- Subject: NPS Morning Report - Wednesday, July 30, 1997
- Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Wednesday, July 30, 1997
Broadcast: By 1000 ET
INCIDENTS
97-410 - Glen Canyon NRA (AZ/UT) - Rescues
A strong weather system passed through the Wahweap subdistrict on the
afternoon of July 27th. Sustained winds of 45 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph,
were recorded from 3 p.m. until dark. Waves up to six feet high were whipped
up near Castle Rock along the main boat route back to Wahweap. Many boats
were returning to the launch ramps and marina after a long and very busy
weekend, and numerous accidents occurred. Several boats were swamped, at
least one vessel sank, and one boat with eight Boy Scouts on board capsized
in the middle of Wahweap Bay. Another three people on personal water craft
(PWCs) were repeatedly knocked into the water by the high winds and required
assistance. Reports are still coming in, but a total of at least 59 people
were rescued through a coordinated effort by rangers, concession employees
and visitors. [Tomie Patrick Lee, CR, GLCA, 7/28]
97-411 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (NJ/PA) - Bear Mauling
On the afternoon of July 25th, D.M., her two children, aged 13
months and four years, and their unleashed dog were hiking along an
unmaintained trail in the park about a half mile from the nearest road.
D.M. was carrying the youngest child in a back pack. The dog, which
was running about a hundred feet ahead of D.M., discovered and began
barking at two black bears. The larger bear then ran directly toward
D.M.. She shouted at it, but it continued running toward her. The
bear stood on its hind legs, lunged at D.M., knocked her to the ground,
and began biting and clawing her. The 13-month-old was thrown from the
backpack during the attack. After a few seconds, the bear broke off the
attack. D.M. immediately stood up and resumed shouting at the bear,
positioning herself between the bear and her children as it circled and made
four bluff charges toward them. The bear eventually moved off, and they were
able to reach the road, where three park visitors picked the trio up and
brought them home. The dog, which had run off during the attack, was waiting
there for them. D.M.'s husband took her to a local hospital, where she
was treated for an avulsion on the left side of her face, a smaller wound to
the right side of her face, and three claw lacerations to her right upper
chest. Both facial wounds required treatment by a plastic surgeon. Rangers
and Pennsylvania state game officers investigated the incident, but were
unable to locate the bear. D.M. said that she understood that the
bear's reaction had been a natural one. No action will be taken against the
animal. [Jennifer Kavanaugh, PR, DEWA, 7/26]
97-412 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Law Enforcement Search
On the morning of July 24th, a West Yellowstone police officer spotted a man
and vehicle matching descriptions that had been recently transmitted in an
all-points bulletin for a convicted felon wanted in a recent arson case in
Idaho. The officer followed the vehicle up U.S. 191 into the park. The
driver, J.M., 24, became aware that he was being followed, stopped the
vehicle, got out and fled into the woods. Rangers arrived on scene to assist
and heard two shots fired, presumably by J.M., who was believed to be armed
with a handgun. It is not clear whether the shots were fired at the rangers
or officers. The search was delayed until additional resources could be
brought on scene. An aerial recon of the area was then conducted by park
special operations team members in a park contract helicopter; a ground
search was conducted by a county canine unit and other members of the team.
No sign of J.M. was found, and the search was suspended at 3 p.m. On the
morning of the 25th, a park visitor reported a suspicious pedestrian along
U.S. 191 near the Black Butte Ranch. Gallatin subdistrict rangers responded
and arrested J.M.. No firearm was recovered. J.M. faces several federal
charges for offenses committed in the park. It's not yet certain if he will
be charged with any crimes by the originating agency in Idaho. [Mike Murray,
ACR, YELL, 7/24-25]
97-413 - Sequoia-Kings Canyon Nps (CA) - Poaching Arrest
On July 26th, rangers contacted A.T., who was collecting
butterflies with a net in Halstead Meadow in Sequoia NP. He had in his
possession 51 butterflies representing a dozen species, all of which he'd
collected in the park. During a search of his motel room in Exeter,
California, rangers and FWS agents found another 193 butterflies and evidence
of travel to and/or collection in numerous national parks, including Mesa
Verde NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Arches NP, Zion NP, Capitol Reef NP and Grand
Canyon NP. He also had specimens labeled as having been collected in Mt.
