Biscayne National Park (FL)
Conviction of Career Car Clouter
On January 11th, rangers stopped T.H. on suspicion of
committing a car clout in the visitor center parking lot. T.H. fled
during the stop, driving against oncoming traffic down a divided
highway. He punctured his rear tire while trying to elude the rangers,
who were able to catch and arrest him after a chase of seven miles.
T.H. was denied bond and remained in jail until his case was heard in
early April. During the four-day trial, five members of Biscayne's staff
testified along with the car clout victims. T.H. was convicted of
three felony counts by a jury — burglary of a car, fleeing from law
enforcement at a high rate of speed showing wanton disregard for the
safety of others, and possession of burglary tools. T.H. is known to
have committed car clouts back to 1999 in other national parks and at
businesses in the local community. Late last year, he was caught by Boca
Raton police for a similar crime and will be tried there after he gets
out of jail. Sentencing will be on June 19th.
[Submitted by Holly
Rife, Chief Ranger]
Padre Island National Seashore (TX)
Drug and Illegal Alien Smuggling Interdiction
A "shark" boat from Mexico was spotted entering Mansfield Channel in
the early morning hours of April 2nd. The occupants surveyed the area,
then headed back out into the Gulf of Mexico. A short time later, a
second shark boat, heavily laden with a shipment of marijuana, entered
the channel, came ashore, and offloaded the marijuana into two waiting
boats. These boats then headed west toward the intracoastal waterway,
while the shark boat returned to the gulf. The marijuana was eventually
transferred to a vehicle. Rangers seized the vehicle, and also found
additional marijuana hidden along the waterway. On the following night,
another shark boat landed on the beach and was met by a four-wheel-drive
vehicle. Eight undocumented aliens were on the boat and were
apprehended. In a little over 48 hours, joint agency operations resulted
in the seizure of about a ton and a half of marijuana, two boats, and a
vehicle and the apprehension of the undocumented aliens, two of their
smugglers, and six narcotics traffickers.
[Submitted by Randy
Larson, Chief Ranger]
Amistad National Recreation Area (TX)
Drug Seizure
On April 14th, Amistad rangers assisted in the seizure of 441 pounds
of processed marijuana that had been transported across the Rio Grande
and through Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, which is managed by Big
Bend NP. A dozen Mexican nationals were arrested for backpacking the
drugs and two others were arrested for attempting to assist them by
operating the pick-up vehicles. Big Bend NP was notified of the
incident. This was a joint drug investigation that involved the NPS,
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and the Texas DPS narcotics
unit.
[Submitted by Bruce Malloy, Chief Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Interagency Fire Center
NIFC Situation Report - Tuesday, May 6, 2003
Preparedness Level 2
A total of 373 new fires were reported on Monday. The 2,150-acre Agassiz Fire in Minnesota was fully contained, and the 234 Fire on Eglin AFB in Florida (4,900 acres) is 90% contained.
A Type 2 team is assigned to the Columbia Response operation to search an 865-acre area near Modena, Utah.
Fire Danger
| State |
5/1 |
5/2 |
5/3 |
5/4 |
5/5 |
5/6 |
| Alaska |
-- |
-- |
VH |
-- |
-- |
VX |
| Arizona |
VH |
VX |
VH |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| Colorado |
VH |
-- |
-- |
VX |
-- |
VX |
| Kansas |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VX |
-- |
-- |
| Massachusetts |
VH |
VX |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Michigan |
-- |
-- |
VH |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| Minnesota |
VH |
VX |
VH |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| New Mexico |
-- |
VX |
-- |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| Oklahoma |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VX |
-- |
| Texas |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VX |
-- |
| Wisconsin |
-- |
-- |
VH |
VX |
VX |
-- |
VH — Very high
EX — Extreme
VX — Very high to extreme
Fire Weather Watches and Warnings
A fire weather watch has been posted for gusty afternoon winds, relative humidity below 15% and high fire danger for the Guadalupe Mountains in southwest Texas.
National Resource Commitments
| Day |
4/30 |
5/1 |
5/2 |
5/3 |
5/4 |
5/5 |
5/6 |
| Crews |
54 |
38 |
11 |
64 |
65 |
67 |
3 |
| Engines |
73 |
52 |
37 |
28 |
24 |
20 |
24 |
| Helicopters |
10 |
3 |
7 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
6 |
| Air Tankers |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Overhead |
1,356 |
1,130 |
952 |
715 |
384 |
384 |
372 |
National Team Commitments
| State |
Type Team |
Team IC |
Incident/Fire |
Acres |
Percent Contain |
Est Full Contain |
| UT |
T2 |
Suwyn |
Columbia Response |
260 |
30% |
" |
Yosemite National Park (CA)
Prescribed Fires Planned for Coming Months
A number of prescribed fires are planned for this spring to meet the 2003 management goals for wildland urban interface protection and ecosystem restoration. Park operations will continue as usual during these prescribed fires, scheduled for ignition between April 28th and July 1st. The park plans approximately 1,300 acres of prescribed burns and 800 acres of mechanical thinning in the low- to mid-elevation ponderosa pine/mixed conifer forests on the west side of the park, weather permitting. In an effort to reduce fuels and create defensible space, prescribed burns totaling 640 acres will be ignited near Wawona beginning in early May and continuing through June. A series of small burns will be conducted south of Wawona on Studhorse Ridge, and another burn will be between Chowchilla Mountain Road, Big Creek and the Wawona Campground. An additional 20 acres of prescribed burning will occur in El Portal adjacent to government buildings and residences. As it dries sufficiently at higher elevations later in the spring, approximately 200 acres will be ignited in the Merced Grove area, that being the first stage in an interagency collaboration with the Stanislaus National Forest. And continuing with last year's large Gin Flat project, 339 acres will also be ignited near Tamarack Flat to reduce both fuels and fire hazards to Yosemite Institute, Crane Flat and the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias. Prescribed fires reduce heavy fuel loads while simultaneously opening the conifer forest and maintaining the health of meadow habitats. These areas would have experienced low-intensity surface fires naturally, but due to decades of fire suppression, the natural role of fire was eliminated, resulting in overgrown and unhealthy forests. Besides being used to thin forests and reduce unnatural fuel loads in forests that are in close proximity to public and private structures and use areas, prescribed fire is used to simulate the effects of a natural lightning-caused fire.
[Submitted by Fire Management Office]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Law Enforcement and Emergency Services
Web Site Setup for Info on WMD PPE
The Operation Liberty Shield staff would like to thank you for your cooperation and assistance in getting weapons of mass destruction (WMD) personal protective equipment (PPE) to every law enforcement ranger and special agent in the Service. The process has worked because of dedicated employees wanting to make it work. The program is generating a number of questions. Since the answers to these questions are often applicable across the Service, we have established a message board to give information, receive and answer questions and list "lessons learned" and other pertinent messages. Currently, the message board includes information about the back-ordered glasses adapters for the gas masks and property issuance and accountability. It will soon include information about training and fit testing. To access the board (which is supposed to be behind the firewall and only accessible to those on an "nps.gov" computer), please go to http://165.83.127.139/liberty, click "enter", and enter the password: wmdppe (lower case).
[Submitted by Greg Stiles, Operation Liberty Shield]
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.