Since November 29 it has rained about every 2 to 3 daysin the Gatlinburg area. Resident of Western Maryland. I will not be looking for Gatlinburg or Sevier county first response personnel as those people will be grounded by a spineless group of county, city and NPS managers Who can only be described as cowardly indecisive. The status of individual structures in the Gatlinburg area can be found at arcgiscom. Shelter locations could have been announced, especially encouraging people to take action during the daylight hours that day so that escaping in total darkness during an inferno of fire or not having the means to do so would not be forced on people, and they could make arrangements for their own safety. It is very hard and slow to navigate through laurel stands and the thick Tennesee Barbed Wire Briar patches. Despite that, officials now say that the Gatlinburg fire began in the park and was. All without the but why reflection, cause and effect analysis, drill down technique and the inter-relationship effect. Report: Gatlinburg fire caused $7 million in damages. 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. Though once high winds hit, given the conditions there was no stopping the fire from destroying property. Narrowing it down to human-causes is easy for an investigator. 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. We strive to use real facts, not alternative facts, on Wildfire Today. There was two contributing factors to this disaster. The leadership tetrahedron if you will, the area where all the parts come together based on the past, the current, the potential and the possible. The Gatlinburg Fire Department was dispatched to the 700 block of Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg at 6:39 a.m. on October 9. The further fire growth part was more accurate than they realized at the time. Earlier on Tuesday, media reported that a man was arrested for setting three fires that spread into a 300-acre fire in. The Incident Management Teams fighting fires in GA and NC gave pre-evac notices for people within 10 miles of the fire line each time a cold front with high winds approached. According to the great gag order, government officials should not be commenting???? > 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. The main road out of Gatlinburg is the Spur, which is the 5 mile stretch of Park Service Road that lies between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Screenshot from the Knox News video. I have to assume that the city of Gatlinburg felt that since my road was county property that I was on my own. Everyone should also know that this area is characterized by mountain laurel, in some areas nearby its so thick the only way through is on top it or if your lucky under on your belly. They couldnt get out a cell mssg. 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. Because we were heading home to Ohio early Tuesday morning, we packed our suitcases and put them in the car. The remains of 745 Main Street in Buffalo on Thursday, March 2, 2023., where a fire broke out on Wednesday . Yes my house burnt along with 520 others in North Chalet Village, village no longer but all foundations. Jim Renfro, the air quality specialist for GRSM, said the strongest wind gust recorded at Cove Mountain was 87 mph at 9 p.m. on Monday. 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. James, thank you for that compliment! The wind and the low visibility caused by the smoke made it impossible to fly aircraft over the fire. You said in your post what I have been thinking. I am positive that for anyone who gives of themselves to protect and serve will forever be haunted by that far more than anyone of us can expect to hold them accountable by lynching. Youre right change is hard to come by. So who would you blame the people that died, wildlife and homeowners. Thank you for your kind words and concern about our loss. The smoke steadily became thicker as the days passed and friends were showing pictures of the Chimneys on fire. Like hell he did. I was in my cabin on 28 November and barely made it out alive. Unfortunately this isnt always the case. Thats perfect Johnny. Body found in rubble of Gatlinburg fire - wtvq.com Aircraft dropping water or fire retardant on a fire cannot put it out. TEMA had the power and authority, yet did nothing until Hell was at their door. Who was responsible for Gatlinburg fire? .. bless you all! Lastly, I would after this last election year never ever put stake into social media as any sort of official news, witness accounts or other fact finding mission. Im sorry but that initial fire management at the outset was atrocious. 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. That didnt happen here. Every business downtown was closed except for Bubba Gumps. 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? Officials will verify renters and lease holders, as needed. The Chimney Tops fire was a wildfire being monitored given limited resources initially because of the many other ongoing fires in the region to which fire-fighting resources were committed. I am sure the Alum Cave trail up Mt. 