NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, September 15, 1999

INCIDENTS

99-520 - East Coast Areas - Follow-up: Hurricane Dennis

Two follow-up reports have been received on Hurricane Dennis:

o     Cape Lookout NS (NC) - Dock repairs at both concessions were completed
      ahead of schedule, enabling concessioners to resume operations on
      September 9th.  The vehicle ban has been lifted.  Temporary roof
      repairs continue.  Portsmouth Village remains closed due to flooding
      and major damage to docks there.  Old Drum Inlet, opened by Hurricane
      Dennis, has been receiving boat traffic and shows little indication of
      closing up.

o     Cape Hatteras NS/Outer Banks Group - Damage assessment estimates place
      the cost of damage to facilities and grounds at the three parks at
      $650,000.  Wind and flooding damage were inflicted on roofs, interior
      ceilings, windows, septic systems, electrical circuits, boardwalks,
      campground grills, pony pen fencing, and asphalt turnouts and parking
      areas at Cape Hatteras.  A large number of park signs were also
      destroyed.  Significant roof problems and trail side erosion took place
      at Wright Brothers; the main problem at Fort Raleigh was downed trees. 
      Visitor centers on Hatteras and Ocracoke Island reopened to visitors
      once electricity was restored, employees returned to duty stations, and
      a section of NC Highway 12 was repaved and open for visitor access. 
      All the latter occurred prior to the arrival of Hurricane Floyd,
      however.  See below for further details.

[Jim Zahradka, IC, CALO, 9/14; Bob Woody, IO, IMT, CAHA, 9/14]

99-543 - Southeast Region Areas - Follow-up: Hurricane Floyd

As Hurricane Floyd wends its way north, parks and regional office staff in
SER are making necessary preparations.  Bob Panko's Type II team will arrive
in Atlanta tomorrow to begin planning for post-hurricane natural and cultural
resource damage assessments in conjunction with regional staff.  All National
Park Service Type I and Type II teams have been contacted by SERO and are
prepared to respond as needed to recovery operations.  SER staff will be
contacting DOI emergency operations personnel this afternoon to work out
procedures for mutual aid to other Interior agencies in the storm's path. 
Regional staff are also directly contacting refuges and other DOI offices in
the Southeast and maintaining communications links with them.  Meanwhile, in
the parks:

o     Cape Hatteras NS/Outer Banks Group (NC) - A mandatory evacuation of the
      Outer Banks was ordered by Dare County at 7 a.m. this morning.  All
      park facilities have been closed and the remainder of the park will be
      evacuated by noon today (Ocracoke Island was evacuated yesterday).  All
      employees will be released at that time.  The ICS team will remain on
      site at group headquarters until late this evening.

o     Cape Lookout NS (NC) - The park is shifting its focus from recovery
      from Hurricane Dennis to preparations for Hurricane Floyd.  The park
      was already experiencing overwash and strong rip currents yesterday
      afternoon, and will be closed by early afternoon today.

o     Moores Creek NB (NC) - The park began shutting down last night.  A
      tornado associated with the hurricane touched down just ten miles from
      the park this morning.  All employees will be released by 10 a.m.  The
      state has not yet ordered a mandatory evacuation for the county in
      which the park is located, although such an order has been issued for
      the nearby Carolina coast.

o     Congaree Swamp NM (SC) - The park is in the process of shutting down. 
      The new visitor center under construction is about 70% completed.  It's
      been boarded up and made as secure as possible.

o     Fort Sumter NM/Charles Pinckney NHS (SC) - The park completed
      preparations for the hurricane yesterday morning and will remain closed
      until the storm has passed and damage assessments have been completed. 
      All employees have been advised to evacuate the Charleston area.  The
      last employees left at noon yesterday.

o     Fort Pulaski NM, Fort Frederica NM - No reports have been received
      recently, but both areas have completed preparations and closed
      yesterday.

o     Timucuan E&HP/Fort Caroline NM - The park closed at noon yesterday. 
      Six employees and family members are using the Fort Caroline visitor
      center as a shelter during the storm.  As of this morning, the area was
      receiving rain and moderate winds.  The hurricane's center was 150
      miles off shore, so the northern Florida coast was not expected to get
      winds in excess of Category I.

