The Gatlinburg fire chief put out a notice for additional help to come to Gatlinburg around 11:52 pm. We got a text message. I also wanted to let everyone know that the City and County is an example of nepotism at its finest. When I came out of dr. office, which is located on Middle Creek close to hospital, the atmosphere was eerie. But there have also been many times when these so called experts were thrust into a different climate or situation and they too experienced failures. The extremely dry conditions in the area, though, should have raised the concern level. They had no sirens or Claxons blaring, no shouting to evacuate thru their grill mounted speakers. A massive wildfire in the Tennessee resort towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge has destroyed more than 150 structures, including homes and businesses, authorities said Tuesday. I told him to go up and park in driveway close to where I wanted to leave the truck and that I would drive truck up. A lady answered phone. Not to mention all the fallen limbs on the ground beneath them. GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - Four downtown Gatlinburg businesses are picking up the pieces after a fire Sunday morning destroyed their building. But when it's close to home, the sadness and concern of those affected is ten-fold in the worry department. 10/10/22, 1:56 p.m. Great info/synopsis of the Gatlinburg/Sevier county wildfires. We are facing some very large problems around our globe and in our own home communities, that will require some out of the box thinking and collaboration, some tough questions, and a lot of personal accountability review and growth. They will be touched in their heart as deeply as anyone who has lost in the tragedy itself. He promised a committee to study what happened and there has been no word since. However, their findings could certainly implicate some of the decision makers concerning how things were handled and may lead to a few resignations. What really was going on here? I felt it urgent to get out of the woods. I think this is more often than not the case. According to FOX 5's Matthew Cappucci the smoke plume got to about 3,600 feet and . Though once high winds hit, given the conditions there was no stopping the fire from destroying property. The cleaner told officials he found Bates in the room where the fire started and had what appeared to be a warming fire going. A complex set of contributing factors no doubt, many that fell on deaf ears until they had to open eyes! This isnt finger pointing its the simple facts of the entire situation like it or not! Brought mine in from Texas. It predicted wind gusts out of the south Monday morning of 25 mph, increasing atnoonto30 mph and to 40 mph by 6 p.m. True, our firefighters and 1st responders put their lives in harms way and we should respect them; and yet distinguish these folks from officials who are undoubtedly making bad calls/decisions. The day after the fire was reported 0.12 inch of rain was recorded at the official weather station recognized by the NWS, which may have made the managers of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) feel a little better about this new fire. I know its good and natural periodically to let forest fires burn, but under the extreme drought conditions in this area, I was uneasy that fires werent being put out. The Park Superintendent did not want to risk the lives of NPS fire crews with the Chimney Tops Fire 2; and that is to be respected. Bob and I had discussions about what we would do if we were to be surprised by wildfires up Beech Branch Road with no warning. No pre-evacuation notice was sent so citizens could be ready to depart. ), lack of knowledge of alternative communication systems (the Motorola area wide emergency radio system installed last year). OF COURSE the dead hemlocks (and spruces and firs) are changing the picture for fire danger. Tunica, MS, from our area near Kansas City, to arrive late evening, that day, in Tunica. FEMA did say they would give us a low interest rate loan, we dont want a loan we worked hard and paid it off and dont want to go in debt to rebuild! Report: Gatlinburg fire caused $7 million in damages. That said I have been an avid backpack or in hiker who has done probably every trail in the Smokies many times over. I agree with the earlier post that if this fire had been in Southern California or other areas subject to devastating fire if it would have been managed differently. He replied to me on Christmas Eve no less, that they were double checking all the facts to make sure all of their information was as accurate as possible and would keep digging. The winds that Monday afternoon had knocked power lines down and early reporting made mention of separate ignition points in the residential hillsides. 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. The cause of the fire has still not been determined. Hindsight is 20/20 and of course much coulda woulda shoulda is understandable. I would hope that we would fund the National Park Service much better so that cost-cutting is not so high on their priorities. This story Im telling is all factual you see I have a problem with anyone exaggerating events as well as lying so I tell the truth regardless of how unpopular it may be. We need to question everything and everyone with the same tenacious veracity as the other, but we also need to allow for humans to be human, and engage in the process of learning. You can only manage one of those. Like I said this is like so many tragic events, a chain reaction of events that all contributed to a disastrous outcome, because of actions and inactions that were not questioned or corrected at many steps of the way. The winds were getting stronger. One option could be helicopter fire repellers to repel into the fire and make an assessment of risk. The fire ballooned to more than 17,000 acres when winds stronger than 80 miles per hour carried the fire down the mountain and through Gatlinburg and parts of Pigeon Forge Nov. 28. Thanks for adding more good insight. Watch This is Now, live from the Hawaii News Now Digital Center, weekdays on KHNL at 12 p.m. and on all of our streaming platforms. I have wanted to learn because I dont know enough to say much, but when I read your two posts about the loss of your cabin, and your escape, I felt I had to say, Im so sorry, to you, and probably speak for many many others who did not find this blog and find an avenue to learn, listen and to speak. At about 5:20 p.m. the fire was discoverednear the top of a steep hill called Chimney Tops not far from where another fire occurred about a week before. I have been on both sides of that equation before and still real-ling from my own losses that will negatively affect me and my family for life, because no one took the time to question or look into the story presented to them by those authorities in charge. I have been walking the woods around Gatlinburg a lot since the Fire. But from what I have read the failure in this situation was in following procedure, so what can be added to have averted this fire and its terrible deadly consequences? Whether it be a