ranger Bruce
Bytnar and Nelson County deputies are cooperating in the investigation.
[CRO, BLRI]
96-463 - Glen Canyon (Arizona/Utah) - Structural Fire
Smoke and flames were observed pouring out of the attic of NPS housing unit
119D at Wahweap around 11:30 a.m. on August 12th. The park's structural fire
brigade, concessions personnel and the Page fire department responded and had
the fire under control within an hour. The building and an adjoining
apartment suffered flame, smoke and water damage sufficient to make them
unfit for human habitation. Damage has been estimated at $120,000. Two
permanent park employees have been displaced and are now living in temporary
housing. The cause of the fire is believed to have been a fault in the
electrical wiring in the attic. [Chris Pergiel, SDR, GLCA]
96-464 - Yosemite (California) - Search and Rescue
When M.D. and R.D., both 14, failed to return from a trip
to go fishing in Bridalveil Creek on the evening of Tuesday, August 6th, the
park initiated a hasty search of the area in an effort to find them. The
effort proved fruitless, so a full-scale, multi-agency search was begun the
following morning. Fifty ground searchers, eight to ten dog teams and three
helicopters were utilized to work a search area of 77 square miles, running
from Glacier Point to Highway 41 and from Wawona north to the Valley rim. On
Wednesday, a woman who recognized the description of the missing boys given
on the evening news called the park to say that she'd given them a ride to
Glacier Point on Tuesday morning. The call was instrumental in focusing
search efforts on the Glacier Point area. Just before noon on Thursday,
August 8th, the two boys were spotted from a helicopter. They were found in
a precipitous area below the Panorama Trail near Illilouette Fall, several
miles from Glacier Point. Both were okay. [Nikyra Calcagno, YOSE]
96-465 - Lake Mead (Nevada/Arizona) - Methamphetamine Laboratory
Housekeepers at the Lake Mead Lodge at Boulder Beach discovered what they
thought was a vandalized room on August 9th. Rangers and a criminal
investigator were summoned, and they determined that the room had been used
as a methamphetamine lab. Las Vegas narcotics investigators also responded.
A suspect has been identified and the investigation is continuing. The
decontamination and rehabilitation of the room will cost over $5,000.
[Malcom DeMunbrun, CI, LAME]
96-466 - Lake Mead (Nevada/Arizona) - Drowning
A 45-year-old Las Vegas man was scuba diving alone near Boulder Beach last
weekend when he indicated that he needed help. A companion on their nearby
boat swam to him and attempted to pull the diver back to the boat, but was
unable to keep him afloat. Rangers and park divers responded, but efforts to
locate him proved fruitless. The water is 240 feet deep in that area. Other
methods of recovery are being pursued. [Malcom DeMunbrun, CI, LAME]
96-467 - Lake Mead (Nevada/Arizona) - Boat Accident; Drowning
A 38-year-old California resident drowned as a result of an accident near
Katherine's Landing on the evening of August 10th. The man's boat capsized
in the accident and he disappeared. Divers looked for him that night and the
next morning and eventually recovered his body. [Grace Gerken, Dispatch
Supervisor, LAME]
96-468 - Lake Mead (Nevada/Arizona) - Drowning
Park dispatch received a call of a man down in the water just off of Center
Beach in the Boulder Beach area late on the afternoon of August 11th. A 40-
year-old Las Vegas man had seen his son struggling with a tube during a
period of high offshore winds and swam out to help him. The man quickly
became tired; although two other swimmers attempted to help him, they were
unable to reach him due to the high wind condition. Divers responded quickly
and recovered the body in 12 feet of water. [Grace Gerken, Dispatch
Supervisor, LAME]
96-469 - Lake Mead (Nevada/Arizona) - Drowning
A 17-year-old boy from Henderson was cliff diving in the Cliffs area on the
morning of August 13th when he went under and failed to resurface. His
friends summoned help. The body was recovered several hours later. [Grace
Gerken, Dispatch Supervisor, LAME]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level IV
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
% Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 8/14 8/15 Con Con
OR Umatilla NF Wheeler ST2 21,988 21,988 50 NEC
* Bull T2 - 350 NR NEC
Malheur NF Wildcat T1 11,600 11,600 2 NEC
Warm Springs Agency Simnasho T1 23,000 65,000 20 8/20
Wallowa-Whitman NF Sloan's Ridge T1 11,400 11,400 80 8/16
Salt Cx T1 45,700 46,100 50 8/19
State Donneybrook -- 103,000 118,000 NR NEC
Vail District Cow Hollow T2 23,000 40,000 60 NEC
Willamette NF South Zone Cx T2 300 1,000 0 8/21
Umpqua NF Spring T2 200 300 0 NEC
Fremont NF Alder Ridge T2 130 2,000 0 NEC
Burns District * Bartlett Mtn. -- - 2,000 20 NEC
WA State Bowie Road -- 3,800 3,800 100 CND
CA Mendocino NF Fork T1 2,000 7,500 25 NEC
Shasta-Trinity NF * Rock T2 - 1,000 NR NEC
* Altuna T2 - 100 NR NEC