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. Excellent report Dr. Gabbert. I convinced my husband to drive back toward our house to see if we could see the fire. For the region, I hope fire officials do realize that regional history makes little difference if the right combination of factors exists for rapid and extreme fire growth. That should have been done over Thanksgiving! So they were more concerned about NPS structures than our homes and lives? Before we got in the car, we each took photos of the approaching fire with our cell phones. Hemlocks standout on aerial photos because the limbs grow in a spiral pattern around the tree. You are reading this like most folks with common sense and a little analytical process, being all the data as you stated isnt on the table. Lets hope that this round regarding the fire and loss of life, it will be more difficult for officials to weasel out of this one. Yes a lot is somewhat predictable, just as this fire, but not every aspect is, there are too many variables in the real world. There will be no access to Wiley Oakley or Westgate from the Spur. There were ashes raining and that was very alarming to me. This data from Indian Grave was not too far offthe forecast issued the day before. 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. The 2 juvenile defendants have been charged with the fire of Nov 23rd, 2016; but there has been NO apparent media release by officials and investigators as to whether these defendants started the fire of Nov 14th, 2016? All rights reserved. About 20 years ago, I hiked to Albright Grove, an old-growth hemlock forest near Greenbrier. I get free speech, but if I yelled fire in a crowded theater when there was none and it contributed to death and injury I too would be held liable; my speech would not be protected! The truck was filled with firefighters. (PETER PARKS/AFP via Getty Images) Chan estimated the insurance claim could . 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. 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. night at 9pm when mom said there was evacuation notice on TV. In Gatlinburg, smoke and fire caused the mandatory evacuation of downtown and surrounding . OF COURSE the dead hemlocks (and spruces and firs) are changing the picture for fire danger. Difficult access to safely fight fire, lack of pre-blow up fire management, and extreme drought capped off by an exceptional weather event led to the July 1st, 1998 Farmton firestorm that burned through the rural community where I lived in east central Florida. That afternoon a Chinook Type 1 helicopter (Type 1s are the largest helicopters used on wildfires) began dropping water on the fire, refilling at Fontana Lake 13 miles to the southwest, according to a source we talked to who didnt want their name disclosed because they were not authorized to speak on the subject. After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the GFD, Gatlinburg Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. When human death is involved, there should be accountability, even if there is unintentional negligence. It was considered a total loss after yesterdays fire. This is how we all get better at what we do and are. LeConte. Now I am tasked with trying to motivate and coordinate the local fire departments much of who are volunteer, the state and national forest professionals to work with me and the community. I said Fed. But, well see what the investigation comes up with. The fire occurred in the Autumn after the deciduous trees had shed their leaves adding more fuel to the forest floor that was already abundant with desiccated leaves, twigs, dead branches, and logs that had been sucked dry of their moisture by the months of drought. Something broke down here and at the risk of not being PC the important thing is that the issues are discovered and learning takes place followed by action. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. 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. What really was going on here? By the way, the drainage to the northwest, where NPS had placed their line, is .2 mile and ~1,000 feet vertical (77% grade) of mostly weathered rock. In wildfire-riddled Tennessee, climate change is a hot topic 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. 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. May all the people find peace and forgiveness in the midst of this storm. 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 may never really know the truth about this situation just as with so many other current and prominent situations. Those decisions had to be made with the best information available at the time not what we now know in post incident critique. Visited Gatlinburg for the first time in Oct 2016. That is when it would have been prudent to announce a pre-evacuation notice for the Gatlinburg area to be ready to evacuate if an evacuation order is announced. What makes one golden and one not? The fire did not get up the valley to the Alum Cave Parking Lot, and LeConte Lodge is fine. It was hard to drive because of falling leaves, branches, smoke, wind, and nerves. By the time we got to the Marshalls house it was 6:00 PM and they were watching the news. There are A lot of cheap seats in the arena filled with people who never venture onto the floor. And the list goes on. I feel sad for everyone involved. 