When one seriously examines the events, these lives could have been spared despite the power of fire and wind. Gatlinburg fire 10/9/2022: One body found after Parkway blaze Once again, can fire discreetly smolder in the duff amid rock crevices? When I crawled my way up Pinecrest Drive to Wiley Oakley through dense smoke, I saw a Gatlinburg pumper at the top of the hill. Yet, at that very time, citizens were asking city employees and fireman if they should evacuate (well documented in the local news). If their destination is not lit, they have to land there no later than 30 minutes after sunset. Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg from the intersection at Traffic Light No. Would it not be more beneficial to hold accountability by insuring that analysis of cause and effect and learning take place; that change is done where change is needed? It was gorgeous -huge, huge trees, open forest floor, very dark, very cool, very moist. I wonder when NPS actually put out a request for Incident Management Team support. I told him my home was on fire and he said they were evacuating everyone,then. What caused the fire in the Smoky Mountains? On Friday, Gatlinburg city officials released a report detailing the downtown fire on Oct. 9. The fire broke out around 6:30 a.m. at the mall on the Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg. Over 3000 wildfires received Initial Attack in November in the southern Appalachians, many of which were still very active when Chimney Tops 2 started. Who allowed this to happen? As we drove south out of Pigeon Forge I took another photo before we entered the spur, which shows smoke and a red glow above Gatlinburg. We had a contractor there working on improvements to our house. It is so much easier to sit on the outside, pass judgement and sentencing in the name of accountability than it is to be involved in the event of vulnerability in action. Of course, the city of Perhaps a simple thing like calling for a Voluntary Evacuation from Noon on that day could have made the danger more obvious in light of the forecast for storm warnings with high winds for the afternoon and overnight. I said Fed. I turned on tv to see if there were warnings of any sort. The public cannot sit on their hands and expect anything to change. The report stated the demolition was requested due to the health and safety of the citizens and visitors in the event of a full structure collapse.. Very well said Tommy. If they had taken action the day it started instead of now using the excuse of the rough terrain, yeah it is but so is most mountain areas. Gusts above 40 continued until 2 a.m. on Tuesday when they mostly dropped below 20 mph for the rest of the day. The body of a person has been found in the rubble of a fire in downtown Gatlinburg, our ABC affiliate WATE reported Monday. Copyright 2022 WVLT. However, their findings could certainly implicate some of the decision makers concerning how things were handled and may lead to a few resignations. 1 dead in Anchorage home fire that officials say was likely caused by NO managing wildfire is much more complex, especially in a multiple fire drought driven incident like managers were dealing with on this incident. To echo your statements, the information is out there, a model exists on how to properly do it now its getting the proper training for all of the professionals involved and the public taking the role of accountability watchdogs. As the crow flies, thats not far from Gatlinburg and Ive heard of and read about how quickly wildfires spread and how far reaching they can be under dry conditions from drought. Our place was gone. I hounded the Knox News editor for a followup article around Dec. 19. They had access to the same fire flight info from Sundays flyover that other agencies had. I have been walking the woods around Gatlinburg a lot since the Fire. The wind was blowing so hard it was difficult to stand up. Fire erupts on both side of Highway 441 between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Monday, Nov. 28, 2016. Who ever was in charge should loose their job!!! According to Ms.Schroer, firefighters walked up the Chimney Tops Trail to the top of the hill to size it up. Mother nature always bats last Sad chain of eventsonce again. Humans will never be able to control or suppress all unwanted fires-structure, chemical or wildland. It appears that the Deputy has contradicted himself here. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park Facebook page reported (on Monday 11/28 at 1046am) that gusting winds have caused the fire to spot across the ridges in the Chimney Tops and Bull head Ridge Area. The power of nature is awesome and often far beyond our ability to predict and react to in a timely manner. For the most current information about the Chimney Tops 2 Fire at Gatlinburg, see our articles tagged Chimney 2 Fire. I wonder why? The Gatlinburg fire chief put out a notice for additional help to come to Gatlinburg around 11:52 pm. Watch the pride and ego firefighters: youll never outmatch Gods elements. It upset a lot of locals, but many lauded it. Incident Mgt. A lot of personnel put forth heroic efforts to save lives and we should all be grateful for that. GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - Four downtown Gatlinburg businesses are picking up the pieces after a fire Sunday morning destroyed their building. The facts are clear that this was not the appropriate action taking during the initial stages of the Chimney Top 2 wildfire. Great info/synopsis of the Gatlinburg/Sevier county wildfires. A good example of the kind of human factors that continue to get in the way of better preparedness and change for the good is the backlash in which one reporter from NC received when she asked tough questions of some officials. Excellent information and supporting documentation. I am aware that in this area of the Eastern Appalachians, there are many retired firefighters and emergency personnel who would probably be willing partners in helping other regional professionals