Yellowstone National Park (ID,MT,WY)
Geyser Damaged by Illegal Off-Road Travel
Significant resource damage was inflicted on Lone Star Geyser and its
environs earlier this month by two men who illegally entered the area by
vehicle and drove around the geyser and surrounding meadows. On the
evening of Friday, October 10th, A.E., 22, of Vancouver,
Washington, drove his four-wheel-drive Toyota Tacoma around the locked
barricade at the parking area at Lone Star Geyser and proceeded down the
trail to the end of the asphalt. Lone Star Geyser is located about five
miles south of the Old Faithful area. The trail leading to the geyser
from the parking area is closed to vehicles but open to pedestrians and
bicyclists. The trail, an old narrow road with a broken asphalt surface,
ends at a log barrier approximately 60 yards from the geyser. A.E. and
his companion then moved the log barrier and drove completely around the
geyser cone and surrounding meadows until the vehicle became stuck in
the soft soil. Once stuck, they set up camp near the geyser, started a
fire, and stayed the night. The following morning, they walked to Old
Faithful, where they found an unidentified couple in the Old Faithful
parking lot who agreed to help them. The couple drove A.E. and his
companion back to the Lone Star Geyser area, but refused to help them
once they realized the gravity of the situation and returned them to Old
Faithful. A.E. and his companion then went to the Old Faithful Ranger
Station to report the incident. Rangers drove to Lone Star Geyser with
A.E. and his friend. After completing their investigation and a
preliminary damage assessment, they took A.E. into custody and
transported him to the jail in West Yellowstone. His companion was not
arrested but was cited for his part in the damage to park resources.
A.E. made his initial appearance before a federal magistrate on
October 13th and was charged with operating a vehicle off road, injuring
mineral resources, possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle,
improper food storage, and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended
driver's license. The magistrate released A.E. on an unsecured $5,000
bond. His companion's name will be released after he has made his
initial court appearance sometime in the near future. The park is
currently assessing the resource damage done by the two men, which
appears to be significant. Tire tracks are clearly visible around the
geyser and throughout the meadows near the geyser. The park will seek
full restitution for all restoration costs. Thermal features (geysers,
hot springs, fumaroles, runoff channels) are extremely fragile and are
easily damaged, as are the plants and microbial mats in and near them.
To protect these fragile features, park regulations state that all
visitors must remain on trails and boardwalks. Park regulations do not
allow any off-road vehicular travel.
For a related news story,
click on "More Information" below.
[Submitted by Public
Affairs] More Information...
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Vehicle Pursuit and Arrest
Ranger Scott Kalna was running radar on the Foothills Parkway Spur
just before midnight on Thursday, October 23rd, when a vehicle passed
northbound by at a high rate of speed. Kalna pursued and attempted to
pull the driver over. The operator — later identified as J.S.
of Wise, Virginia — slowed down and pulled into the right
lane, but declined to stop. As he approached the first traffic light in
the town of Pigeon Forge, J.S. sped up, pulled into the left hand
lane, ran the light, turned left back onto the parkway southbound, and
reentered the park. J.S. then accelerated rapidly, causing his car to
fishtail several times, to the point where he almost lost control and
wrecked. J.S. sped down the highway at speeds over 90 mph, driving
very recklessly, with Kalna in pursuit. The chase continued onto the
Gatlinburg Bypass, then out of the park onto Campbell Lead — a very
narrow, windy road. J.S. almost crashed head-on into a Gatlinburg PD
cruiser, but the officer managed to swerve out of the way. A bit further
down the road, J.S. lost control of his car, which went off the road
on a sharp curve and came to rest against a small tree that kept it from
continuing down a steep hillside. J.S. jumped out and plunged down the
slope. Kalna could hear J.S. tumbling noisily down the hillside, back
toward the Gatlinburg Bypass and the park. A Gatlinburg PD officer
immediately arrived to assist. Kalna and the officer secured the
vehicle, called for a tracking dog, and arranged for other officers to
set up a roadblock on the bypass. About 20 minutes later, other
Gatlinburg officers called and said that they had J.S. in custody.
