I will never forget, and hope all is well again in this beautiful region! Any Sevier County resident or visitor who was affected by the wildfires is encouraged to visit the distribution center. A: The last large wildfire within the park occurred in 2001. What was lost in the Gatlinburg fire of 2016? Note: This post was originally used to update the community as the events of the Gatlinburg fire 2016 took place. I remember texting my niece to see if he was okay and she said I was just talking to him and he saidwe have to leave and hung up. Dollywood, located in Pigeon Forge, was unscathed. Sat. Of course, they. The quick actions of many of the areas firefighters, police and EMS workers saved lives, but often they were operating without enough information. The strong winds carried burning embers, sparking still more hotspots and increasing the spread of the fire. To date, there are 7 confirmed fatalities and 700 confirmed structures lost (300 in Gatlinburg, 400 in other parts of Sevier County). I think those kids shoulda [been accountable] but got off SCOT-FREE!!!!!! Please bring donations to the old Boyd's Bear facility in Pigeon Forge at 149 Cates Ln. When we got to Knoxville, I would watch it on the news, because my family owns a vacation cabin in Townsend, just two miles from where the Walland fires were burning. Probably. It was shocking and upsetting. According to an independent report by the ABS group, as late as 4:30 pm on the 28th, models provided by the Pigeon Forge Fire Department indicated it would take 19 hours for the fire to reach the city limits. Roger, Janet, 8 GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - On Friday, Gatlinburg city officials released a report detailing the downtown fire on Oct. 9 that killed one person and injured another. By Editorial, 2023-01-25. Published: Dec. 24, 2022 at 10:17 AM PST GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - On Friday, Gatlinburg city officials released a report detailing the downtown fire on Oct. 9 that killed one person and injured another. We were in Chalet Village when the area was engulfed in flame and smoke. A National Weather Service report issued on Sunday predicted wind gusts up to 40mph the following day. In other words, messages sometimes did not reach the intended recipients due to a combination of factors. Governor Bill Haslam viewed the fires from above, and said it was "a little numbing" to see the extent of the damage. Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller said firefighters were already battling a 3-acre blaze on Chimney Tops Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park when wind speeds picked up and shifted. On November 28th, 2016, wildfires started to spread into populated areas across the county. Most everything above the color line was burned. Those boys who started the fires should have been sent to adult prison for the lives they took by starting those fires.but, I guess when your daddy sucks up to certain people and does certain things you can get away with anything. I heard the guy at the front desk yelling GET OUT AND GET OUT NOW! I had already got packed up because we were checking out in the morning heading to Cherokee to check in at Harrahs. It was being treated as a normal fire. (Contributed photo/Tennessee State Troopers). I live in Oregon now but my heart will always belong to the Smokey Mountains of East Tennessee. According to Wiki: Still, officials were in communication with the NPS. We also saw Several cabins on fire. Volunteers are needed to staff the facility for the next few weeks Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Editors note: There is strong language in the video. First responders reacted heroically. At this point in time, the distribution facility is at capacity. These responders were arriving throughout the unfolding of the firestorm, requiring staging, coordination and deployment. More than 50 Dollywood employees worked with firefighters Monday night and Tuesday morning to protect Partons namesake theme park from fires that burned close to the property, including on Upper Middle Creek Ridge behind the parks south side, Owen said. A popular tourist destination was engulfed by flames. I was born and raised in Blount County, a neighbor to Sevier County. God bless the Smoky Mountains. The Gatlinburg fire that killed 14 people was started by two teenagers dropping lit matches onto the ground along Chimney Tops Trail in Great Smoky Mountain National Park, sources close to the investigation told the Knoxville News Sentinel. Chimney Tops 2 Fire Update - National Park Service The Real Story of the Gatlinburg Fire of 2016 - TheSmokies.com The fire burned more than 17,000 acres of land, killed 14 people and damaged more than 2,000 buildings. The boys continued hiking down the trail, unaware they had sparked a fire. Some scars heal with the passage of time. Volunteer Firefighters from Kentucky were being sent down to the Smokies, and many fires in Kentucky had to be fought by single departments, and even if they werent NEARLY as bad as Gatlinburg, its still amazing that they managed to fight the fires there too. Report: Gatlinburg fire caused $7 million in damages I remember very good. There was little concern the fire would reach the