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. Firefighting resources assigned to the fire include 25 hand crews, 61 engines, 6 helicopters, and 2 dozers, for a total 780 personnel. While my husband tried to rake the leaves away more than once, they blew right back in. Very well put Mari. They need to be accountable for their inaction, and action. Also. The businesses include Cafe 420 . Blame, no. Money and CNN. I responded that the climate is changing, and so are other related situations, and there will be. They were told No, we have it under control.. I could not figure how to put pictures on Wildfire Today, so here are links to let you see whats happened in the Park. On November 27 the fire was a third of a mileas the crow flies from US Highway 441. There will be legal repercussions because of incompetence. I am broken-hearted over it .. As a former FF, their claim that they could have never put it out if they tried from day one is BS. But all sitting back and doing nothing to help. How did all the downtown businesses know to close and send their employees home, but not one word of warning was given to homeowners/residents? No one wanted the castrophe that resulted. Along with other Park issues like un-managed timber (very limited burns, mostly fields, not forested areas), we concluded the saying demolition by neglect. Prescribed burning is a critical ecosystem management tool across the nation, especially in the Southeast (https://goodfires.org/how) and when the term is used interchangeably with monitored wildfires it can lead to confusion. I asked my husband to go outside and hook up the water hose we had disconnected for winter. Accusations were abundant. Those with information are urged to contact the Tennessee Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017 or the GFD at 865-436-5112. 1,000 feet of rise / 0.2 mile (1,056 feet) is a slope of 94.7%, not 77%. "We've had five (fatalities) really close together and this is more than we normally have by this time of year," Boyd said. Firefighters from Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge responded. When peoples towns and lives are at stake, letting a fire burn or hoping to get lucky is a tough sell. Any time our community suffers a great loss or devastation like this, it impacts everybody, she said. Thank all of you. Praying for those residents that have it far worse than I. Will we fail forward? Great info/synopsis of the Gatlinburg/Sevier county wildfires. The Bob Stanton that has been commenting on this thread is NOT the former director of the NPS. Fire-wanted or unwanted- is not a warm and fuzzy abstract thing it is often portrayed in todays media and society to play around with. It seems that not even people in western areas have learned that lesson very well, and now it is time for those with homes and property in the east to realize they are at risk too. Well said, the terrain here is different than a lot of places, even out west. Oh thats right they did but it was after everything burned! strong south, southwest winds, extreme drought, low humidity..ect.., that something similar didnt happen here. Wildfire experts have been warning local government officials about the potential for a fire of this magnitude for years. Thanks for adding more good insight. We went to West TN for Thanksgiving Holidays and came back home to Gatlinburg on Sunday. Analyzing the fire that burned into Gatlinburg - Wildfire Today I checked historical aerial photos on the USGS website because the die-off of the hemlock has been primarily over the past 10 years in the southeastern Appalachians. The coolness and the moisture were gone. from Gburg. The remains of a business in Gatlinburg, Tenn., smolder on Nov. 29, after a devastating wildfire damaged or destroyed more than 2,000 buildings and killed at least 14 people. I went back a few years ago and it was completely different. Will some folks be held accountable for actions or non-actions related to this wildfire incident? Thank you, Bill. It goes for miles, Ive pushed as hard as I could straight down and only managed 1/10th mile an hour on the gps in a few such places. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1477959465566642&id=100000578092120. It is written by Stephanie Sweeney, whose house was off the Spur between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Typically instead of outright termination, the NPS is classic just to relocate the personnel and in some cases give them a promotion to keep them happy and from whistle-blowing; or just live in a delusional world of denial. Conspiracy, no. Brush fires spread across multiple counties this afternoon in Southwest Florida due to high winds. Its all in moderately dense forest that overhangs above the road. The Thomas Divide Complex Fire comprises two wildfires the 140-acre Stone Pile Fire and the Cooper Creek Fire, which is estimated to be 170 acres. We could see the smoke. It works like an Amber Alert to people who download the app and sign up. If the defendants didnt ignite the 14th fire, who did and is this 14th fire under investigation? This article shows NPS was concerned by and notified of impending high winds. A true lackadaisical response. I wonder when NPS actually put out a request for Incident Management Team support. Those businesses were also protected from the fire. Brought mine in from Texas. Charges dropped against youths accused in Gatlinburg wildfires Will the NPS Fire Management leadership at the Regional, NIFC and Washington DC levels admit to some very poor policy and decision making problems associated with the Chimney Top 2 disaster?