- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, September 10, 1996
- Date: Tues, 10 Sep 1996
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Tuesday, September 10, 1996
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
96-511 - East Coast Areas - Follow-up on Hurricane Fran
Damage reports are beginning to filter in as flood waters recede and park
staffs gain access to their areas:
o Shenandoah - A preliminary damage assessment was completed on Sunday.
Among the more serious problems are the following:
* Forty-one miles of the Skyline Drive are still impassable
because of downed trees.
* Fifty miles of the drive have only one lane available.
* At least a half mile of the drive road shoulder in the Central
District has experienced extreme erosion, with loss of shoulder
to depths of five feet and undermining of the road surface.
* Several bridges were swept away, including the bridge to the
headquarters firing range, the Camp Hoover foot bridge, and all
bridges in the lower Rapidan area. Although they have not been
checked yet, it is assumed that other bridges have been damaged
or demolished.
* The following developed areas have numerous uprooted trees:
Elkwallow, Mathews Arm (currently inaccessible because of trees),
headquarters, Big Meadows campground, and Loft Mountain
campground (also inaccessible).
* Those trails that have been checked have many miles of total
tread loss and numerous areas where the entire trail structure
has been lost.
* Power has been restored to Dickey Ridge and the main headquarters
building. The lack of road access to the lower Rapidan area may
significantly delay the restoration of power at Big Meadows.
o C&O Canal - Efforts are currently underway to determine which areas can
be safely opened to the public as the flood waters subside. Several
incidents of closure violations were reported. Additional erosion has
been observed in those areas that were flooded in January. Heavy
accumulations of debris have been noted on and behind aqueducts. A
comprehensive damage assessment will be conducted as the flood waters
recede and sections of the canal become visible. Great Falls Tavern
and concession operated facilities will be closed until further notice.
o George Washington Parkway - A five mile portion of the parkway was
closed at 4:30 pm on Sunday and remained closed until this morning.
The closure produced significant traffic problems, particularly for
those attempting to reach National Airport. Reports have been received
of individuals bypassing barricades on Sunday and becoming stranded in
the then-rising flood waters.
o Harpers Ferry - Water levels crested on Sunday at approximately 29
feet, 11 feet above flood stage. The park will remain closed at least
though the week, and park museums will be closed until further notice.
Thousands of visitors parked on adjacent town streets and walked to the
edge of the closure area to view the river. The flood waters put up to
six feet of water in 17 of the Lower Town historic buildings. Damage
assessments will be available when the waters recede. The economic
impact to the park and the local merchants as a result of an expected
decrease in visitation could be significant. At least one merchant
adjacent to the park boundary suffered damage due to flooding.
o National Capital Parks - The field area office was evacuated on Friday
afternoon due to significant flooding in East Potomac Park. Portions
of Independence Avenue were also closed. East Potomac Park, West
Potomac Park, and the Jefferson Memorial remain closed. Although other
monuments on the Mall are open to the public, access to parking is
severely limited due to street closures surrounding the Mall. The
Anacostia and River Terrace areas along with Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
are currently closed due to flooding.
o Antietam - All areas of the park are now open to the public except the
Snavely Ford trail near Burnside Bridge. The park estimates that the
flood inflicted about $7,100 in damages to park trails and roads.
Several trails, gravel roads and the park tour road suffered damage.
The damage to the Snavely Ford trail can not be fully assessed at this
time.
o Monocacy - The park visitor center, which was closed on Friday, will
likely remain closed until tomorrow. All visitor center contents were
removed prior to the encroachment of flood waters. The visitor center
was spared as the cresting flood waters stopped a foot from the
entrance. The park estimates the total damage cost to be approximately
$4,200. Several trails were washed out and a 30-foot-long trail bridge
was lost to the flooding.
o Moore's Creek - Power was restored to the park late yesterday morning,
but power remains out at all employee residences and is not expected to
resume for ten to twelve days. A thunderstorm dropped about an inch of
rain on the park last night. While flood water levels in the park have
not risen, portions of nearby roads (NC 210, 11 and 53) are now
impassable. All employees remain well and safe, but flooded roads now
prevent some from reaching the park.
o Colonial - Hurricane impacts were limited to widespread tree damage and
extended power outages. Park crews were able to keep the parkway open
during the storm except for brief periods when it was blocked by downed
trees. Tour roads at Yorktown and Jamestown will remain closed until
at least later this week due to numerous downed trees and limbs.
