They got good rain last night
http://m.accuweather.com/en/us/tennessee/weather-radar?play=1
I’ve driven through those places, and have been around forest fores. This is just terrible. :(
Are any US news sources covering this?
Oh my beloved mountains! We have spent so much time there hiking and fishing...just inhaling the handiwork of God
I know they will come back from the ashes; they always do.
Not sure it will be in my lifetime tho.
Smoke here has been awful. I’m just a short drive from Gatlinburg so I hope the rain put the fires out last night.
Only good thing is that for the most part it’s only ground litter burning - which is bad enough as it is. That can be seen in the night films of the fire. But tons of smoke.
Few areas in the NC mountains are congested with brush like the canyon fires on the west coast.
Thank God for the UK press.
There is really one main road into Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Many fond memories but once we got caught in a traffic jam between the two towns. Prayers for the folks caught in this mess. I hope they find the arsonist who did it.
Believe it or don’t but I was a major subcontractor on that hotel. I fabricated and installed all the glass and aluminum forming the exterior sheath.
I looked at the website for the Park Vista hotel and noted the addition of a large heavy timber porte cochre. That is what burned. The building is a cylinder, hollow in the center. It is all concrete so there is little to burn in the actual building. There were photos taken of fire thru the main entrance from inside out.
There are reports of buildings, especially at Arrowmont, downtown gatlinburg destroyed.
The fires are spread over considerable area. I suspect ISIS set the fires as they did in Israel
*Dollywood theme park has been evacuated*
Must be really, really big!
It rained last night and a bit this morning. I lived in Alaska, so I guess I was a lil apethetic at first. Several coworkers live close to a couple of fires. The smoke is wreaking havoc on the locals.. we live in an are less affected, but I work in in maryviille, where the smoke settled for a few days. The city folk are claiming near death experiences constantly. Glad to hear the Hilton is safe, just can’t see spending the holiday in the great smoke filled mountains. To me, it’s just mountain life.
Even though it will never be admited I think these huge fires are set by radical muslims
Bugs and disease have been killing the trees for many years. When we visited in 2010 you could see the damage.
https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/dff109-pest.htm
Closing in on Dollywood. My sis and her husband who has MD, and their daughter all lost their jobs when Westgate a resort burned down. They live up in the mountain’s surrounding the area, their house is not in danger. He’s on disability, she will have to apply for Unemployment, finding work when you are nearing 60 is not going to be easy. Especially with so many losing their jobs because of this fire.
Please Lord send enough rain to put out the fires.
Crap. Was there a few months ago.
The American Party established its headquarters in Pigeon Forge in 1973. Three years later, Anderson ran for president as its candidate but lost to Jimmy Carter.
When Bill Clinton was first elected he gutted the budgets for the park service and all fed land mgmt agencies. They also appointed tree hugging global warmers and stopped all policies to control wildfires throughout the U.S. The budgets and policy changes have never been restored to $$ levels and policies that work. We are now reaping the whirlwind of these actions.
On another note, my brother informs me these particular fires were started by bear poachers caught in the Smokies, out on bond, taking their sorry actions out on the other fair chase hunters by burning their hunting grounds.
He also told me there are fires in 65 Tn counties on fire, copy cats or ISIS teddy fires to gage disruption and affect on gov resources. Using this as the model for Israel wildfires. Our president elect cannot be sworn in soon enough for me. T-55 and counting.
I have very fond childhood memories of Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge. As kids we used to travel there with my parents an Grandparents. It was beautiful, clean, and wholesome. We wouls also take the drive from there to Ashville to see the Vanderbuilt Estate.
I grew up and went back with my husband and kids. I was so disappointed. It has turned into a smelly grease pit of dirty creeks, tatoo parlors, cheezy mini golf courses.
I was saddened by it and haven’t been back since. I do have some wonderful signed prints, and pottery from there.
Praying for the people trapped in the fire area there..
Rain is headed that way. May help
Wild fires are dangerous