resources, financial, training, bias, discriminatory, knowledge, failure to support, equipment or other systemic, human, data or other failures; we often seek to put the blame on any one or a few of the workers when the real root of the problems lies in systemic, resource or other human interaction issues and decisions made by others seemingly unconnected to the immediate event. I think wildland fire managers should be commended that this fire did not result in a tragic firefighter incident like Yarnell Hills. Officials say the road will be closed for an extended period. LeConte is going to be fine. I left early to get boys and filled Stantons old Subaru Outback up with gas. Things are changing slowly, and the human factors are unfortunately changing at a much slower pace than the climate and other socio-economic factors. I love the mountains, but can I feel safe again? Sorry to hear that you lost your house, but you followed your wits which kept you from getting stuck there by downed trees over the road. There are other potential hazards that make unplanned evacuations a danger in that area. Accountability is important and paying the price for our decisions is too. There could be traffic jams. It is my understanding this first fire was at or near the summit in the immediate vicinity of the 2nd fire which unfortunately devastated Gatlinburg. This would help the owners defray some costs so they can rebuild. Intense, deep burning fires with significant downwind spotting should be expected. National Park Service says never push a slower friend down when escaping a bear, Knoxville utilities crews work to restore power after intense storms, Missing elderly Knoxville woman last seen at hospital, police say, Vols drop to 5-seed in SEC Tournament after falling at Auburn, 79-70. fire Sunday morning destroyed their building. with a notice that evacuation is imminent would have been prudent. Questions are powerful tools, but only when we allow them to be asked, we receive them with an openness and willingness to be vulnerable, and seek to answer them openly and without fear of reprisal. teams had Lake Lure and Tate City evacuate when high winds were forecast. In total GFD crews, in addition to, Pigeon Forge Fire Department, Sevierville Fire Department, Sevier County Ambulance Service and Pittman Center Fire Department assisted in extinguishing the blaze. It is very steep terrain, I would estimate about a 65 degree incline, but it is not easy to fall to your death there. We drove west down the parkway. The chain reaction that if un-inhibited can create the perfect storm, block the perfect solutions or that can lead to the ignition of possibility and opportunity. Climate change, human, social, political and economic factors are all also a part of this outcome, cause and effect. Also, lots of hills in the area washed to bedrock by cloud burst and slides. How did I know that? I am here at the opportunity on a couple of occasions to speak to the Fire Chief of Ontario Michigan. from Gburg. The teens, 15 and 17, were charged with starting the Chimney Tops fire which eventually spread to the Smoky Mountains, into Sevier County and Gatlinburg, killing 14 people, injuring more than. However, they are using a Super Tanker to douse the flames going on down there. Join our group. Then and only then will He let you effectively manage His creation that He has allowed you to be a part of for a short time. If we are so quick to remove those who are learning from their experience, successes and failures, do we not lessen the potential to create and benefit from more experts who will have more knowledge and wisdom to apply to future events? Humans will never be able to control or suppress all unwanted fires-structure, chemical or wildland. As citizens we should be aware of all threats we face and expect our leadership to plan ahead as best they can. But the NPS didnt even follow their own rules in this case. Take care and hang in there. We are still dealing but two of us or degree, the emotional loss of losing our beloved cabin but now we are in the rebuild mode. Yes, there is backside-covering going on. Even the Gatlinburg Fire Chief had been told on Sunday at 0900 that models had the fire hitting downtown Gatlinburg by Tuesday 1100. Bats were roosting in the church rafters and dropping feces onto the pews. I picked them up and came back home with plans of bringing truck back over mountain and filling it up because it was near empty. I told him I would call fire department in Gatlinburg across from Food City. The electricity goes out almost everytime there is a high wind. > Jeannine In my 40 years in the fire service (Calif and Alaska), I have seen an unfortunate number of cases where agencies in generaland the NPS in particulardesignate fires as monitored event(s) (insert favorite agency terminology here) that hours, or days, later explode into huge incidents. a wind and weather event like they got, that resulted in fire spread that resulted the the state TEMA command center to have to relocate in the middle of the incident gives a picture of what they were dealing with. One of the owners of the impacted businesses called a contractor to demolish a damaged portion of the building. However, when adequate risk analysis, proactive contingency planning and decision making, real time fire behavior simulations predicting possible disastrous outcomes, humans may have a much better chance of containing, or controlling, or herding, or managing or all-out suppressing an unwanted or unplanned ignition. Other than the way the police were able to evacuate 4,000 people from Gatlinburg with little notice on Monday evening, everyone else involved did a very poor job. level, in advance of this disaster had occured. Why were there so many wildfires being lit by arsonists all of a sudden this year? That said, it is always easier for those outside of the forest to see the big picture then those who are standing inside the trees down on the forest floor. IMT issued pre-evacuation notices in GA and NC each time they saw cold-front winds approaching that could would threaten communities. Learning for the future is important if it includes changes in policy and procedure. One person was found dead Sunday. All weekend, my husband and daughter followed the fire on the Chimney Tops 2 facebook page NPS had established. I may be alone in thinking that, but I do think the Feds would stand up to local influence. Conspiracy, no. Stantons car was full of gas and only has liability insurance. Those probably did not finish burning for several days. In a time in which the NPS and all other government agencies are under attack and certain factions are seeking to replace all our government agencies with private for profit industry I would not ignore the possibility of anything. The American publics outcry owe that much to the those whom lost loved ones, disrupted lives, destroyed both human property and natural resources in Gatlinburg, Tennessee during the Chimney Top 2 wildfire, November, 2016. This was part of our retirement plan and now all we have left is a lot, we lost a lot of money that we will never be able to recuperate.
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