o     Castillo de San Marcos NM/Fort Matanzas NM (FL) - The park staff has
      relocated to a motel in Alabama, which was the closest place that they
      could find lodging due to the massive exodus underway throughout the
      Southeast.  

o     Biscayne NP (FL) - Park staff are in the process of assessing the
      hurricane's impacts, but do not expect to find much damage.  There were
      at least two boat groundings, neither of them serious.  The park will
      probably reopen today.

o     Big Cypress NP (FL) - The park reopened today.  No damage has been
      reported, and all personnel are back on duty.

o     Everglades NP (FL) - The park reopened at midnight last night, but
      storm shutters are being left in place until Hurricane Gert's direction
      is determined with certainty.

[Ken Garvin and Darryl Rhodes, SERO, 9/15; John Tucker, Superintendent,
FOSU/CHPI, 9/14; Jim Zahradka, IC, CALO, 9/14; Roy Wood, IO, EVER, 9/15;
Stephanie Bagozzi, IMT, BICY, 9/15; Bob Woody, IO, IMT, CAHA, 9/15; Barbara
Goodman, TIMU/FOCA, 9/14-15]

99-557 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Drug Seizure

On September 2nd, a ranger began tracking a group of suspected drug smugglers
near Highway 85.  Border Patrol agents assisted.  Nine backpack bundles with
a total of 415 pounds of marijuana were found stashed in the area.  A group
of suspected smugglers was spotted several hundred yards away, fleeing south
into the desert.  Three Border Patrol agents and the ranger pursued the group
for almost two hours until loosing their track in rocky terrain.  [Jon Young,
Ranger, ORPI, 9/8]

99-558 - Knife River Indian Villages NHS (ND) - Special Event

The park celebrated its 25th anniversary on August 18th and 19th in
partnership with the Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara) on
the Fort Berthold Reservation.  Over 750 people attended the event. 
Highlights included a reception, a catered traditional Northern Plains Indian
meal, and numerous speakers.  On-going programs over the two days included a
tipi encampment, flute music, story-telling, dancing, stories on the life of
Sakajawea, and the history of the Three Affiliated Tribes.  [Bill Lutz, CR,
KNRI, 8/20]

99-559 - Great Sand Dunes NM (CO) - Assist; MVA with Fatalities, Rescue

On September 4th, county authorities asked for help from rangers on an
accident on the Lake Como Road.  This four-wheel-drive road is considered to
be one of the most technically difficult jeep roads in the state.  Ranger Ray
Miller responded with an ATV and joined state and county officers and SAR
team members in the recovery of two people who died from massive injuries
when their jeep tumbled off a rock ledge.  While on this incident, Miller and
SAR personnel were diverted to Blue Lakes, several miles further up the
canyon, to assist a woman who'd been injured while climbing 14,345-foot Mt.
Blanca.  [CRO, GRSA, 9/7]

FIRE ACTIVITY

The fire report is not available this morning.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, PROTECTION AND EDUCATION 

Report pending.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Fire Shelter Alert - The Forest Service's Missoula Technology and Development
Center recently tested the current wildland fire shelter and found the
potential for production of hydrocarbon gases internal to the shelter, which
may ignite under certain circumstances.  The full text of the Forest
Service's findings follows:

"Fire shelter training has for years stressed the importance of deploying
fire shelters where there is no direct flame contact.  However, the results
of recent tests by MTDC have shown us that avoiding flame contact is far more
important than was ever realized.  New technology in video recording
equipment has allowed us to see how flame contact causes the fire shelter to
break down.  When flame or any convective heat touches the shelter, the glue
used in the shelter material produces gas, filling the shelter with smoke. 
This smoke is flammable.  When a flame enters the shelter, through a pinhole
or under the edge, the gasses can ignite causing a flashover.  After the
flashover the shelter material continues to burn.  This fire is inside the
fire shelter.  Damage ranges from small holes in the aluminum outer layer to
large holes in the aluminum and fiberglass cloth to total destruction of the
shelter, depending on the amount of convective heat involved.  We have seen
this damage caused by grass and ground litter fires as well as by intense
flame fronts.  For example, a shelter placed well away from an intense flame
front was burned by light ground fuels that were left after the area was
cleared by a dozer.