J.S. had descended to the bypass, contacted two juvenile girls at an
overlook, and told them that he'd wrecked his car and needed a ride back
to his motel room. They had him in the backseat when they were stopped
at the Gatlinburg PD roadblock. Officers noted J.S.' suspicious
behavior, the scratches on his face and arms, and his dirty clothing and
took him into custody. J.S. was arrested, held without bail, and
charged with a felony count of eluding an officer, driving while
intoxicated, reckless driving, speeding, driving on a suspended license,
and possession of an open container of alcohol. The total distance of
the pursuit was 12 miles. Kalna's patrol vehicle is equipped with an
in-car video camera; the entire vehicle pursuit was recorded on video.
[Submitted by Rick Brown, District Ranger]
Mammoth Cave National Park (KY)
Contract Employee Misconduct, Alcohol Violations
On October 16th, park hydrologist Joe Meiman and intern Nathan Talley
saw a silver U.S. government sedan parked in the middle of the Good
Springs — Maple Springs Road. When the driver got out, he had a
long neck beer bottle in his hand. Meiman and Talley reported the
incident to rangers, who determined that the vehicle had been assigned
to the Great Onyx Job Corps Center and that the operator was D.D.,
the center's contract driver education instructor. Rangers
contacted D.D. and the two minor Job Corps students who were with him.
All three had been consuming alcohol, as evidenced by observation and
portable breathalyzer testing. The minors provided a detailed statement
of events, which was corroborated by the co-owner of the liquor store
where the alcohol was purchased. The alcohol was purchased on government
time and the store's co-owner identified both D.D. and the government
vehicle he was driving. After purchasing the alcohol, D.D. and the
students returned to the park, where D.D. gave the beverages to
students. D.D. was charged with a sale/gift of alcoholic beverages to
minors under 21 (mandatory appearance) and is under suspension without
pay. The minors were cited for underage possession of alcoholic
beverages (mandatory appearance). Additional charges are pending against
D.D. The case ranger is Eddie Wells, who was assisted by chief ranger
Wayne Elliott and rangers Rich Caldwell and David Alexander.
[Submitted by Wayne Elliott, Chief Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (CA)
Simi fire (Wildland Fire)
This fire continues to threaten thousands of homes west of Los Angeles in Ventura County, one of many burning in the region. Media interest is very high, as this fire offers a potential to directly impact Los Angeles itself. (full report)
Higher relative humidity values and lower temperatures brought by ocean breezes have signaled the return of a more typical weather pattern in southern California. Very little smoke/ activity was seen along the southern perimeter of the fire closest to NPS property consequently reducing risk. Even though this fire is far from contained and holds considerable risk for the communities east of the park, this will be the last sub-report unless threats to park resources increase.
Status
Park property was threatened but not directly impacted. Park is fully open.
Acreage: 97,880
Resources Committed: 1397 total, including 21 hand crews, 241 engines, 22 dozers and 9 helicopters. Hand crews remain a critical shortage.
Estimated containment date: 11/4//2003[Submitted by Marty O'Toole, marty_o'toole@nps.gov, 805-370-2364]
Redwood National and State Parks (CA)
Xowannutuk ("Tuk") Fire (Wildland Fire)
The Xowannutuk prescribed fire was set on October 21st in the Bald Hills area in one of the parks' only old-growth redwood units. With a significant weather change overnight on October 25th, it crossed its boundaries into second-growth Douglas-fir forest and is being suppressed. The parks' program of prescribed burning in this area has an excellent record of containment and resource benefits to natural prairies. (full report)
Excellent progress has been made in the past two days on the Tuk Fire by both day and night operations. The fire remains primarily at ground level with occasional torching. Personnel will attempt to complete unsecured line today. Cooler temperatures and higher humidity are expected to further aid containment efforts.
