The area was under a high-wind warning overnight and while winds slowed during the day Thursday, the National Weather Service said wind gusts up to 30 mph were expected through the evening, with more powerful gusts possible in some locations. We want to especially thank our partner Knoxville Area Transit for providing us a ride! WVLT News spoke with the Sevier County Assistant for Governmental Affairs Perrin Anderson confirmed Tuesday afternoon that the Hatcher Mountain Wildfire was 100% contained. About half an inch of rainfall is expected early Thursday morning. He also said that teams would begin damage assessment Friday, estimating that they would have more information on damages Friday afternoon. Sevier County officials began issuing mandatory evacuations around 4:30 p.m. A siren alarm system was used to evacuate the Gatlinburg area, but it is uncertain what time the sirens started, and some residents told WVLT News they never heard them. Everybody took it very seriously because of what happened, he said. pic.twitter.com/E7i2IPTBFB. He told her to contact 911. A trailer full of cots sat unopened at the community center, untouched and not laid out for people to sleep on until late Wednesday night. -Certification as a TN Fire Inspector I or ability to obtain within one (1) year of employment. While heading to his cabin, Duranstopped along the way to talk to Sevier County Fire Administrator David Puckett. Due to the spread of an ongoing wildfire , folks who live in the area evacuated beginning yesterday to stay safe from the brush fire. When asked about what the fight has been like on the scene, Mayor Waters said he appreciated the professionalism and organization of responders from the beginning, 11 a.m. Wednesday. If you are unsure if you are in this area, you should evacuate. Perrin Anderson with Sevier County announced a mandatory evacuation for the Smoky Ridge Way area off of Wears Valley Road due to increased fire conditions Thursday afternoon. Officials later said that they believed the structure fire was later a separate fire, not related to the Pine Mountain Fire. Highway 321, Wears Valley Road, was closed to traffic from Townsend to Pigeon Forge due to the fire. They made solid decisions and saved thousands of lives, GSMNP Superintendent Cassius Cash told WVLT News in 2016. Our new Privacy Policy will go into effect on January 1st, 2023. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, Waters said, in addition to a civilian who was injured when the fire overcame him while he was working on a bulldozer. However, due to the extreme nature of the wind continued to be a problem for the area. Officials had warned early Wednesday that warm temperatures, low humidity and strong winds increased the risk of fire danger. Id just like to say I appreciate the outpouring of support, said the Sevier County Fire Administrator David Puckett. Officials will work as fast as we can so that our folks can go home, he added. Posted: Mar 2, 2023 / 06:41 AM EST. The National Weather Service warned that the day was shaping up to bevery active, with a prolonged period of high winds coincidingwith dry vegetation to produce elevated fire danger levels. Copyright 2022 WVLT. Officials said that several agencies responded to Cold Creek Resort around 10 p.m. Tuesday after a fire started in the laundry room. PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Dozens of Sevier County residents faced uncertainty Wednesday night as a raging wildfire came through the area. Some are calling it the Indigo Lane Fire. I know folks want to go home, he said We are going to work as fast and diligently as we can so folks can go home and check on property., In a message to homeowners, Waters said we are working as hard as we can. The Pigeon Forge Community Center at 170 Community Center Drive is available for individuals displaced by the fire. Last night we conducted fire patrol@and extinguished hot spots. Please refrain from bringing items to any locations at this time. The Kings Academy at 202 Smothers Road, Seymour, TN, is open as a shelter for those evacuating. Responders also spoke on coordination during the fight, saying they paired out-of-town responders with local ones that could provide directions when needed. A Type 2 Incident Management Team, the Southern Area Gold Team, has been mobilized. 2023 Cable News Network. A no-fly restriction remains for the public for Wears Valley and Chilhowee Mountain through April 7, according to a release. The fire spanned 30 to 40 acres. Ripley Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg evacuated all of its workers, reportedly leaving behind 10,518 animals. The Sevier County Fairgrounds will open Friday to receive donations as well. Sevier County EMA officials also released a phone number for people to call with questions or information about areas affected by the Hatcher Mountain Road/Indigo Lane Fire Thursday afternoon. Hikers are advised to avoid hiking during this time period across the park, particularly in areas with standing dead trees.". The Countys Emergency Management department said it is in the Hatcher Mountain Road and Indigo Lane area of the Wears Valley Community. Winds were expected to die down Thursday. Officials with the City of Gatlinburg and Sevier County released