city. be safe everyone. Donation collection efforts that are already under way will be received at the distribution center. National Guard crews from Chattanooga were called in, and three Chinook helicopters began dumping gallons of water from Pigeon River's West Prong on top of the fire. A time our family will never forgot. A raging inferno swept through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and into the city of Gatlinburg, Tennessee on November 28, 2016, killing 14 people and injuring 190 more. Police have not said if they have a suspect related to the Chimney Tops fire. What caused the devastating fire that November night? The wildfire caught local and federal park officials unprepared. Jordan and his crew let the KNP fire burn for five days before doing anything. PIGEON FORGE, Tennessee (Nov. 30, 2016)As the city of Pigeon Forge continues to assist its residents and visitors affected by recent wildfires, a Pigeon Forge supply distribution center will open Thursday, December 1 at 9:00 A.M. To this day I stress out over this. Again, the generosity of our Pigeon Forge community and beyond is greatly appreciated. 7 Steakhouses, Ranked, Who Has the Best Pancakes in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg? Another smaller fire sparked near Seymour on Thursday but was 60% contained of Sunday afternoon. When Parton arrived to help dole out the final payments, she brought the nearly 900 families an unexpected bonus. What Caused the Gatlinburg Fire of 2016? "We are experiencing extremely dry conditions throughout the park and we are asking for the public's help to prevent uncontrolled wildfires," Chief Ranger Steve Kloster said at the time. By the time local officials were informed about the true danger, the Chimney Tops 2 fire was unstoppable. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. (Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com). For more information please read our privacy policy. Fires of various sizes burned all over East Tennessee. [33] Her fund, the "My People Fund", provided $1,000 a month for six months to over 900 families affected by the wildfires, finally culminating with $5,000 to each home in the final month due to increased fundraising, for a total of $10,000 per family. Volunteers are needed to assist shoppers, sort and restock supplies, and unload and document deliveries. I was still grieving the loss of my husband when this tragic fire exploded. sources close to the investigation told the Knoxville News Sentinel. Charges dropped against teenagers in deadly 2016 Gatlinburg wildfire - WHIO I pray for the folks who lost life, God bless as you still recover. The oldest teen is the son of an Anderson County Sheriff's Office employee, the News-Sentinel reported. The event featured country music artists such as Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, John Rich, John Oates, and Kristian Bush, and Dolly Parton. Wind gusts had spread embers from the Chimney Tops fire and other small fires had begun to break out. Authorities would later announce. Constance Reed, 34, and her two daughters, Chloe, 12, and Lily, 9, died together. I havent lived in Tennessee in the past nine years, but its my home state, so I was definitely scarred and heartbroken when this whole event happened. Thanks to the Newsteam at WBIR TV for posting all the coverage they did. Authorities would later announce the fire was sparked by juveniles playing with matches and fueled by unusually high winds. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Remembering the Gatlinburg Wildfires five years later - WBRC The Roaring Fork Baptist Church is being rebuilt and is almost complete. It was listed as approximately 3 acres burning at the summit on the trail. Dolly Parton is heartbroken by the news. The smoke was getting thick but all we heard on TV was that it was supposed to rain and help put our some of the fires. Large swaths of the forest that burned in November of 2016 have yet to completely heal. At the point it was first reported, the fire was approximately 4 acres. Downtown Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community were unaffected by the fires, so visitors should expect to be able to enjoy some time of their vacations in Gatlinburg starting Friday. Was admiring Gods handy work just today! It will be a long time before the scars of the Chimney Tops Fires AKA The Great Fire heal. The generosity of our community and others across the state of Tennessee and beyond is simply more than we could have ever imagined, said Pigeon Forge City Manager Earlene Teaster. What Caused the Gatlinburg Fire of 2016? Here's the Real Story . The dry, windy conditions made for the perfect storm - setting off a blaze that burned more than 15,000 acres, killing seven people and damaging or destroying hundreds of homes and businesses. The blazes are contained and are being managed by firefighters on the ground, according to the Pigeon Forge Chamber of Commerce. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 14 people Find the perfect razed mountains stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. The operating hours, policies and procedures of other businesses may change at any time without notice. I would sit and watch the news and just cry.