Charleston, Nevada, Greenwich, Utah, and Sequoia NF. A.T. is a member
of the Societas Europaea Lepidopterologica, a European entomological society
specializing in butterflies. For further information on this case, please
contact ranger Scott Wanek via cc:Mail at NP-SEKI. [Debbie Bird, CR, SEKI,
7/28]
97-414 - Presidents Park (DC) - Demonstration; Arrests
Representative B.F. (D-CA) and 15 Philippine-American World War II
veterans were arrested by Park Police officers on July 26th after they
chained themselves to the White House fence as part of a demonstration in
support of benefit payments for Filipinos who fought for the United States
during that war. The San Diego legislator and the veterans were cited under
CFR regulations and released after paying $50 fines. [Bill Lynch, RLES,
NCRO, 7/28]
97-415 - National Capital Parks (DC) - Assist; Serious MVA
Rangers from the National Mall responded to a severe, two-car motor vehicle
accident near the ranger station on Independence Avenue on the morning of
July 5th. Ranger Jim Nichols was first on scene and was sound joined by
rangers Taya Schram and Brad Baker and maintenance worker Jim Berge. They
stopped traffic and called for park EMTs and Park Police officers. USPP
officers arrived within four minutes and took over traffic control. Nichols
attended to the four victims; ranger/EMTs Matt Klozik and T. Allyn Pharo soon
arrived and assisted him. Two of the victims had possible severe spinal
injuries and the other two had closed head injuries. The rangers worked to
stabilize the victims for 20 to 30 minutes. They were then transported to
hospitals by city ambulances. [Gerry Gaumer, Assistant Site Manager, NAMA,
7/8]
97-416 - Big Thicket NP (TX) - Drowning
On the afternoon of July 26th, rangers received a report of a possible
drowning near Sheffield's Ferry on the Neches River. C.B., 16, swam
across the river with his girlfriend and brother; on the way back, C.B.
began to struggle and went underwater in an eddy. Rangers, county deputies,
state parks and wildlife officers, and members of local emergency and
volunteer fire departments conducted a joint effort to find his body. Divers
eventually located C.B. in a bottom trough in 27 feet of water. He was
pronounced dead at the scene. [Bob Appling, CR, BITH, 7/29]
97-417 - Great Smoky Mountains NP (TN/NC) - Drowning
D.H., 20, of Decatur, Tennessee, drowned in Abrams Creek on the
evening of July 23rd. D.H. was camped at the nearby Abrams Creek
campground and had been fishing with his father and brother-in-law. The
three men fished separately for about three hours. When D.H. failed to
return to camp, his companions went looking for him and found him face down
in the water. CPR was attempted, but was unsuccessful. It appears that
D.H., who'd been taking dilantin to control seizures, may have forgotten
to take his medicine, suffered a seizure, fallen, struck his head, then
rolled into the river. [Jason Houck, CR, GRSM, 7/24]
[Additional reports pending...]
FIRE ACTIVITY
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II
LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY
Mon Tue % Est
State Unit Fire/Incident IMT 7/28 7/29 Con Con
AK Southwest Area Inowak T2 480,000 482,000 0 NEC
Chiniklik Mt. T2 3,340 3,340 35 8/3
Galena District Paimiut T2 1,200 1,197 80 8/3
Simels -- 342,000 342,700 0 NEC
NJ State * West Mills -- - 1,000 0 NR
ID Boise District * Saylor Creek -- - 300 0 NEC
CA Lassen NF * Mountain -- - 10 100 CND
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 (FIVE DAY TREND)
NPS BIA BLM FWS States USFS Total
Friday, 7/25 0 4 14 0 39 33 90
Saturday, 7/26 0 2 14 1 26 29 72
Sunday, 7/27 0 4 25 1 44 74 148
Monday, 7/28 1 3 37 0 86 105 232
Tuesday, 7/29 3 10 34 1 86 153 287
TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FIVE DAY TREND)
Crews Engines Helicopters Airtankers Overhead
Friday, 7/25 43 46 27 7 174
Saturday, 7/26 47 95 26 8 144
Sunday, 7/27 69 130 27 13 183
Monday, 7/28 89 114 42 6 184
Tuesday, 7/29 73 137 37 6 203
COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT
1997: YTD Ten Year Average: YTD
Number of fires 40,372 50,202
Acres burned 2,069,260 1,715,035
CURRENT SITUATION
Firefighters continue to battle numerous lightning-ignited fires in the
Northwest and northern California. Most of the new starts were contained
through initial attack. New large fires were reported in the eastern Great
Basin and East. Progress continues on fires in Alaska. High to extreme fire
indices are being reported throughout the West.
[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 7/30]
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Reports pending.
OPERATIONAL NOTES
No submissions.
MEMORANDA
No submissions.
EXCHANGE
Night Vision Goggles - Rangers in Barataria Preserve are seeking to borrow
some night vision goggles for use during the upcoming hunting season (the
season begins in mid-October, but 'poaching season' begins in September). If
you can help, contact Chris Burke via cc:Mail at JELA Barataria or by phone
at 504-589-2330.
* * * * *
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
pertaining to receipt of 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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