Damage assessments have not yet been completed at some of those areas.
Jamestown still has no power, and therefore no water or rest room
facilities; portions of Jamestown, however, are open to visitors with
limited services. Minor water damage occurred in the basement of the
Jamestown visitor center. The visitor center at Yorktown reopened
Saturday with partial electric power, and was fully operational on
Sunday. Cleanup efforts have thus far been concentrated at Jamestown,
where a major media and VIP event is scheduled on September 12th. At
that time, a key park partner, the Association for the Preservation of
Virginia Antiquities, plans a significant public announcement
concerning recent archaeological studies on property which they own at
Jamestown.
o Booker T. Washington - Park was closed on Friday as the remnants of the
hurricane passed through central Virginia. Power and telephones were
out most of the day. Maintenance employees reported to work after the
storm passed later that morning to begin clean-up. Numerous trees were
blown down, but no facilities were damaged. The park reopened Saturday
morning.
o Fort McHenry - The tidal surge from Hurricane Fran brought water more
than a foot over the sea wall at Fort McHenry on Friday. A great
quantity of debris was spread over the fort's lawns and seawall trail.
The trail was closed for 24 hours while cleanup took place. Over 250
hypodermic needles were found among the debris.
[Greg Stiles, SHEN; Don Boucher, FMO, NCSO; Rebecca Harriett, BOWA; Jim
Burnett, CR, COLO; Rick Nolan, CR, FOMC; Ann Childress, FOSU]
96-517 - Caribbean Areas - Follow-up on Hurricane Hortense
Hurricane Hortense continues its slow motion west through the Caribbean,
bringing wind and heavy rains to park areas:
o San Juan - The most recent report from the park, received yesterday
morning, indicated that heavy showers were moving over the area and
that precipitation totals of from five to ten inches of rain were
likely. Flash floods and mud slides were forecast. The governor of
Puerto Rico closed all government agencies yesterday. The park was
accordingly closed. Employees were advised to report to work this
morning.
o Virgin Islands - St. Croix reported very strong winds yesterday
morning; St. Thomas and St.John reported both strong winds and heavy
rain. All park areas are closed, as are Virgin Islands government
agencies and schools.
[Mark Hardgrove, SAJU; Mark Woods, VIIS]
96-518 - Shenandoah (Virginia) - Search in Progress
As the park was being closed on Thursday evening in anticipation of Hurricane
Fran, rangers found a rental vehicle parked in the White Oak Canyon parking
area, located near Skyland Lodge. A computer check showed no outstanding
"wants"; since the area is used for parking by long-term Appalachian Trail
hikers, no further action was taken. After road-clearing crews removed trees
from the Skyline Drive and reached the area on Saturday, the vehicle was
checked again. This time a computer check revealed that the last person to
rent the vehicle was listed as missing. A search in the area was accordingly
begun involving air scent dogs and hasty teams. The subject, J.S.,
27, a State Department employee from Arlington, Virginia, was last
seen on Friday, August 30th. Since the vehicle was found less than a mile
from the scene of June's double homicide, the FBI was immediately brought
into the investigation. Information since acquired indicates that this
incident is unrelated to either the double homicide or Hurricane Fran.
Investigators are looking into reports that the subject may be despondent.