and volunteers in meeting the opportunities presented by a changing world. GALLATIN, Tenn. (WTVF) Wildfires have ravaged Sevier County six years after deadly fires destroyed parts of Gatlinburg. When I built a home here just a few years ago and wanted to have a sprinkler system installed, I was told we dont have big wildfires here. This should not be a time to blame and inflame, but to think and act wisely. Honor those who have risked much to help, indeed. One thing Id add: the county is allowing residents that lost their home to use their existing block or poured foundation as long as they have one of their local cemetacious experts test it and approve it. That didnt happen here. When you have an active, non controlled fire, an area in exceptional drought, late fall vegetative conditions, and southerly winds of 40 to 60 MPH forecasted, you do not need to be a nuclear physicist to realize the potential (probability) that a catastrophic fire event is right at your doorstep. I wish this would turn into the biggest Court case in history. With that said: were NPS officials aggressive enough in seriously emphasizing to Gatlinburg officials to start preparing for mandatory evacuations? Yes. Henry, do you know the effect of the typical southeastern forest ground fires on the hemlock adelgid? From just across the Smokies in Bryson City, N.C./Swain county. there is still a nagging question regarding the use of BACKFIRE on the part of the NPS and the Gatlinburg Fires? This isnt finger pointing its the simple facts of the entire situation like it or not! Do arsonists typically work alone? As a mountain boy who loves the harshest terrain even I couldnt imagine trying to run a fire line in this area. Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new articles by email. On Sunday evening we discussed with Gatlinburg friends the forecast for high winds on Monday, so I disagree with local Gatlinburg officials that they were caught by surprise. Once the winds came on day 5 or 6, there was nothing anyone could do. GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - One person died and another was injured in a large fire in downtown Gatlinburg Sunday. Well I can say that if TEMA announced right now and emergency message to my cell phone in the east TN mountains I would never get a thing. In addition, officials confirmed that a firefighter was transported to the hospital with minor injuries from the fire but has since been released. > 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. At least one of them drove up the street below our house and parked there for about an hour. What really was going on here? The cause of the crash remains under investigation. GSMNP manager said he couldnt order an evacuation but he surely could have recommended one as the forecast for high winds was given early Sunday. I wish some barracuda Attorney would take this on and represent the property owners in a lawsuit to try to recuperate some of our losses, any takers? Kelly Morgans comments may have been harsh and offensive to some folks; but when government builds a wall; sometimes it takes a loud voice to get their attention. This come from long time residents, The prices we have been getting should be considered price gouging because that is exactly what it is. The more we let our selves be vulnerable and courageous in the face of tough situations, the more chance that we have that we will fall, and we will; we all will at some point if we take that risk to be brave and courageous. His parents died in the fire in Gatlinburg . Sunset that day was at 5:21 p.m. which would have allowed them to drop on the fire until 5:51 p.m., 30 minutes after sunset. Good point, Ms. Horton. Most of us are hopeful the two young man responsible for causing this fire will be severely punished however after all of the expert testimony to not only the Knoxville news Sentinel times what other periodicals claiming gross mishandling of the beginning of the Chimney Tops 2 fire by the forestry service as well as the Gatlinburg fire department I am certain that the Philadelphia lawyer that they have hired will use this in their defense and I would not bet that they will get a much lighter sentence as a result . Charges dismissed against boys, ages 17 and 15 after Gatlinburg - WITI The fire could have been accidental, or it may have been intentional. Had they viewed the Chimney Tops 2 fire as though it was in the forested southwest Im sure they would have issued pre-evacuation notices up to 48 hours prior to the wind events of that Monday. Nearby businesses feel the same. Officials said three people were found dead from fires in the Chalet Village area, and one person was discovered dead near a motel on Highway 321. Then, a few days later they had the full timeline article and info about the NPS not following its own protocols. Now I can only imagine what children or adults with issues might have gleaned from this message being broadcast. (The fire was in eastern Tennessee near the North Carolina border.). I am broken-hearted over it .. Experience in itself is never enough. How did I know that? It is likely that spotting did keep the ground fire spreading into the areas where the homes were, and certainly on the southern edge of town it was the primary ignition source, but I am still skeptical that the homes to the north of town were ignited that way. Bats were roosting in the church rafters and dropping feces onto the pews. Downtown Gatlinburg fire: Experts identify remains found in rubble Thanks again for your touching reply. If you search around, you can find a recorded radio transmission by TN Forestry personnel from that fateful morning (my old brain doesnt remember where it was posted and I didnt bookmark it, but some other WFT readers may know). Are city and county officials learning to use the expensive Motorola radio system that would have allowed various agencies to communicate when cell service went down? Beginningat 2 a.m. on Sunday November 27 the relative humidity at Indian Grave dropped,getting as low as 17 