heartbreaking 911 calls made prior to and during the deadly wildfires. A schedule can be found below. Residents can evacuate to the Pigeon Forge Community Center if needed. Three more people were found dead on Campbell Lead Road. Mayor Waters also said he would provide media with updates later in the afternoon, which WVLT will relay through the WVLT News App live. Kaitlin Wright tweeted, Devastating video of the wildfire ongoing near the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee area. Propane tanks have been exploding, Pigeon Forge Fire Chief Tony Watson said Sunday. The second video shows fire crews working to save cabins in Sevier County as flames creep closer. TDOT official Mark Nagi also announced Friday morning that his crews are assisting with fueling first response vehicles in Sevier County. Crews are continuing to make areas affected by the fire safe enough that people can return to their homes, he said. We believe there was no way we could have controlled the fire prior to the wind event. NEW: Rain helps put out most of wildfire near resort town in eastern Tennessee, NEW: Firefighters have been able to leave, as just a few hot spots remain, About 20 fire departments had been battling the blaze, which started Sunday as a house fire, Fire charred more than 35 buildings, turned propane tanks into shrapnel. An evacuation was ordered for anyone within two miles from Parkside Resort in Pigeon Forge due to a fast-moving brush fire, according to officials with the Sevier County Dispatch. The My People Fund gave families thousands of dollars and a chance for people to rebuild. The high winds knocked down power lines and started other fires, hindering communication to order mandatory evacuations. Besides the well-being of homeowners and dwellings in the tourist Great Smoky Mountains destination, the biggest worries are clusters of fallen trees. Typos, let us know HERE, and specify which article. Waters also said TBI and Sevier County Sheriffs Office investigators are looking into what caused the fire. "Road closures may occur earlier than expected and additional roads may close as conditions warrant. He also said he believed that his department would be able to turn over control of the Hatcher Mountain fire to local responders in the next 24-48 hours. Officials with the Pigeon Forge Police Department said no traffic will be able to travel into Wears Valley from Pigeon Forge until further notice. WebCom localizao central em Pigeon Forge, Hilton Garden Inn Pigeon Forge est a apenas 4 minutos de caminhada de Pigeon Forge Snow e a 6 minutos a p de Christmas Place. ET Thursday. Severe weather poses statewide threat of strong straight-line winds, severe thunderstorms, and tornadic activity. It could be 1 to 3 oclock right, could be all night. 2023 www.knoxnews.com. Sevier County EMA officials took to Twitter late Thursday morning to give an update on damage assessment and donation plans. The Hatcher Mountain/Indigo Lane fire that startedMarch 30 burned nearly 2,500 acres, damaging 219 structures and destroying 130 of those. In a 10 a.m. briefing on Thursday officials said the wildfire southwest of Mountain Tough is a program for those that wish to help the citizens, businesses and visitors to Sevier County. Mayor Waters also gave an update on road closures, saying officials would only reopen roads if they were safe. They will reopen once it is safe to do so. Two helicopters left McGhee Tyson Air National Base with Bambi Buckets around 8 a.m., Director of Joint Public Affairs Darrin Haas said. https://bit.ly/3tV1vVs. The blaze is in the Wears Valley community of Sevier County six miles northwest of Gatlinburg. Crews closed the road, saying they were focusing on stopping the fire from crossing it and spreading into more populated areas. Rainfalltotals did little to compete with gusty winds overnight, lowering hopes of containing thefire that eruptedin the popular mountain retreat in the Great Smoky Mountains. Officials reported that evacuation alerts went out on cell phones, but some residents said they never received the alerts. There will be an update on the noon news here shortly. Crews spent Thursday through Saturday working to establish a containment area lower down the mountain. Did you encounter any technical issues? In an effort to learn more, Knox News spoke to residents in the area about the brushfires happening once again in the Gatlinburg area. Its made a difference in lives saved, its made a difference in property saved, he said. The injured person was reportedly taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center via airlift. Officials updated yesterdays estimate of 2,675 acres burned to 2,498 acres. CNNs Janet DiGiacomo contributed to this report. The night of Nov. 28, 2016, they werent aware of the chaos surrounding them until they received a knock on the door. The fire spread rapidly and widely because of wind gusts that blew up to 87 mph on Monday night, according to Miller. They were staying in Chalet Village on Crooked Ridge Road. As of 4:30 p.m., forestry officials also reported one resident was injured and was airlifted out of the area to the University of Tennessee Medical Center. The cop was like, You need to leave, like now, Zackary MacLellan reflected. We are receiving many donation offers and are working on locations where donations can be dropped. One video shows firefighters escaping as flames jump at them, propelled by high winds. We will provide donation information for both items and money later this afternoon. About 150 people were evacuated Sunday and the American Red Cross opened a shelter at the Pigeon Forge Community Center. A reporter with WVLT got photos of some of the five pieces of fire apparatus that fire officials said were damaged on the Hatcher Mountain Fire northwest of Gatlinburg, Tennessee yesterday. