AP Photo . "After 17 years at CNN I would have thought . But either way, it is remarkable that the fire could spread 3 miles in just four and a half hours. Our house was on Cliff Branch Road in Chalet Village. At this time the fire was still within the defined containment boundary. We made it as far as the Alamo restaurant when it caught on fire. Then around December, I went down to Tennessee with my parents and a sister, and I could see fire just about everywhere. 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. Video: Fire everywhere, guests trapped inside Gatlinburg Park Vista hotel. Smoke filled the storefronts on the Parkway as the flames inched closer to the businesses. were overdue for a bad fire because of all the underbrush accumulated over many years. A siren alarm system was used to evacuate the Gatlinburg area, but it is uncertain what time the sirens started, and some residents told WVLT News they never heard them. We ran , loaded up the van and was told there was only one way out and that was the road that goes past the Alamo restaurant and towards the Arts & crafts area. We were so caught off guard. However, it was no normal fire. According to Wiki: Watson grew up in Gatlinburg. I think that they rebounded well. Months later, the tourist town is bouncing back. We also saw Several cabins on fire. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. So, helicopters flew in new orange towers, and we brought in new yellow chairs. Don Lemon, CNN anchor, fired after 17 years on the network At that point, he said the spot fire on Bullhead Ridge was still 4.5 miles away from Gatlinburg and separated by several mountain drainages. We are frequent visitors to Gatlinburg, and had left town the morning of the fire. The teens who caused it should still be in prison, but its not like the government really cares anymore. We have been back one time since, and it was shocking to see what had been lost, but people were rebuilding. More than 11,000 acres were burned inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; more than 17,000 acres were burned throughout the path of the fire. Its like a scar. Gatlinburg one year after the devastating wildfires then and now I pray for the folks who lost life, God bless as you still recover. I would sit and watch the news and just cry. On Oct. 9, a woman who was working at the Ripleys Aquarium smelled smoke and walked up to 745 Parkway Suite 4 to investigate. The Skylift was originally a two-seat ride up to the top of the mountain, where visitors could get off and enjoy a gift shop or just take in the views, before riding back down. Chimney Tops 2 Fire - National Park Service Whether its a short vacation or theyre jetting off to begin their career, show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift. Question: How Did The Tennessee Fire Start - BikeHike I would recommend people living in areas with any chance of wildfire to invest in a quality full face respirator that will filter smoke and fine particles. During an appearance on 60 Minutes the night before . And knew the Reeds met them a week before the horrible fire and it broke my heart 321 was stalled for over an hour while they cleared a firetruck with a downed tree on it. A large fire has destroyed a 32-unit building at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort in Gatlinburg, according to NBC affiliate WBIR. On Nov. 23, 2016 a fire started on the Chimney Tops Mountains and five days later, it had reached the city of Gatlinburg. At this time, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officials were contacted, according to the report. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and a partner of other affiliate programs including Booking.com, CJ and Tripster, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases via links found in this article. Just enough to scar me. Officials reported that evacuation alerts went out on cell phones, but some residents said they never received the alerts. There was also a spot fire on Bullhead Ridge. It killed 14 people, hurt nearly 200 more, and burned 17,000 acres, mostly of woodland. 11-26-16 dreary Gatlinburg Fire by Gary Millar. The brothers carry their work uniforms as a reminder of how far theyve come since that night. They should have been held accountable to some degree. While there between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., they encountered a few park rangers, one of whom told them to go to Pigeon Forge, according to court documents. Fire kills 1, destroys businesses in downtown Gatlinburg, Tenn I was a wild land firefighter based out of Oregon at the time, and our crew was sent to Gatlinburg to help fight the Chimney Tops 2 fire. Twin brothers Beau and Zackary MacLellan lost their home and their jobs to the fire. Some busy signals occurred due to the abundance of radio traffic and the lack of available radio frequencies. And yes, I like most other do believe those kids did start this fire and they should of been [accountable] for it but if itd not been for their daddy knowing the right person! We obviously arrived after much of the damage was done, and primary were sent there for search and rescue and clean up duty. By Saturday the fire had grown to six acres. The Gatlinburg fire of 2016 began in late November - the day before Thanksgiving - on Chimney Tops Trail in a period of extreme drought. He said at that point the fire was creeping and smoldering in the thick vegetation at the top of the rocky summit. A yellow brown haze was everywhere. The chopper dropping water had to be grounded. Just after the fire, 31 miles of hiking trails were closed indefinitely due to fire or wind damage.
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