percent at 8 a.m. and then lingering in the 20s and 30s until 4 am on Monday November 28. This is just one more example of one more related issue that is seemingly un-connected until you delve into the issues deeply. Much of the southeastern United States had been suffering extremely dry conditions for two to three months. Numerous photos show a dramatic increase in smoke in the downtown area between 5 and 5:30 pm. To access this area, it is important to follow check point protocols. Kelly you are right, NO Help from City or County in the clean up..SOS home owners responsible for all.. Classic Swiss Cheese risk management fire management failurehave we as a profession learned anything since South Canyon, Yarnell and now Chimney Top 2? Very well put Mari. We would best not be blind until that time is upon us, as then it will be too late. I cannot count how many times my wife or I would find a fire smoldering typically from someone who flipped a lit cigarette and the brush when they were finished. Bob headed our way. I always come back to that groupthink mentality, the ladder of inference, the been there done that mode, the failure/fear to act, and thats how weve always done it thinking; all part of how our unconscious brain works without our conscious intervention and critical thinking skills. Deciding to keep air resources in reserve for initial attack on new starts rather than wash the fire off chimney tops was a good decision. My vacation cabin in Gatlinburg burn to the ground on November 28. Years ago, the NPS wasnt maintaining the churches in Cades Cove of the Smokies. We all contribute to this phenomenon if not intentionally but unintentionally, simply by the design of our brains! And no doubt books both factual and not on this event. On the map below, the fire is the small dot in the center surrounded by the yellow line. But fires are getting nastier everywhere and folks keep saying past fire history isnt as good a guide as it used to be. The leaves that had hung on into late Fall because of lack of winds and rain for months began to rain from the trees in copious amounts and there were leaf funnels forming and it was hard as we ran from cabin to car loading Abram and Lady. The forecast issued Sunday included this text in the Discussion section: High pressure will hang on for Sunday with sunny skies and above normal temperatures. I hold you in my thoughts and prayers for healing and recovery there are others who have posted about their losses on this blog, Kelly for one, and I did not give myself peymidfipn to say these words to them at the time .. Two Hawaii police departments are making moves to beef up incentives as recruiting efforts grow more competitive. We waited as the days passed until we could go and see if ours had burned. However, an event such as the Gatlinburg fires undoubtedly leads to a can of worms that some folks would rather just sweep under the rug. It is good to question everything, all is not as it appears. The fire gutted the entire city block and closed a dozen businesses. About 20 years ago, I hiked to Albright Grove, an old-growth hemlock forest near Greenbrier. Officials say the road will be closed for an extended period. It appears that only TEMA has the authority to give a notice over multiple counties, but they didnt take the lead until Monday night, after the fact. In Gatlinburg, smoke and fire caused the mandatory evacuation of downtown and surrounding . By being so quick to lynch people we have created a fear of decision-making and a paralysis of critical thinking. Tommy Kirkland says: etc. I have an Gatlinburg address but the county services my street. These are the facts and simple truths that should not be ignored. They strive to their utmost and have a true passion working in GSMNP. With that all happening before lunch. These so called means of helping people out is a lie. Stupidity is as stupidity does. The fire was reported to be near the Twin Creeks Picnic Center at 1130. God doesnt cut financial budgets. There seems to be many people who just dont get that their are many areas in these mountains and in rural America that are no tech zones. Especially our local emergency workers and the Park Service. An in depth investigation should be launched and the (ir)responsible parties identified. Thank you for making a point of the fact that we are all human beings with faults by design so that we need each other to succeed and survive. Anytime that one side seeks to destroy the other as opposed to actually raise the issues, I would raise a red flag and wonder what the distraction is really trying to hide! Impressive. What about firefighter safety? City prosecutors have charged a longtime Mililani High School leader with multiple counts of theft. They learned. We listened to local TV news at home which reported voluntary evacuations for Mynatt Park after fire was reported in the Twin Creeks area. It was about 11:30AM when we got to downtown Gatlinburg, where I took photos of the heavy on the Parkway in town. Thank all of you. 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. They were asleep at the wheel. Nearly five years. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Bill, correct me if I am wrong, but aircraft should be on the ground a half hour after sunset? I hope to remedy that starting now! Ive learned so much on this blog over the past 6 weeks about how forest fires are managed and fought and Im most grateful for that. The Spur or US 441 runs between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg in the Smokies. That would mean your timeline of the last water drop would possibly vary 15-45 minutes depending on the helibase location and flight time to the dipsite. I am in my late 60s and have never seen such a drought, or such low stream levels. A high-elevation area that possessed the largest unbroken Spruce-Fir forest in the S. Appalachians. Neither the NPS nor the city wanted CNN cameras covering a mass evacuation of a town jam packed with tourists on Thanksgiving weekend. A friend that owns a rental