NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, June 15, 1999

INCIDENTS

99-266 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Rockslide with Fatality, Injuries, Evacuation

At 7:35 p.m. on Sunday, June 13th, a rockslide occurred above Curry Village
in Yosemite Valley.  The release point was on the Glacier Point Apron,
approximately 2,000 feet above the valley.  Three visitors from Gunnison,
Colorado were climbing the Apron Jam route in the direct path of the
rockslide.  P.T., 22, was killed by falling rocks; his two climbing
companions and a bystander received minor injuries.  After the slide, 1,363
guests and Yosemite Concession Services employees were evacuated from their
tent cabins.  All but 155 concession employees were allowed to return to
their cabins later in the evening.  Park personnel spent the day assessing
the area from the ground and by helicopter.  A USGS geologist is coming to
the park to further evaluate the rockslide.  Media interest in the incident
has been very high.  [Scott Gediman, PIO, YOSE, 6/14]

99-267 - Yosemite NP (CA) - BASE Jump; Search

At first light on June 9th, a man jumped from El Capitan and parachuted to
the floor of Yosemite Valley, landing in El Capitan Meadow.  Rangers John
Stobinski and Tom Schwartz saw the jump.  As the jumper was disconnecting his
harness, they identified themselves and ordered him to stop.  He looked at
the rangers, smiled and fled.  The rangers gave chase for approximately 500
yards until the jumper entered the Merced River, swollen by spring run-off.
He was swept downstream and was not seen again by the rangers.  A search of a
two-mile stretch of the Class 3 Merced River was conducted utilizing the
park's contract helicopter and ten swiftwater-trained rescuers.  The jumper
was not located, and it's not certain if he got out of the river.  Evidence
indicates that he was an experienced and professional BASE jumper named F.G.
F.G. is reported by close friends as reliable and punctual; he
was expected home in Lake Tahoe on the evening of June 9th and had a job
appointment the following morning.  He didn't make either of these
appointments, and, as far as investigators have been able to determine, has
not called any friends or relatives.  The search continued on June 10th. 
F.G.'s vehicle was found parked near a trailhead that leads to the top of
El Capitan.  No further sign of him has yet been found.  [Scott Hinson, YOSE,
6/12]

99-268 - Glacier Bay NP&P (AK) - Vessel Grounding

The 156-foot tour vessel Wilderness Adventurer struck and grounded on a rock
in a narrow finger of Dundas Bay on the afternoon of June 12th.  The vessel
was carrying 56 passengers and 24 crew members, all of whom were safely
evacuated and transported to the community of Gustavus by a second tour
vessel.  The Wilderness Adventurer was on an eight-day cruise that included
one day in the bay, which is located approximately 80 air miles west of
Juneau.  An ICS team was assembled and park staff, vessels and aircraft were
dispatched to the scene to aid the Coast Guard and to take the lead in
protecting the critical habitat of the area.  The location of the vessel has
made communications difficult and the coordination of resources challenging. 
A unified command was established, linking the NPS, Coast Guard, and Alaska
Department of Environmental Conservation.  Acting district ranger Rick
Perkins was the original IC.  The Alaska all-risk management team was
dispatched to the park to oversee the incident, and was to assume
responsibility on the evening of June 13th. [Vickie McMillan, Acting PIO,
GLBA, 6/14]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                       Wed     Sun   %   Est
State      Unit              Fire/Incident   IMT       6/9    6/13  Con  Con

AZ    Grand Canyon NP        Mt. Emma        FUM       200   1,090    0  UNK
      Ft. Apache Agency    * Rainbow          T1         -   4,163  100  CND
      State                * Black Butte      --         -     624  100  CND
      Coronado NF          * Gardner          --         -     280  100  CND

AK    Ft. Greely Army Base * Donnelly         T2         -   3,200    0  UNK

NV    Winnemucca FO        * Fairview         --         -   1,300   50  6/14
                           * Mill             --         -   1,883  100  CND

NM    Cibola NF              La Jara          T2     3,382   3,382  100  CND

FL    Osceola NF             Friendly         T2    69,060  69,060   80  6/15
      State                * Port of Isle     --         -   2,400  100  CND

NJ    State                * Chamberlin       --         -     100  100  CND
                           * Dover Forge      --         -     295  100  CND

CA    San Diego RU         * Banner           --         -     700  100  CND

                                  Heading Notes

Unit        Agency = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA state resource
            or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; FO = BLM field
            office; 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; FUM = Fire Use
            Management Team
% Con       Percent of fire contained; UNK = unknown; NR = no report
Est Con     Estimated containment date; NEC = no estimated date of
            containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report

