INCIDENTS

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Capitol Reef National Park (UT)
Major Flash Flooding, Rescue

On August 23rd, an intense thunderstorm dropped three-quarters of an inch of rain on the park within 15 minutes, then was followed by more rain and hail, causing the most significant flooding seen in the park in several decades. The focal point of the storm was an area radiating out from park headquarters for about five miles. Temperatures dropped more than 30 degrees in just over an hour. Sulphur Creek, which normally runs about two inches deep and eight feet wide at this time of the year, grew to 16 feet deep and 140 feet wide. A bridge on Highway 24 acted as a dam, creating a point that measured several acres in size. Hundreds of boulders, some as large as 300 pounds, were washed onto the highway in numerous locations. Dozens of waterfalls cascading over the Wingate cliffs added to the volume, and hail two to six inches deep briefly covered the canyon floor. For a few sminutes, runoff up to three inches deep swept across orchards, fields, and the park residence area, damaging two homes. Campers in the Fruita Campground were moved to high ground away from the river, and visitors were evacuated from canyons along Scenic Drive. The Spring Canyon and South Desert drainages then began to flood, bringing the Fremont River, normally 15 inches deep and 25 feet wide at this time of year, to a depth of 17 feet in places, and width of 400 feet near the east boundary of the park. The chocolate-colored river featured numerous standing waves and a huge debris load that included full-size trees. The river left its banks and the adjacent river bottoms to flow across Highway 24 at about ten locations, including several areas that covered the highway for stretches of a half-mile. The highway and other roads were closed, and state highway department employees and the park's roads and trails crew responded quickly and worked into the night to remove debris, temporarily repair undercut sections, and reopen the highway. At one point, Janie Hutchinson, 64, of Corrales, New Mexico, who was standing at the edge of the river watching it flow by, was caught by a massive surge that pushed the river to about ten times its normal width. Water flowed behind her and she quickly stood on a rock as the water rose to thigh-level and left her 55 feet from the bank, clutching a tamarisk sprig as standing waves formed around her. Rangers and bystanders were able to get a life jacket and throw rope to her and pull her to safety. Two hikers escaped harm in the Sulphur Creek Narrows by scrambling up onto a small ledge and remaining there for nearly three hours as the flood rushed by. Tom Cox was incident commander.
[Submitted by Tom Cox, Acting Chief Ranger]

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HI)
Hurricane Jimena Causes Park Closures

Hurricane Jimena passed just south of the island of Hawaii on Sunday and Monday. The entire coastline of the park, the backcountry, and Chain of Craters Road were accordingly closed. The park is opearting under ICS with around-the-clock ranger patrols and 24-hour dispatch. At the time of the report on Sunday evening, it was expected that the headquarters area would be struck by heavy rains and winds of up to 60 mph.
[Submitted by Paul Ducasse, Chief Ranger]

Joshua Tree National Park (CA)
Flooding Caused by Tropical Storm Erika

The remnants of Tropical Storm Erika struck the park on the afternoon of August 20th, causing sudden flashflooding in the Morongo Basin and two to three inches of rain in in an hour's time in the town of Yucca Valley. Cars were swept away by a major flash flood that ran through the town's streets, and homes filled up with flood waters. The town's fire department was swamped with emergency calls for help. A BLM engine and crew from the Black Rock Interagency Fire Center, located in the park, responded to provide assistance. Over the course of about four hours, crew members assisted with numerous swiftwater rescue assignments and helped salvage property from homes. While en route to town, crew members saw roads flooded with three feet of water, cars stuck in washed-out roadways, and vehicles being swept down washes. One park employee had her car partly buried by mud and debris at Black Rock campground. Covington Road, a dirt four-wheel-drive road, has been closed until washouts can be repaired.
[Submitted by Jeff Ohlfs, Acting Chief Ranger]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

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Fire and Aviation Management
National Fire Summary - Monday, September 1, 2003

Preparedness Level 5

Initial attack was light everywhere on Sunday. A total of 114 new fires were reported, only two of which escaped initial attack. One large fire in the South was contained.