company there said that about 90% of the homes in the area which leave them 10% they can rent or sale. I guess they must think when you have to go up there to handle this mess they caused that you dont need lodging, food or gas to get there. If the new location isnt in Gatlinburg, it will definitely be in Sevier County. Five days is a generous amount of time to request and receive firefighters. Heavy Rain In Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg Tennessee (March 2023) At 10AM we drove to Sevierville to buy more materials (to eventually add to the bonfire). No warnings of spreading fire, just radar and high wind warnings. This fire season is a perfect example of why we do not need to lynch and discard those who have erred but gained highly valuable experience in the process. It is unfortunate that in our society people who speak out with a loud voice, or otherwise make waves for the privileged, get not only scorned but categorically destroyed by well planned out and financed design, often full of cover-up and lies and then propaganda is feed to the rest of us, of which we often take for gospel, when in fact is often not based on evidence or fact. Well said, the terrain here is different than a lot of places, even out west. We were wearing bandanas wrapped around our faces at this point. When two juveniles were arrested on December 7 and charged with aggravated arson, many people assumed they had the answer. Obviously spent no time in the military so they didnt know how to field dress A cigarette and pack it out. That said, we are now in the rebuild mode. 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. Yet if no one raises cain about it, things will be rebuilt with no regard for such safety factors. Tom. Just like the Mayor of Amity in Jaws. From what I understand, the adelgid spreads from tree to tree via the ground, which is why young hemlocks with smooth bark are rarely infested with adelgid. They had no sirens or Claxons blaring, no shouting to evacuate thru their grill mounted speakers. Kids should be charged and pay a price but so do several officials in the good old boy still lives on in the town of Gatlinburg. Though it will never be heard in our courts today, dont think the Almighty isnt going to bring it to Light; for human death was involved and the facts were dodged plan and simple. Why the Monday morning quarterbacks seems to always get it right, while those in the game make the errors and the scores, winning and losing. Lets see what reviews done by people with expertise in wildland fire management come up with. Report: Gatlinburg fire caused $7 million in damages. Jon Binhammer had an excellent point about the hemlocks. They had no sirens or Claxons blaring, no shouting to evacuate thru their grill mounted speakers. In wildfire-riddled Tennessee, climate change is a hot topic Due to the damage this fire has caused Im sure there will be follow-up effects (and recriminations) for years. By definition, prescribed burning is described as fire applied in a knowledgeable manner to forest and grassland fuels on a specific land area under selected weather conditions to accomplish predetermined, well-defined management objectives, pg 2, http://www.southernfireexchange.org/etc/ITPFISE.pdf. Was the fire that inaccessible on foot? The official cause is down power lines due to high winds and fallen trees, according to a National Park Service news release. The fire was south of Gatlinburg. If an aircraft will be en route to a lit helibase or airport, they can drop 30 minutes after sunset then fly to the lit facility. Where was all the HELP TO PUT THIS FIRE OUT A WHEN IT STARTED???? 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? We drove west down the parkway. It caused a shutdown . I think that since its been brought to attention that nepotism shouldnt be involved in these positions because when it is you have people covering up, like a cat trying to cover up poop! Gatlinburg businesses look to rebuild after massive fire I think the point is that IMT managed wildfires in the southeast had residents in pre-evac mode when high winds were forecast before each cold front passed. I knew high winds were predicted for Gatlinburg by watching the weather channel. On Monday November 28 it recorded wind gusts in that part of the state at46 to 60 mph, and a 76 mph gust on Wednesday. The extremely dry conditions in the area, though, should have raised the concern level. Its always been this way so you have to watch who you deal with, this is why the City and County need to clean this up, this would bring down the prices of these people with signs up everywhere for clean up. There were emergency vehicles blocking Motor Nature Trail. He yelled at Bates to get out, and Bates did leave before coming back without the worker knowing. Jordans comments on the video indicates that their management was taking care to show how they were not responsible. It was a very horrible dream and I had qualms about my trip before I arrived in Branson. I realize the City of Gatlinburg is open and ready for business and business is booming, thats good for them but it doesnt help those of us that lost their home. Gatlinburg fire burns downtown It is very steep terrain, I would estimate about a 65 degree incline, but it is not easy to fall to your death there. 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. Ms. Schroer told us that additional firefighters were ordered on Sunday. The next morning, the morning of 28th, I took boys to school and went to a dr. appointment in Sevierville. Many structures were lost- thankfully no lives. We watched the news the rest of evening. Join our group. Any time our community suffers a great loss or devastation like this, it impacts everybody, she said. I was truly astounded at how well coordinated the IMT teams are they cover it all, firelines, backburns, aircraft, field communications, weather forecast, community information via meetings/Facebook/Blog page/Twitter with daily updates, pre-evacuation notices when wind events were predicted.