Status
Trail closures remain in effect in the Redwood Creek drainage. Backcountry camping is also temporarily prohibited due to extreme fire danger.
Acreage: The fire is approximately 315 acres, with the majority of the increase due to improved mapping. It has grown from a 10-acre prescribed fire unit set on October 21st.
Resources Committed: Approximately 300 personnel.
Estimated containment date: 10/30[Submitted by Fire Information Office, 707-464-6101, extension 5058 or 5263]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Office of International Affairs
International Opportunity in Gabon, Africa
Experts in Protected Area Infrastructure, Concessions and Revenue Generation, and Development of Protected Area Management Plans with strong French language skills needed for NPS international assignment
Opportunity: The NPS Office of International Affairs is seeking applications for an exciting opportunity to participate in an initial trip to assess the needs of the Republic of Gabon's nascent national park system. This assessment trip is likely to take place sometime in January 2004.
Background: The National Council on National Parks of the Republic of Gabon has requested that the U.S. National Park Service provide assistance in developing their new national park system. In September 2003 at Grand Teton National Park, the NPS and Gabon signed an international agreement for cooperation.
Gabon established its first 13 national parks by Presidential proclamation in September 2002. Gabon launched this initiative under the multinational Congo Basin Forest Partnership, which has been declared by Secretary of State Powell as one of the Administration's top international environmental priorities. The national parks of Gabon were recently highlighted in two National Geographic publications as well as a recent edition of Smithsonian magazine. Most famous for being the terminus for Michael Fay's "megatransect" through the West Africa tropical rainforests, these lands are being set aside as "the last wild place on Earth."
Assignment: Approximately 2-3 NPS representatives will undertake this assessment trip, one of them being a high-level member of the NPS Directorate. Time out of the office will be approximately ten working days, not including completion of a post-trip report. Assignment will be to conduct an evaluation of the needs of the Gabonese park system in the following areas:
- current status of Gabon's parks;
- requirements for developing a comprehensive park system;
- management planning needs (for the park system and individual parks);
- training of park staff and management;
- visitor services facilities;
- opportunities for concessionary services in the parks.
Based on the findings of the assessment trip, NPS representatives will write a report with initial recommendations regarding how the NPS may best assist Gabon in developing its park system. The same or other/additional NPS representatives may be asked to return to Gabon at a future date(s) to help in the implementation of the Work Plan.
Costs: The NPS/OIA will cover all travel costs associated with this assignment (round-trip airfare, lodging, meals, immunizations, etc.). The selected NPS representatives park will only have to pay his/her salary.
Application Requirements: Persons wishing to be considered for this assignment:
• Must be a current permanent employee of NPS;
• Must have demonstrated experience in one or more of the above-referenced fields: protected area infrastructure; concessions and revenue generation; and/or the development of protected area management plans;
• Must have demonstrated ability to work with and adapt to the needs and abilities of agencies and professionals of different ethnic or cultural groups;
• Strong and demonstrable command of the French language;
• Previous international experience is desirable, particularly experience with protected area systems in other countries.
• Ability to work in areas with little or no infrastructure, such as lack of indoor plumbing, primitive accommodations, or traveling in 4 wheel drive vehicles off-road.
Upon selection, candidates must submit a current physician-signed letter or medical review form indicating fitness for duty.
Candidates that reach the interview stage of the selection process must obtain supervisory approval for their participation in this program.
How to Apply: Persons interested in being considered for this international assignment should send a resume or letter summarizing relevant work experience. A form SF 171 is acceptable. Please submit applications (electronically is preferred) to: Rudy D'Alessandro, NPS Office of International Affairs, at (202) 354-1805, email rudy_dalessandro@nps.gov.
Applicants are also encouraged to post their skills on the Office of International Affairs Skills Roster (www.npg.gov/skroster) so that they may be considered for future assignments.
Applications are due by November 14, 2003.
[Submitted by Rudy D'Alessandro, Rudy_DAlessandro@nps.gov, 202-354-1805] More Information...
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.