Fire Danger

Day	8/20	8/21	8/22	8/23	8/24	9/1
Alaska	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	--
Arizona	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX
California	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX
Colorado	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	--
Hawaii	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX
Idaho	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX
Kansas	--	--	--	--	VX	--
Minnesota	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	--
Montana	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX
Nevada	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX
New Mexico	--	--	--	VX	--	--
North Dakota	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX
Oklahoma	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	--
Oregon	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX
South Dakota	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX
Texas	--	--	--	VX	VX	--
Utah	VX	--	--	--	--	--
Washington	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX
Wyoming	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX	VX

VX = Very high to extreme danger

National Resource Commitments

Day	8/19	8/20	8/21	8/22	8/23	8/24	9/1
Crews	503	541	569	550	588	570	471
Engines	1,005	1,065	1,134	1,226	1,139	1,112	773
Helicopters	169	157	174	174	161	199	162
Air Tankers	2	0	1	2	0	2	0
Overhead	4,799	4,643	4,869	5,170	5,607	6,006	4,350

National Team Commitments

Teams are listed alphabetically by type. New team commitments or changes in teams (as of this report) are indicated in bold face.

State	Type Team	Team IC	Fire/Location	Acres	Percent Contain	Est Full Contain
MT	ACT	Greenhoe	Lolo-Bitterroot NF Fires	---	---	---
MT	ACT	Mann	Flathead NF/Glacier NP Fires	---	---	---
MT	ACT	Ribar	Montana Fires	---	---	---
MT	ACT	Rounsaville	Montana Fires	---	---	---
OR	T1	Anderson	B&B Complex Deschutes NF	49,130	40	UNK
MT	T1	Cable	Robert Fire Flathead NF/Glacier NP	49,351	70	9/20
MT	T1	Cable	Middle Fork Complex Glacier NP	5,310	0	9/15
MT	T1	Cable	Rampage Complex Glacier NP	12,382	0	10/1
MT	T1 T2	Cable Paul	Trapper Creek Complex Glacier NP	18,883	65	9/5
MT	T1	Gelobter	Black Mountain 2 State Lands	7,061	90	9/2
MT	T1	Mortier	Blackfoot Lake Complex Flathead NF	16,655	5	9/30
ID	T1	Sexton	Sapp Fire Nez Perce NF	11,463	65	UNK
ID	T1	Sexton	Slims Complex Nez Perce NF	14,473	75	UNK
MT	T1	Stam	Fish Creek Complex Lolo NF	31,456	40	9/12
MT	T1	Studebaker	Lincoln Complex Helena NF	37,254	73	10/1
MT	T2	Benes	Cathedral Peak Complex Custer NF	2,778	20	10/1
MT	T2	Broyles	Mineral/Primm Fire State Lands	22,542	70	10/15
ID	T2	Brunner	Beaver Lake Complex Clearwater NF	24,495	60	UNK
MT	T2	Chrisman	Crazy Horse Fire Flathead NF	11,000	70	9/15
WA	T2	Furlong	Square Lake Fire Okanogan/Wenatchee NF	670	25	9/30
MT	T2	Kechter	Cooney Ridge Complex State Lands	24,000	55	10/15
MT	T2	Larsen	Burnt Ridge/Sheep Camp Complex Lewis and Clark NF	3,102	90	9/3
MT	T2	Saleen	Wedge Canyon Fire Flathead NF	48,763	75	9/15
ID	T2	Suwyn	North Fork Lick Fire Payette NF	8,614	30	UNK
MT	T2	Swope	Gold 1 Fire Bitterroot NF	8,296	85	9/10
MT	T2	Walker	Rathbone Fire Gallatin NF	3,010	70	9/15
CA	ST	Chuchel	Santa Clara Complex Santa Clara Unit, CDF	30,170	85	9/2
ID	FUM	Clark	Middle Fork Complex Salmon-Challis NF	24,979	NR	UNK
ID	FUM	Cones	Cayuse Lake Complex Clearwater NF	11,297	N/A	N/A
ID	FUM	Cones	Clear/Nez Complex Clearwater NF	10,383	N/A	N/A
MT	FUM	Weldon	Little Salmon Creek Complex Flathead NF	37,822	N/A	N/A

PARK FIRE SITUATION

The following narratives on park fires were prepared by the NPS Fire Management Program Center and are current as of late Sunday. Acreages, containment figures and resource commitments are from NIFC's Monday morning situation report.

