Yellowstone National Park (ID,MT,WY)
Convictions for Resource Damage by Snowmobilers
Rangers at Yellowstone recorded more than 74 cases of off-road travel
or resource damage by snowmobile operators over this past winter —
21 of them significant incursions of snowmobiles into roadless areas.
Snowmobiles were found to have been operated as deep as six miles within
remote section of the park in the Gallatin subdistrict and on the west
side of the park. Because of the highly visible resource damage and
difficulty catching offenders in prior years, subdistrict ranger Rick
Bennett and special agent Dan Kirschner put a plan into effect that
involved prevention, targeted patrols, consistent enforcement and
aggressive prosecution of violators. Press releases and other media were
used to deter violators and rangers logged over 600 hours on patrol,
logging more than 3,000 patrol miles. Between January and March, rangers
made a dozen arrests of egregious, willful, or repeat offenders, and
cited and released another nine violators. All 21 defendants negotiated
guilty pleas via plea agreements with the special assistant U.S.
attorney; all were accepted by the U.S. magistrate and entered into
court. Each defendant paid a minimum of $500 in fines and restitution,
and some had their snowmobiles held (at the direction of the U.S.
Attorney's Office) as evidence pending adjudication of their cases. It
is hard to measure how many additional violations were deterred by these
coordinated prevention and enforcement efforts. This operation will
continue in 2004.
[Submitted by Brian Smith, Supervisory Special
Agent]
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (DC,MD,WV)
Fisheries Enforcement Operation
On May 3rd, a multi-agency task force concluded a four-day operation
entitled Task Force Potomac, a fisheries enforcement operation on the
Potomac River in the Little Falls/Chain Bridge area. Citations were
issued for 160 violations, including the illegal catching of shad and
striped bass, use of cast nets, snagging, fishing without a license, and
a multitude of CFR public use violations, such as illegal swimming in
hazardous areas of the river. In addition to the enforcement operation,
an educational outreach effort conducted by the NPS and Potomac
Conservancy is being implemented to encourage responsible fishing and
public use on park lands. Participating in the task force were NCR
resource protection unit rangers, USPP officers, USFWS agents, Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries wardens, DC harbor police,
Maryland Department of Natural Resources police, Virginia Marine
Resources Commission police, and Maryland National Capital Park police.
[Submitted by Einar Olsen, Regional Chief Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Interagency Fire Center
NIFC Situation Report - Wednesday, May 7, 2003
Preparedness Level 2
Eighty-four new fires were reported yesterday. The fire on Eglin AFB was contained.
A Type 2 team is assigned to the Columbia Response operation to search an 865-acre area near Modena, Utah.
Fire Danger
| State |
5/2 |
5/3 |
5/4 |
5/5 |
5/6 |
5/7 |
| Alaska |
-- |
VH |
-- |
-- |
VX |
-- |
| Arizona |
VX |
VH |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| Colorado |
-- |
-- |
VX |
-- |
VX |
VX |
| Kansas |
-- |
-- |
VX |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Massachusetts |
VX |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VX |
| Michigan |
-- |
VH |
VX |
VX |
VX |
-- |
| Minnesota |
VX |
VH |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| New Mexico |
VX |
-- |
VX |
VX |
VX |
VX |
| Oklahoma |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VX |
-- |
VX |
| Texas |
-- |
-- |
-- |
VX |
-- |
VX |
| Wisconsin |
-- |
VH |
VX |
VX |
-- |
-- |
VH — Very high
EX — Extreme
VX — Very high to extreme
Fire Weather Watches and Warnings
No watches or warnings posted today.
National Resource Commitments
| Day |
5/1 |
5/2 |
5/3 |
5/4 |
5/5 |
5/6 |
5/7 |
| Crews |
38 |
11 |
64 |
65 |
67 |
3 |
3 |
| Engines |
52 |
37 |
28 |
24 |
20 |
24 |
22 |
| Helicopters |
3 |
7 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
6 |
7 |
| Air Tankers |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Overhead |
1,130 |
952 |
715 |
384 |
384 |
372 |
371 |
National Team Commitments
| State |
Type Team |
Team IC |
Incident/Fire |
Acres |
Percent Contain |
Est Full Contain |
| UT |
T2 |
Suwyn |
Columbia Response |
346 |
40% |
N/A |
Park Fire Situation
No reports today.
PARKS AND PEOPLE
El Malpais National Monument (NM)
GS-025-9 Protection Ranger
The park is advertising for a GS-025-9 PFT protection ranger. The position is covered by 6c and requires a current Level 1 full law enforcement commission. Duties include ARPA/NAGPRA investigations and enforcement, backcountry/wilderness management, cave monitoring and protection, boundary identification and integrity, trespass grazing, cultural resource monitoring and protection, seasonal hunting patrols, and liaison with neighbors and adjacent landowners, with emphasis on Native American associations. Applications must be received by May 27th. They should be sent to El Malpais NM, Attention: Personnel Office, 123 East Roosevelt Avenue, Grants, NM 87020. For more information about the position, contact Hershel Schulz, chief ranger, at 505-285-4641 ext. 25 or personnel at ext. 16.
[Submitted by Herschel Schulz, Chief Ranger]
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.