- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Thursday, August 29, 1996
- Date: Thurs, 29 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 29, 1996
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
96-445 - Blue Ridge (North Carolina/Virginia) - Follow-up on Homicide
Deputies from Buncombe County have arrested J.D., 25, and charged him
with the August 6th slaying of J.H. at the park's Chestnut Cove
overlook. [CRO, BLRI]
96-462 - Blue Ridge (North Carolina/Virginia) - Follow-up on Homicide-Suicide
Autopsies have been completed on the bodies of H.S., 18, and
K.M., 26, both of nearby Waynesboro, Virginia. The medical examiner
determined that H.S. was killed by a bullet which entered the back of her
head. There was no evidence that she had handled the pistol found at the
scene. K.M. died as a result of a self-inflicted bullet wound to the
right temple. The latter finding was supported by the nature of the wound,
fingerprints found on the weapon, and powder residue found on his hand. The
medical examiner has therefore classified the incident as a murder-suicide.
[CRO, BLRI]
96-478 - Whiskeytown (California) - Follow-up on Car Clouts
J.C., 19, was arrested on August 15th for trying to run down two
visitors who found him breaking into their car. Based on interviews with
J.C. and his female juvenile companion, the county district attorney
subsequently issued a complaint charging them with two counts of assault with
a deadly weapon and one count of burglary. In a separate case, the district
attorney issued an eleven felony count complaint charging J.C. with a
variety of sexual offenses. The latter incidents occurred either while
illegally camped in the park or in local motels rented with stolen credit
cards. An investigation is on-going, part of which involves contacting local
pawn shops and second-hand sporting good stores to find and return property
to victims and clear other burglaries. [Alan Foster, CI, WHIS]
96-485 - Walnut Canyon (Arizona) - Follow-up on ARPA Case
On August 8th, rangers arrested H.W.W. of Valencia, California, for
collecting artifacts within park boundaries. H.W.W. had a sack with him which
contained 435 pieces of pottery, and admitted to collecting them inside the
park. Several projectile points were also found hidden inside one of his
socks. In a pre-trial agreement, H.W.W. agreed to plead guilty to a
misdemeanor ARPA charge, pay a fine of $1,000, and reimburse the NPS $2,500
for the cost of the investigation and curation of artifacts. [Bill Hudson,
DR, WUPA]
96-493 - Bryce Canyon (Utah) - Follow-up on Employee Death
Seasonal ranger Michael Beaulieu, 23, of Presque Isle, Maine, was killed on
the evening of August 26th when his 1995 Taurus patrol vehicle slid off the
roadway and rolled down an embankment. He died instantly from head injuries,
although his seat belt was buckled and the vehicle's air bags deployed. The
Taurus, which he'd driven all season, was in good condition and had a full
police package, ABS brakes and new tires. The road had recently been paved
with a new, non-chip-sealed pavement and was wet from earlier rains at the
time of the accident. Tracks suggest that he lost control before a turn; the
vehicle then left the road, went 50 yards down a 30% slope, rolled and struck
a 10 to 11 inch fir tree, which was snapped and uprooted when struck by the
roof of the vehicle. The accident is being jointly investigated by the park,
the county sheriff's office and the Utah Highway Patrol. A CISD team headed
by Pat Buccello of Zion is on-scene in the park. Among those counseled was
Michaels's girl friend, who was visiting from Maine. Area parks are offering
assistance, including additional rangers to augment and support park staff.
Michael graduated from the park ranger training program at the University of
Maine in Presque Isle in 1995, then worked that summer as a seasonal ranger
at Acadia. There will be a memorial service for him today at 3 p.m. in the
auditorium at the Bryce Canyon Lodge. A potluck will follow in the
residential picnic area. Michael's body has been flown to Maine for the
funeral; his supervisor, Bob Nalwalker, accompanied him. Visitation will be
at the Duncan and Graves funeral home in Presque Isle tomorrow at 7 p.m.