Glacier NP

An area command team (Mann) is coordinating the teams assigned to the Blackfoot Lake Complex, Middle Fork Complex, Trapper Creek Complex, Crazy Horse, Rampage Complex and Little Salmon Creek Complex.

It was cooler on Sunday and humidity was higher, moderating fire behavior. A smoke inversion made aerial reconnaissance difficult. Warmer and drier conditions are expected over the next few days.

Robert Fire

The fire has burned 49,339 acres and is 70% contained. Full containment is expected by September 20th. The fire is creeping, making upslope runs, and occasionally torching. No significant problems were reported on Sunday. Mop-up and patrol continue. Resource commitments as of Sunday (last Sunday's figure in parentheses):

• IMT — Cable's Type 1 team
• Firefighters/overhead — 593 (578)
• Crews — 10 (9)
• Engines — 7 (26)
• Helicopters — 3 (4)

Wedge Canyon Complex

The fire has burned 48,763 acres and is 75% contained. Full containment is expected by September 15th. The fire was quiet on Saturday. Crews continued to work on active fire lines, improving them and mopping up. Resource commitments as of Sunday (last Sunday's figure in parentheses):

• IMT — Saleen's Type 2 team
• Firefighters/overhead — 858 (388)
• Crews — 14 (4)
• Engines — 32 (15)
• Helicopters — 9 (4)

Rampage Complex

The fire has burned 12,382 acres and is 0% contained. Full containment is not expected until October 1st. The complex consists of the Riverview 1 Fire (12 acres), the Riverview 2 Fire (130 acres), and the Double Mountain Fire (11,626 acres). The complex was flown on Sunday, and observers determined that it had not spotted east of the divide. Firefighters and equipment are being placed on the Continental Divide to suppress slopovers from the Double Mountain Fire, which could actively burn into the Upper Coal Creek and Park Creek drainages. The other two fires continue to back toward the Middle Fork of the Flathead River with slow ground fires. They are expected to reach the river later this week. Structure protection remains in place for 30 residences. All backcountry trails and the backcountry campgrounds at Upper Two Medicine and Two Medicine Lakes have been closed due to potential fire danger. The Fish Creek Avalanche and Big Creek campgrounds remain closed. Sperry Chalet is now closed for the season, and all trails in that area are closed. Resource commitments as of Sunday:

• IMT — Cable's Type 1 team
• Firefighters/overhead — 181
• Crews — 7
• Engines — 4
• Helicopters — 3

Trapper Creek Complex

The fire has burned 18,883 acres and is 65% contained. Full containment is expected by September 5th. The Trapper Creek Fire is 65% contained and is being monitored by ground and air when weather permits. Smoldering, creeping and short upslope runs have been reported. Some trail closures are being considered. Resource commitments as of Sunday (last Sunday's figure in parentheses):

• IMT's — Cable's Type 1 team (Trapper Creek, Trout Fires) and Paul's Type 2 team (Wolf Gun and Paul Bunyan Fires)
• No resources are reported to be committed to the fire at present.

Yellowstone NP

The East Entrance Road is open for travel from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and road will be closed nightly from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. This arrangement will continue unless fire or smoke threaten travelers or traffic compromises firefighter safety. Highway 191 is open with a 35 mph speed limit through the fire area. All visitor facilities in the park are open. Backcountry trails currently closed due to fire activity include the Turbid Lake, Jones Pass, Ninemile, Avalanche Peak, Pelican Valley to Mist Pass, Pitchstone Plateau, Beula Lake and Union Falls Trails, and the west ends of Bighorn, Fawn Pass, Fan Creek, Sportsman Lake, Daly, and Black Butte trails.