The incident is being managed as a type 3 incident, separate from either the
double homicide or the Hurricane Fran recovery incidents. The IC is Rick
Brown, New River Gorge. [Greg Stiles, SHEN]
[Additional reports pending...]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level IV
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
% Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 9/9 9/10 Con Con
OR Willamette NF Moolack Cx T2 11,735 11,735 90 9/12
Umpqua NF Spring T1 15,260 15,445 86 9/12
MT Custer NF Shepard Mtn. T1 12,800 12,800 70 9/12
WY Bridger-Teton NF Aspen Hollow T2 2,435 2,748 35 NEC
Big Horn NF Stockwell II T1 2,880 2,880 25 9/14
AK Statewide 10 fires -- 342,723 342,723 -- LPS
NC Fort Bragg Hurricane Fran T1 Managing receiving and
distribution center
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 NOTES
Yosemite - Managers from Yosemite and the Stanislaus National Forest have
reopened most areas closed by the Ackerson fire. All closures in the
Stanislaus have been lifted. The Cherry Lake, Evergreen and Mather Roads
have reopened, but Hetch Hetchy Road remains closed to all public use from
Mather to the reservoir until further notice. All other Yosemite
campgrounds, facilities, and main roads are open.
NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FIVE DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Thursday, 9/5 0 5 7 0 33 23 68
Friday, 9/6 - - - - - - -
Saturday, 9/7 - - - - - - -
Sunday, 9/8 3 6 21 0 33 26 89
Monday, 9/9 3 1 36 0 111 22 173
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FIVE DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Thursday, 9/5 362 276 86 8 1,903
Friday, 9/6 --- --- -- - -----
Saturday, 9/7 --- --- -- - -----
Sunday, 9/8 254 196 87 8 1,479
Monday, 9/9 194 167 78 3 1,212
CURRENT SITUATION
Initial attack increased slightly yesterday. Fire activity also increased on
a few large fires due to drier and warmer conditions. Resource mobilization
through NICC remained minimal.
NATIONAL OUTLOOK
NICC has posted FIRE WEATHER WATCHES for dry lightning and gusty winds in
eastern Nevada, southeast Idaho and southwest Wyoming.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report; PIO, YOSE]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Submission pending.
MEMORANDA
No submissions.
EXCHANGE
No submissions.
MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS CALENDAR
Two calendars alternate in the Morning Report on Mondays - this one, which
contains meetings, conferences and events, and a second, which contains
workshops and training courses.
9/18-21 -- "Strategies for Battlefield Preservation and Partnerships," Third
National Battlefield Preservation Conference, Chattanooga, TN.
Co-sponsored by the American Battlefield Protection Program and
Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP. Contact: Hampton Tucker via
cc:Mail or at 202-343-3580. [Tanya Gossett, ABPP/WASO]
9/22-26 -- "GIS and Water Resources," 32nd Annual Conference and Symposium,
American Water Resources Association, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Contact: Cheryl Hallam, USGS, 703-648-5755. [Sheila Lee,
T&GD/WASO]
9/29-10/2 -- "Caring for Home Place: Protected Areas and Landscape Ecology,"
Regina, Saskatchewan. Integration of sustainable development,
landscape and ecosystem management, and protected areas.