Funeral services will be at St. Mary's Catholic church at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
Cards and condolences may be sent to Michael's father. [Cheryl Schreier, PIO,
BRCA; Larry Neilson, CR, BRCA; Erny Kuncl, SA, IMFA; Ed Clark, VAFO]
96-501 - Clara Barton Parkway (Maryland) - Larceny Arrests
On Saturday, August 17th, Park Police officers Ian Crane and John Shumaker
stopped a vehicle on the parkway for a traffic violation. During the course
of their investigation, the officers discovered that the vehicle was stolen.
They also found and recovered property from 34 different people, including
checkbooks, credit cards, and wallets (14 of which had been reported stolen
in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware), and a quantity of suspected
narcotics and paraphernalia. The driver, G.T., confessed to heroin
addiction and the need to steal to acquire the funds to satisfy his habit.
G.T. also said that he steals from Honda autos, because the door can be
pried back without breaking the windows. [Bill Lynch, LES, NCSO]
96-502 - Gateway (New York/New Jersey) - Larceny Arrest
Park Police officer William Chambers came upon two vehicles at Miller Field
in violation of posted regulations on the night of August 4th. As he
approached, Chambers noted numerous car parts on the ground which did not
match the vehicles. One of the operators fled, but the other was detained.
Chambers subsequently discovered a bag containing eight vehicle air bags and
a variety of police equipment. Investigation revealed that the police
equipment and two of the air bags were connected with the theft of an
undercover NYPD vehicle, and that the person Chambers arrested has been
implicated in a number of vehicle thefts throughout the New York area. [Bill
Lynch, LES, NCSO]
96-503 - Saguaro (Arizona) - Felony Arrest; Recovery of Stolen Motorcycle
Ranger John Hale stopped a motorcycle with no license plates for speeding on
Sandario Road in the Tucson Mountain District on August 24th. The driver and
passenger appeared very nervous. Hale noticed that the motorcycle's ignition
was hotwired; computer checks confirmed that it was stolen. Hale called for
backup, and both were arrested. The two men repeatedly gave false names and
dates of birth to the rangers, but were eventually identified as J.C.
and S.P. J.C., who had recently been paroled after
serving 45 months in state prison on drug charges, was charged with
possession of stolen property, speeding, driving on a suspended license,
driving without insurance or registration, and interfering with an agency
function; S.P. was booked into county jail on three outstanding drug
warrants. [Paula Nasiatka, CR, SAGU]
96-504 - Shenandoah (Virginia) - Ginseng Poaching
On August 24th, rangers concluded a stakeout of an area in the Central
District by contacting and charging R.S. and C.S. for possession
of 84 ginseng roots. They were also charged with possession of a firearm and
a Lacey Act violation. [Clayton Jordan, SPR, SHEN]
[Additional reports pending...]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level V
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
% Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 8/28 8/29 Con Con
OR Umatilla NF @ Bull Cx # T2 47,543 6,673 60 9/1
Tower T2 32,000 43,120 40 9/9
Summit # T1 - 41,870 NR NEC
Malheur NF Wildcat T1 10,655 11,007 90 8/31
Wallowa-Whitman NF Salt Cx T1 64,425 68,525 75 8/31
Willamette NF South Zone Cx T2 3,375 3,403 80 9/2
Moolack Cx T2 11,475 11,475 40 9/5
Umpqua NF Spring T1 10,000 10,000 15 NEC
North Umpqua T2 1,091 1,038 85 NEC
Deschutes NF Park Meadows T1 650 650 90 8/29
Vale District Hat Butte -- 4,500 4,500 NR NEC