East Complex

The two fires have burned 23,500 acres and are 90% contained. Most of the planned fire line has been constructed and good progress is being made on rehabilitation. A Yellowstone Type 3 IMT is now managing the fire. The East Fire has burned about 18,052 acres and continues to burn high on the north side of the Crow Creek drainage in the vicinity of Silvertip Peak. The estimated containment date has been moved back to September 15th because of a decision to not establish control lines on approximately two miles of fire perimeter through a 1919 burn area located on the southwest corner of the fire near Clear Creek. The fire has not been active in the burn area and a contingency line has been established. The fire will be monitored for growth from the air until a season-ending weather event. Good progress is being made in all divisions as crews mop-up along direct lines that were constructed during cool, moist weather that occurred late last week. Sunday's efforts were concentrated along the Crow Creek Pass and Sylvan Pass areas. Three crews have been working near Silvertip Peak, northeast of Crow Creek Pass, to complete mop-up and fire line rehab. Engine crews are continuing to patrol the East Entrance Road, mopping up and removing newly fallen trees. The Grizzly Fire has burned approximately 4,458 acres. Crews are continuing efforts to mop up and secure the roadside burnout that occurred Saturday along the road near Sylvan Lake. Crews are also continuing to mop-up and secure fire lines in the Signal Hills area and to tie in to a new line being constructed near Clear Creek. Resource commitments as of Sunday (last Sunday's figures in parentheses):

• Firefighters/overhead — 47 (720)
• Crews — 1 (20)
• Engines — 2 (11)
• Helicopters — 6 (5)

Rathbone Fire

The fire has burned 3,010 acres and is 65% contained. Full containment is expected on September 15th. Moderate fire was reported on Sunday, with isolated torching and short runs. Highway 191 is open through the fire area with a pilot car. Resource commitments as of Sunday:

• Firefighters/overhead — 513
• Crews — 17
• Engines — 13
• Helicopters — 9

Union Fire

This fire did not grow significantly on Saturday and is still around 800 acres in size. It is being managed with a confinement strategy due to its remote nature and lack of good safety zones. It will continue to be monitored from the air.

Other Park Fires

Fire operations elsewhere in the system include:

• Grand Teton NP — There are two WFU fires burning in the park — the Elk Ridge Fire (.2 acre) and the Falcon Fire (83 acres). Cook's fire use management team is managing both of them along with four others on two adjacent national forests.
• Mount Rainier NP — The Mount Rainier Complex consists of three fires — the Panther Fire (contained at 56 acres), the Redstone Fire (50 acres), and the Chenuis Fire (contained at 1 acre). The intensity of the Redstone Fire is expected to increase as the humidity drops and temperatures rise. State Route 123 remains open, but may be closed at any time. Visitors can expect up to 30 minute delays. Park facilities — including the Stevens Canyon entrance, Paradise and Sunrise — are open to visitors.
• North Cascades NP — The NOCA Complex consists of seven WFU fires totaling about 270 acres. The fires are burning in remote areas with natural barriers to fire spread. The Big Beaver Fire (48 acres) has jumped a ridge and is expected to burn into the drainage and grow significantly. The Klawatti Fire (18 acres) and Tricouni Fire (204 acres) have burned into cliffs and are not expected to grow.
• Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP — The Williams Fire (740 acres) continues to burn to the southwest and northwest. Some torching in heavy fuels was observed on Sunday. Members of the Saguaro fire use module are monitoring the fire. Trail closures remain in effect. Daily planning conference calls are taking place between the park and Sequoia NF. The Giant Fire (31 acres) is burning to the north and is being monitored; a number of trail closures remain in effect in the surrounding area. The West Kern Fire (120 acres) is burning in a very remote area.
• Yosemite NP — The Kibbie Complex (683 acres) consists of three fires. A little precipitation was received on Sunday, which will slow growth of the fire until fuels dry out again.