FIRE NARRATIVES

Grand Canyon NP - The Mount Emma fire is located approximately five miles
west southwest of Tuweep on the North Rim.  The Mormon Lake hotshot crew will
soon be joining the NPS Alpine and Arrowhead hotshot crews and NPS fire use
monitors already on scene.  The fire, which was started by lightning on June
3rd, is now 1,090 acres in size and is currently burning in the park and in
BLM's Mount Logan Wilderness.  The portion of the fire within the park is
being managed for resource benefits, but fire activity along the western and
northern flanks has required helicopter water drops and some fireline
construction to limit spread into sensitive resource areas.  The park remains
open to visitors.  Due to the remote location of this fire, visitors at park
overlooks are unlikely to see any smoke.  For more information on the fire,
check the interagency fire information website at http://www.fs.fed.us/
r3/fire.  [Scott Sticha, IO]

NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)

                    NPS    BIA      BLM     FWS    States   USFS     Total

Thursday, 6/10      36      1         0       1       81     18       137
Friday, 6/11         1      0         4       0      154     17       176
Saturday, 6/12       2      4         9       0       63     23       101
Sunday, 6/13         2      5        13       3       71     36       130

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Thursday, 6/10      53         88          19             4           235
Friday, 6/11        35         65          25             1           283
Saturday, 6/12      69        131          28             1           238
Sunday, 6/13        71         54          29             0           341

CURRENT SITUATION

Initial attack activity increased in Alaska on Sunday due to lighting and
hot, dry conditions.  Large fires continued to burn in the western Great
Basin, Alaska and Southwest.  Initial attack activity was minimal elsewhere. 
Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in California, New Mexico,
Arizona, West Texas, Utah and Nevada.  [NICC Incident Management Situation
Report, 6/11-13]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

No entries.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Entries pending...

UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming weeks
on matters pertaining to the National Park Service or kindred agencies.  For
inquiries regarding legislation pertaining to the NPS, please contact the
main office at 202-208-5883/5656 and ask to be forwarded to the appropriate
legislative specialist.

HEARINGS/MARK-UPS

Thursday, June 17

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands (Hansen):
Hearing on H.R. 1487 (Hansen, UT), a bill to provide for public participation
in the declaration of national monuments under the Act popularly known as the
Antiquities Act of 1906.  The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in 1324
Longworth.

Tuesday, June 22

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands (Hansen):
Oversight hearing on franchise fee calculations for Fort Sumter Tours
(rescheduled from May 18).  The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in 1324
Longworth.

Thursday, June 24

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands (Hansen):
Oversight hearing on noxious weeds.  The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in
1324 Longworth.

Tuesday, June 29

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands (Hansen):
Oversight hearing on the occurrence of the hantavirus disease and the
associated health risks to park visitors on the Channel Islands National
Park, California.  The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in 1324 Longworth.

Thursday, July 1

House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands (Hansen):
Hearing on:

o     H.R. 20 (Gilman, NY), a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior
      to construct and operate a visitor center for the Upper Delaware Scenic
      and Recreational River on land owned by the State of New York.
o     H.R. 1615 (Sununu, NH), a bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
      to extend the designation of a portion of the Lamprey River in New
      Hampshire as a recreational river to include an additional river
      segment.

The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in 1324 Longworth.

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED

The following bills either directly or indirectly pertaining to the NPS have
been introduced since the last Morning Report listing of new legislation
(June 2nd):

o     S. 1187 (Dorgan, ND), a bill to require the Secretary of the Treasury
      to mint coins in commemoration of the bicentennial of the Lewis and
      Clark Expedition, and for other purposes.  
o     H.R. 2049 (Davis, VA), a bill to rename Wolf Trap Farm Park for the
      Performing Arts as "Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts". 
o     H.R. 2140 (Deal, GA), a bill to improve protection and management of
      the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in the State of
      Georgia. 
o     H.R. 2177 (Udall, CO), a bill to designate the James Peak Wilderness in
      the Arapaho National Forest in the State of Colorado.
o     H.R. 2178 (Udall, CO), a bill to designate as wilderness certain lands
      within the Rocky Mountain National Park in the State of Colorado.
o     H.R. 1000 (Shuster, PA), a bill to amend title 49, United States Code,
      to reauthorize programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for
      other purposes. 

NEW LAWS

The following bills have passed Congress and been signed into law: 

No new laws.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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