Burns District * Real McCoy -- - 350 0 8/29
Okanogan NF * Elbow Basin -- - 3,000 0 NEC
WA Colville Agency Timberline Cx T2 15,000 15,000 90 8/29
ID Boise District Eighth Street T1 6,000 14,037 60 9/1
* Sweet -- - 550 80 8/29
* South -- - 15,000 100 CND
* Canyon Creek -- - 25,000 100 CND
* Kuna -- - 8,000 100 CND
* Crane Falls -- - 1,000 100 CND
* Black Sands -- - 800 100 CND
* Con Shea -- - 150 100 CND
* Cove -- - 1,000 100 CND
Sawtooth NF Elba T2 7,000 8,865 10 NEC
Payette NF Fall/Goose Cx T2 230 225 NR NR
Salmon-Challis NF Iron Bog -- 325 310 NR NR
Idaho Falls District Maybe -- 501 3,000 80 8/28
Cox's Well -- 7,001 38,500 0 NEC
Starlight West -- 502 502 NR NR
Shoshone District Sweetzer -- 701 1,000 100 CND
State Bally Mtn. Cx T2 NR NR NR NEC
Nez Perce NF Sunday Poet T2 175 190 75 8/29
UT Salt Lake District South Dugway -- 800 3,400 100 CND
* Wheat Grass -- - 800 50 8/29
State * Mormon Trail -- - 300 0 8/29
CA Yosemite NP Ackerson Cx T1 41,100 45,200 65 NEC
Angeles NF Reservoir T2 1,375 1,428 100 CND
San Bernadino NF Rouse 2 -- 160 160 100 CND
Ladder T1 500 445 100 CND
Los Angeles County Marple T1 12,000 18,000 20 NEC
Modoc NF Ambrose Cx T1 14,000 19,500 53 8/30
NV Elko District Shoemake -- 13,800 13,800 98 NEC
Petan -- 14,000 17,480 60 8/29
Buckhorn 2 -- 1,200 2,500 70 8/29
Oregon -- 5,000 15,000 10 9/1
Winnemucca District Winnemucca Cx T2 35,400 47,000 72 8/29
King's River Cx -- 7,040 8,000 20 NEC
Quinn/Odell -- 2,000 2,000 NR NEC
Coyote -- 2,000 2,000 NR NEC
Battle Mt. District * Upper Humb. Cx T2 10,000 70,000 25 9/2
Humboldt NF Ruby Cx T1 4,500 5,308 70 NEC
Deer Creek -- 300 300 95 8/28
State Bob's Flat -- 3,200 16,000 50 NEC
Upper Boulder -- 6,500 6,500 90 8/29
MT Nez Perce NF Swet/Warrior T2 35,937 38,080 0 NEC
State Telephone Butte T2 140 140 90 8/29
Coyote Gulch T2 4,300 4,045 100 CND
WY Big Horn NF Stockwell T2 450 1,000 0 NEC
Worland District E. Black Mtn. -- 20,000 80,000 100 CND
Bates Creek T2 21,000 35,000 50 8/30
N. Brokenback -- 3,610 3,788 75 8/30
Casper District Baerthel Canyon -- 500 NR NR NEC
AK Statewide 12 fires -- 413,573 345,013 -- 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
NPS FIRE NARRATIVES
Ackerson Complex, Yosemite - All large fires in the complex have burned into
the Ackerson fire. An inversion layer over most of the fire moderated fire
activity yesterday. Crews worked to tie the east end of the fire to the
Hetch Hetchy reservoir. Structures remain threatened and evacuation
advisories are in effect.
NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Sunday, 8/25 4 17 4 0 37 53 115
Monday, 8/26 7 5 66 0 28 201 307
Tuesday, 8/27 6 8 65 1 139 153 372
Wednesday, 8/28 2 6 59 0 102 226 395
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Sunday, 8/25 603 654 137 40 3,442
Monday, 8/26 608 725 156 30 3,692
Tuesday, 8/27 630 912 173 36 3,114
Wednesday, 8/28 758 986 169 33 3,105
CURRENT SITUATION
Fire activity continued throughout the West yesterday, but only a few new
large fires were reported. Type II teams were dispatched to the Rockies and
eastern Great Basin. There was a shelter deployment on the Ambrose fire
involving six overhead personnel, but they were not burned over and there
were no injuries. Resource mobilization through NICC remained steady.
NATIONAL OUTLOOK
Fire activity is expected to increase due to the upcoming holiday weekend and
the extreme burning conditions which prevail throughout most of the West.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 8/29]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No submissions.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
No submissions.
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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