North Cascades National Park (WA)
North Cascades National Park Service Complex (Wildland Fire,Wildland Fire Use)

Fire personnel continue to monitor seven, lightning-caused fires in the park. The current most active fire is Big Beaver. These fires are burning in remote, fire use areas with natural barriers to fire spread, and are being allowed to play their natural role in the ecosystem. An eighth fire, Colonial, which is 0.25 acre in size, is being suppressed due to its location near visitor services. (full report)
Now at approximately 100 acres, Big Beaver continues to be very active moving laterally along the slopes of multiple aspects. Fire behavior is a combination of flanking, backing, and multiple tree torching. Short distance spotting has been observed.
Status
No closures associated with the fire.
Acreage: North Unit fires: Big Beaver (100 acres), Skymo Ridge (.25 acres) South Unit fires: Tricouni (204 acres), Klawatti (18 acres), Little Devil (.5 acre), Marble Creek (.1 acre), Hidden Lake Peak (.5 acre)
Resources Committed: Aircraft: 2 helicopters; Personnel: NPS=18, USFS=3, WA Dept. of Natural Resources=1
Estimated containment date: unknown[Submitted by Annie Larsen, annie_larsen@nps.gov, 360-873-4590 x7193]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

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Servicewide Training
Weekly Listing of Operations Training Opportunities

Operations Training Calendar

This calendar appears every Monday as an addendum to the Morning Report and a separate entry for InsideNPS. It is not meant to be replace the Learning Place; rather it is a quick summary of available training with links (as available) to relevant Learning Place pages. Please note:

• New and revised entries are in bold face.
• Submissions for other training courses should conform to the style used here.
• Please include the URL to the web sites where readers can obtain the requisite forms and/or find out additional information about the training course. If a URL is not specifically listed, the announcement can likely be found on the Learning Place, the NPS training page found at http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/index.doc.
• Closing dates for applications are underscored.

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September

September 8 — September 12: High Angle Rope Rescue, New River Gorge NR, WV. This class is designed for the beginner and intermediate rescue technician and is the same class that was originally scheduled for May but which had to be cancelled due to the ongoing detail assignments. It will focus on a solid basic foundation and extend into raising and lowering victims. Climbing experience is not required. However, students will be spending time hanging on a fixed line in an exposed environment. Camping and showers will be provided. Everyone is encouraged to camp with the group at the Burnwood Ranger Station. All students should bring their own rescue gear, including harness, helmet, carabiners, and rappel/ascending device. A complete equipment list will be provided. Efforts will be made to arrange an Upper Gauley River trip on Saturday, September 13th, for all those students who would like the unique experience of rafting that river. Please respond by email to the following course coordinators if you would like to attend. rob_turan@nps.gov, or david_finch@nps.gov. [Gary Hartley, NERI]

October

October 15 — February 18: Basic Law Enforcement Training (NPRI-401), FL:ETC, Glynco, GA. Basic training for park rangers to qualify for permanent NPS commissions. For a copy of the announcement, go to http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/index.doc. The announcement closes on September 10th. [Wiley Golden, NPS/FLETC]

November

November 3 — November 6: Annual LE Refresher Training for Supervisors, Asheville, NC. The chief rangers of Shenandoah, Great Smokies and Blue Ridge, working with the NPS office at FLETC, are offering a refresher program designed to assist first and second line supervisors in providing leadership in law enforcement. A total of 28 creditable hours will be offered. For a copy of the announcement, go to http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/index.doc. The announcement closes on October 1st. [Wiley Golden, NPS/FLETC]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

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Dinosaur National Monument
GS-11 Supervisory Park Ranger

The park is currently seeking to fill a GS-11 supervisory park ranger position. This position is approved for secondary 6c law enforcement retirement. The ranger hired will serve as a first line, direct supervisor of full time 6c primary law enforcement positions, level II law enforcement seasonal positions, seasonal river patrol rangers, VIP's and SCA personnel. She/he must possess a Level I law enforcement commission, and is responsible for performing law enforcement duties under provisions of applicable federal laws and regulations enacted to protect the area's paleontological, archeological and wildlife resources. The 211,142-acre high mountain desert park contains the Green and Yampa River Canyons and the world famous Quarry Visitor Center. The area has trophy deer and elk hunting along its boundary. There are over 800 multi-day river trips on the Green and Yampa Rivers annually. During emergency operations (SAR, EMS, LE), the person in this position may serve as the incident commander. He/she also serves as the park's safety officer. This is a required occupancy position, with a residence in the headquarters housing area located near Dinosaur, Colorado. This is vacancy announcement DINO 03-25 on USA Jobs; it closes on September 8th. For further information, contact Dave Panebaker at 970-374-3022.
[Submitted by Dave Panebaker]

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.