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much https://bit.ly/3u1KXel. PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WVLT) - An evacuation was ordered for residents in Pigeon Forge Thursday following a fast-moving brush fire that officials are calling the Pine Mountain Fire and has since been lifted. Once buses arrive, students will be dismissed accordingly. Families that were forced from their homes by the deadly 2016 Gatlinburg wildfires find refuge at a shelter. Officials estimated that about 11,000 homes were evacuated over the course of the day. Updated In the meantime, at least three shelters were opened to accommodate those potentially displaced by the fires, according to county officials. CNNs Melissa Alonso, Sara Smart and Chris Boyette contributed to this report. The family has been staying in a hotel and theyve been in touch with the Airbnb host, who is unaware about the status of the cabin, Frederick told CNN. Watch as a helicopter collects water from pond to drop on a wildfire in Wears Valley. Jon Summers, 61, and Janet Summers, 61, were from Memphis, Tennessee. If you are in the Wears Valley or Walden's Creek areas please evacuate immediately. Red Cross officials confirmed the Pigeon Forge Community Center shelter will close at 2 p.m. Sunday. Responders held a press conference Thursday morning with an update on the ongoing firefight in Sevier County. As we previously reported, NONE of our cabins were damaged in the blaze. Flames destroyed nearly 2,500 homes and left an estimated $2 billion in damages. As the strong weather system moved through the area Wednesday night the weather station at Cove Mountain recorded winds out of the south-southeast and south with sustained speeds of 38 mph at midnight. The spot weather forecast from the National Weather Service Thursday morning predicts mostly sunny skies with a slight chance of scattered sprinkles late in the morning, minimum RH of 45 percent, and southwest winds 9 to 14 mph with gusts to Massive mutual aid response via TN Mutual Aid Systen. Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters opened the conference by confirming that there had been no fatalities as of Friday. Residents and visitors needing general information, or having information to provide, on areas affected by the Hatcher Mountain Road/Indigo Lane Fire may call 865-774-3899. PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. A Kroger grocery store in Pigeon Forge caught fire early Saturday morning. 2. We appreciate that and are thankful for the donations, he said. Goodluck to all those fighting the fire. Two helicopters moved overhead to dumpwater near several burning homes on the hillsideafter high winds and dry conditions sparked a brush fire and promptedan evacuation order for thearea. While the fire was put out, several people are now without @myTDOT crews in the area are still assisting with fueling first response vehicles and where needed with traffic control. Volunteers from around the world calmed the fears of victims as they donated millions of dollars to the relief fund. Another fire that started March 26 about 17 miles south of Gatlinburg near Bryson City and Whittier, the Thomas Divide Fire, has burned 948 acres. National Park Service says never push a slower friend down when escaping a bear, Knoxville utilities crews work to restore power after intense storms, Lisa Edwards family retains civil rights attorney, Band protests TN drag bill by wearing dresses, Tennessee GOP lawmaker apologizes over hanging comment, New TN aquarium exhibit showcases Appalachian aquatic life. Discovery Company. 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. -Pass Departmental NFPA 1582 Complaint Physical Exam. Duran confirmed the flag and banner did, in fact, belong to him. This is a developing story in Pigeon Forge, TN. We were so caught off guard. Well thankfully a church has got us a hotel room located for the night, Chris Clemmons said. Goodhue called the situation heartbreaking. We just want everybody to stay vigilant. "It could be worse," Duran told Knox News of his predicament. Knoxville Fire Department officials told WVLT News just after 8 p.m. that they deployed four units to Wears Valley to assist in fighting the fires, according to Knoxville Police Department Assistant Chief Mark Wilbanks. All rights reserved. I could see the smoke coming off of Waldens Creek back there, and I was like, That's coming from where I live.. #WearsValleyFire.. Officials said that airdrops will continue Friday morning. He also contrasted this weeks event to the Gatlinburg fires of 2016, saying that officials and residents had learned valuable lessons on how to react to fires.

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