The fire started up in the Smoky Mountian Park and with 60 M.P.H. winds quickly spread to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and parts of Sevierville where we live. My step son Justin was called out with the national guard to help fight the quickly spreading fires. He posted on face book a big hotel burning to the ground.Even with this little rain we are getting this morning there are 30 structures still on fire not counting the endless cabins that been burn to the ground. It spread so fast Riplys Aquarum had to leave all their animals behind. The fire now has reached the edge of Dolly wood. There are firemen surrounding Dollys new hotel making sure it doesn't burn. All roads are closed going into the area including RT. 441 that goes thru the park. Only RT. 321 remains open for people to get out. Just in now Mount Lecont is on fire the highest part of the park. They don't know if the lodges are on fire on the top there or the condition of the care taker. {you can only reach it by foot}We thought we were going to lose our roof here last night with the screaming winds. You can see the orange glow from the fires from our back porch. The rain is going to stop and the wind is going to pick up again today before a stronger front come thru with heavier rain tomorrow morning.I hope that helps put out the fires.They say when they get this fire out it will take years for this area to rebuild. Hopefully it wont. Bruce. Just in. Officals are telling people to please stay off their cell phones. It is to be used for emergency officals only.
Prayers for you and all the Tenn. people hurt by this disaster. Please leave if told to by the officials, safety should be everyones first priority.
I hate to hear that. There is (was?) some beautiful country up there, hate to see it laid to waste by fire. Hope you and your family stay safe. Good Luck
Good luck and stay safe. It will take years to rebuild. We survived Sandy a few years ago, and NJ is still recovering from that. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Hope you stay safe. The fire can be good for the forest. Soft woods burn to the ground, Hard woods that do not burn to the ground will thrive with the free space. At least that is what they tell us when forestry burns 100's of acres here
I have relatives there with a second home close to Gatlinberg that were forced to evacuate yesterday unable to grab anything but their laptops, roads are clogged with those trying to escape. Serious stuff going there.
The network news this AM didn't have a lot of specifics, thanx. Keep your ears on and your head on a swivel... and get out early when / if you need to. Gary
I was thinking about you last night Bruce, wondering how close this was to you. Hope it doesn't get any closer to you. Be safe
I've thought of you Bruce, your family and all your neighbors in the mountain all weekend. Stay safe, pray for a monsoon of rain, and keep us posted. Rain in the forest as always been a huge concern near my home. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Bruce and I have had a ongoing conversation for a couple of weeks now about the huge fires in North Carolina,South Carolina,Georgia and Tennessee..there have been thousands of acres burned and the lack of rain over the past two months all these areas are extremely dry and under a red flag alert. The fire in Tennessee is dangerously close to Bruce and thousands of others,praying the rains that are finally on their way will help the firefighters that are doing a amazing job under the most difficult circumstances and in places they can't get trucks and equipment in these remote places. The Pinnacle Mountain Fire in Table Rock State Park added 217 acres Saturday to bring the total up to 9,147 acres. It is in northwest South Carolina The Firefighters reports that 255 personnel are assigned and 1,133 structures are threatened. A burnout operation on Saturday brought the perimeter to the containment lines on the west and north sides of the fire. Prayers for everyone in the path of these fires. HRP
Bruce, I was wondering how you were doing in Sevierville after all that was going on in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Can you move your vehicles out in case you have to evacuate? Stay safe. Thoughts and prayers sent from Kentucky. Gary
Glad to hear that you are not in immediate danger. We've been following the reports, as we have a friend with two nice places off Gnatty Branch Rd. and the Parkway. Just wish that the rain could have come sooner. More forecast for tonight.
Thoughts and prayers go out to all residents of the state of Tennessee. I can't even imagine the stress you're going through. Good luck and safe travels. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
TV news says that Fire Dept thinks these latest fires are due to arson - in Calif, and know well the dangers of these types of huge fires - if ever in the line of sight of one and told to evacuate leave immediately
I live about 25 miles west, and reports of heavy damage to Gatlinburg and surrounding areas. News of 100+ structures destroyed. Its bad, we didnt really get that much rain last nite and the wind was whipping hard.....hope the people get out
Wife and I are 100 miles southeast of Bruce, in Hendersonville, N/C. We now have wildfires immediately to the east of us, fires to the west of us, and now fires to the south of us. Firefighters gain on one area, then another area rapidly gets consumed by fire. I have seen fire fighters here from Oregon, California and New Mexico. We had a dribbling of rain last night, enough to wet the pavement only. 37 days without rain, until last night. Smoke is thick, odors are heavy, hard to breath outside, our dogs have to stay inside. Our daily driver cars are gassed up and ready to go, if the need arises. As I told Bruce, its one thing to see these fires out west, on TV, but an entirely different experience when its in your area.
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