Contact: Canadian Council on Ecological Areas, http:
//zeus.cas.uregina.ca/~cprc/ccea (Web). [Kathy Jope, CCSSO]
10/1-- CALL FOR PAPERS: "Making Protection Work: Parks and Reserves in a
Crowded, Changing World," Ninth Conference on Research and
Resource Management in Parks and on Public Lands, Albuquerque,
NM. Conference to be held, March 17-21, 1997; abstracts due by
October 1st. Contact: George Wright Society, PO Box 65, Hancock,
MI 49930-0065, or at http://www.portup.com/~gws/gws97.html, or
via Internet at gws@mail.portup.com. [David Harmon, GWS]
10/1-3 -- "Remember the Ladies: Women and the Preservation of Virginia's
Past," Stratford Hall and Popes Creek Plantations, VA. Sponsored
by George Washington Birthplace NM and Stratford Hall. Fee:
$100. Contact: Martha R. Walker, 301-934-6027. [John Frye,
GEWA]
10/1-6 -- "Living with Wildlife," Annual Conference, The Wildlife Society,
Cincinnati, OH. Contact: The Wildlife Society, 301-897-9770
(phone), tws@wildlife.org (Internet). [Kathy Jope, CCSSO]
10/2-6 -- 1996 Annual Convention, The Association for the Study of Afro-
American Life and History, Charleston, SC. Co-hosted by Avery
Research Center. Contact: Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney or Ms. Cherisse
Jones, 803-727-2009 (phone), 803-727-2017 (fax). [Mike Allen,
CHPI]
10/10-13 -- "Biodiversity and Ecology of the West Gulf Coast Plain
Landscape," Big Thicket Science Conference, Beaumont, TX.
Contact: Rick Strahan, CRM, BITH, via cc:Mail or at 409-839-2690
x 224, or Susan Brown, via cc:Mail or at 409-839-2690 x 223.
[Sheila Lee, T&GD/WASO]
10-11/13 -- Appalachian Long-Distance Hikers Association Annual Gathering,
Carlisle, PA. Contact: Al Souchard, 31 Albany Stone Cr., Nashua,
NH 03063. [Sheila Lee, T&GD/WASO]
10/16-20 -- National Preservation Conference, Chicago, IL. Contact: Michelle
Becker-Jones, 202-673-4039. [Sheila Lee, T&GD/WASO]
10/18-21 -- American Hiking Society's 20th Anniversary, Harpers Ferry, WV.
Contact: American Hiking Society, 301-565-6704. [Sheila Lee,
T&GD/WASO]
10/19-21 -- Annual Meeting, American Society of Landscape Architects, Los
Angeles, CA. Contact: ASLA, 202-686-2752. [Sheila Lee,
T&GD/WASO]
10/26-31 -- 103rd International Association for Chiefs of Police Conference,
Phoenix, AZ. Deadline for advance registration is August 16th.
Contact: 1-800-843-4227, 307-836-6767. [Dwayne Collier, SOAR]
10/27-11/1 -- 1996 National Safety Council Congress and Exposition/1996 DOI
Safety and Health Mini-Seminar/51st Annual Federal Safety and
Health Conference, Orlando, FL. Contact: Marcy Rogers, DOI, 303
238-7180. [Steve Hastings, NERI]
11/5-9* -- "Looking Back - Looking Forward," 20th Ranger Rendezvous,
Association of National Park Rangers, Omni Bayfront, Corpus
Christi, TX. Held jointly with the Association of National Park
Maintenance Employees. The Rendezvous will focus on both the
association's early years and on new directions. Pre-conference
training on fund raising and on "choosing by advantages" will be
available. Contacts: Bill Wade, SHEN; Tony Sisto, FOVA; Barbara
Goodman, DESO. [Barbara Goodman, DESO]
11/14-17* -- "Eureka!! The Archaeology of Innovation and Science," Chacmool
Conference, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Abstracts
must be received by September 30th. Contact: Lesley Nicholls, at
LANICHOLL@aol.com or by phone at 403-282-9567. [Barbara Little,
NRHE/WASO]
11/9-- "Mamie D. Eisenhower: Her Impact and Influence on Her Time,"
Dwight D. Eisenhower Seminar, Gettysburg, PA. Sponsored by
Eisenhower NHS and Gettysburg College. Contact: John Joyce,
EISE, 717-338-9114 (phone) or 717-338-0821 (fax). [John Joyce,
EISE]
11/21-23 -- "Presenting Ourselves: Interpretation of Community Issues and
Local Culture," American Association of Museums, Cincinnati, OH.
Contact: 202-289-9114 (phone); 202-289-6578 (fax). [Diane Vogt
O'Connor, CSD/WASO]
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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