* Horse T1 - 150 NR NEC
Tulare RU * Kaweah ST1 - 1,000 5 NEC
Stanislaus NF * Rogge T2 - NR NR NR
Yosemite NP * Ackerson Cx -- - 340 10 NEC
Riverside RU Wolfskill ST1 6,000 8,420 50 8/14
Tuolumne-Cal. RU Bear ST1 1,500 1,250 100 CND
Tuolumne Cx ST1 8,500 10,300 90 NEC
Esperanza Cx -- 1,800 3,150 80 8/14
Kern County * Burke -- - 100 30 NEC
NV Winneumcca District Humboldt T2 18,000 18,800 65 8/16
* Wooter -- - 120 15 8/15
Toiyabe NF Mt. Jackson T2 1,000 1,000 95 8/14
Trout Canyon -- 150 150 85 8/15
Carson City District Little Valley -- 2,500 2,500 100 CND
Elko District Lee -- 800 1,380 100 CND
Shoemake -- 500 10.500 0 8/21
* Gold Quarry Cx T2 - 1,000 - 8/17
Battle Mtn. District * Jersey -- - 1,300 10 NEC
MT Lewis and Clark NF Coyote T1 2,600 3,200 40 NEC
Bitterroot NF Willow Creek T2 382 410 20 NEC
Nez Perce NF Moose Butte Cx T2 255 225 75 8/16
* Swet/Warrior -- - 28,000 0 NEC
UT Fishlake NF Adelaide Cx T2 15,160 15,160 98 8/15
Hens Peak -- 580 580 75 8/18
Uinta NF Daniels T2 400 485 80 8/15
State * Boulter -- - 1,000 100 CND
ID Caribou NF * Lime Kiln #3 -- - 1,000 70 8/15
Boise District * Hot Springs -- - 500 25 8/15
* Base -- - 2,000 80 8/15
* Tuanna Gulch -- - 400 40 8/15
* Alkali Creek -- - 300 100 CND
* Prospect -- - 2,500 100 CND
* Indian Creek -- - 3,500 100 CND
* Cottonwood -- - 2,000 100 CND
* Peterson -- - 800 100 CND
WY Big Horn NF Moncrieffe -- 300 300 80 8/15
State Spring Creek -- 6,400 6,400 80 8/14
Rock Springs District * Sugar Loaf -- - 300 5 NEC
Medicine Bow NF * Murphy Ridge -- - 7,493 100 CND
AZ Truxton Can. Agency Powerline -- 300 300 100 CND
AK Statewide 17 fires -- 434,199 434,199 -- NSS
Heading Notes
Unit -- Agency = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA state resource
or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; District = BLM
district; NWR = USFWS wildlife refuge
Fire -- * = newly reported fire (on this report); Cx = complex; LSS =
limited suppression strategy; CSS = containment suppression
strategy
IMT -- T1 = Type 1; T2 = Type II; ST = State Team
% Con -- Percent of fire contained
Est Con -- Estimated containment date; NEC = no estimated date of
containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report; LPS = limited
protection status
NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Sunday, 8/11 1 1 15 0 4 38 59
Monday, 8/12 4 11 27 0 70 178 290
Tuesday, 8/13 25 4 33 0 76 288 426
Wednesday, 8/14 18 66 107 1 120 389 701
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Sunday, 8/11 211 321 62 5 920
Monday, 8/12 365 558 131 26 2,264
Tuesday, 8/13 552 949 165 21 2,147
Wednesday, 8/14 507 869 127 27 2,405
CURRENT SITUATION
Most areas in the West saw an increase in fire activity yesterday -
particularly those in northern California and the Northwest. Initial attack
resources remain scarce and competition for national resources continues.
Type I and II teams were committed to California and the Great Basin.
Resource mobilization through NICC remained high.
NATIONAL OUTLOOK
NICC has posted two FIRE WEATHER WATCHES - the first for dry lightning in
eastern Nevada, western Utah and the mountains of Utah, the second for gusty
winds, low humidity and increased lightning in eastern Montana.
Strong high pressure aloft will remain centered over the Great Basin and
desert Southwest. Widely scattered thunderstorms are forecast for the Great
Basin; some in Nevada and Utah will be dry. Scattered wet thunderstorms are
forecast for the central and southern Rockies and the desert Southwest. A
drier, more stable westerly flow of air will move into California and Oregon.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/15]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Bryce Canyon (Utah) - Revegetation
Approximately eight miles of road were built in the park in 1994 and 1995,
resulting in about 70 acres of disturbance requiring revegetation. The park
utilized native grass, shrub and tree species to stabilize the road shoulders
and revegetate the obliterated roadways. The project required that the park
conduct tests to determine the most effect techniques for transplanting,
compare broadcast seeding to hydroseeding, evaluate the use of fertilizers,
compare park grown seed to commercially available seeds, and undertake other,
related tasks. The revegetation was done at altitudes between 8,000 and
9,000 feet and relied heavily on grass and shrub species increased by Natural
Resources Conservation Service plant materials centers. A 33-page reports is
available by calling Richard Bryant at 801-834-4900 or contacting him via
cc:Mail. [Rich Bryant, RMS, BRCA]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Reports pending.
MEMORANDA
No submissions.
EXCHANGE
No submissions.
Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by park,
office and/or field area cc:Mail hub coordinators. Please address requests
for the Morning Report to your servicing hub coordinator.
Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
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