"The limiting factor on the shelter's durability appears to be off-gassing
and ignition of the adhesive.  We do not yet know the exact temperature or
heat flux that causes this, but have found that is much lower than previously
thought.  The ignition inside the shelter causes rapid delamination and
flaking of the aluminum foil.  It has been found that once the heat load
outside the shelter is removed, the shelter material stops burning in a
matter of seconds.  If the intense external heat load continues, offgassing
and combustion also continue.

"Firefighters have survived entrapments in shelters with areas of
delamination and missing foil.  They may have experienced fire within their
shelters.  We still believe that the conditions inside the shelter will be
better than those outside the shelter, but that flame contact radically
reduces the protection offered by the shelter.

"We have always known fire shelters have their limitations.  In light of
these new findings, it is highly important that firefighters recognize the
importance of deploying shelters in as large and fuel-free area as possible. 
Gravel or paved roads, areas cleared by dozers to mineral soil or black areas
with no residual fuel are suggested as deployment sites.  Remember that small
brush, ground litter, grass or firefighting equipment have the potential to
burn the shelter.  These precautions are in addition to those suggested in
the pamphlet, "Your Fire Shelter, 1995 Edition," particularly those related
to situations that would expose the shelter to flames or convective heat
(chimneys, steep slopes, draws, etc.).

"First and foremost, remember that all firefighting tactics must be selected
to ensure firefighter safety at all times.  Escape routes and safety zones
must be known by all and must be continually reevaluated.  It is important
also to recognize that the fire shelter has limitations.  It is not a
guarantee of your safety.  It is a last resort.  However, if you must deploy
a fire shelter, it is extremely important that you deploy in an area where
flames will not contact the shelter."

While not a reason to NOT issue or use fire shelters, this finding provides
an additional reason for firefighters to follow proper mitigation measures
(LCES/10 Standard Orders) to keep from having to use shelters in the first
place - and to follow the proper deployment procedures if a shelter has to be
used.  [Paul Broyles, Chief, Fire Operations and Safety, NPS FPMC]

MEMORANDA

"Prescribed Fire Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation Procedures," signed
August 24th by the Associate Director, Park Operations and Education and sent
to all regional directors and park superintendents.  The text follows.  The
referenced report is NOT attached to the Morning Report, but can be obtained
at the Service's fire management web site:  www.nifc.nps/gov/fire/.  Click on
"Fire management," then on "Standards and Policy."  There are separate links
for the memo and for the report:

"Following some recent undesirable outcomes from prescribed fire
implementation the Fire Management Program Center coordinated a review of
current National Park Service policy and guidelines for prescribed fire.  A
team composed of the following people conducted the review of the policies
and scrutiny of the procedures for planning, implementing, and evaluating
prescribed fires:

o     Dick Bahr, Fuels Management Specialist, National Interagency Fire
      Center
o     Dan Buckley, Fire Management Officer, Golden Gate National Recreation
      Area
o     Paul Head, Fire Management Officer, Northeast Region
o     Ken Kerr, Prescribed Fire Specialist, Grand Canyon National Park
      Dave Lentz, Deputy Fire Management Officer, Intermountain Regional
      Office
o     Kim Van Hemelryck, Prescribed Fire Technician, Grand Canyon National
      Park
o     Tom Zimmerman, Fire Science and Ecology Program, National Interagency
      Fire Center

"Following this review of National Park Service direction provided in
Director's Order #18 and Reference Manual-18 for planning, implementing, and
evaluating prescribed fire applications, it was determined that they are
adequate to successfully guide prescribed fire operations.  Minor revisions
in Program Requirements and Prescribed Fire Plans sections will strengthen
Reference Manual-18.  Changes will be accomplished through the standard
revision schedule (next revision February 2000).

"The 'Prescribed Fire Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation Procedures
Review' is attached and should be opened with Microsoft Word for correct
formatting.

"If you have any questions or need additional information contact Dick Bahr
at (208) 387-5217."

INTERCHANGE

Report pending.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Report pending.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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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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