The Championship side, who are 19th in the table, said there have been no injuries. But, that team is there to give future corrective actions, not to formulate lawsuits. Also important is accountability, so is teaching, learning and experience, so is action, so is on and on. is TEMA didnt have the training. I left the professional fire service with 3o plus years of experience, yet with a still learning and observant mind. Once again the County and the City is sitting around twiddling their thumbs and doing nothing just like they did when the fire started and they could have contained it. 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.. 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. But very little if any fire suppression activity occurred until Monday, November 28. 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. Copyright 2022 WVLT. A spokesperson for the city said the Gatlinburg Fire Department was dispatched to the 700 block of Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg at 6:39 a.m. on October 9. So they were more concerned about NPS structures than our homes and lives? 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. The notice went out to people within 10 miles of the fireline. That evening, GSM park officials tweeted that a 1.5 acre fire (Chimney Tops 2 fire) was burning in a steep location around the Chimneys. It works like an Amber Alert to people who download the app and sign up. Birmingham City close training ground after fire causes damage I wonder why? My wife and I hiked to Alum Cave Bluffs Saturday, Nov. 26, while the fire was small up on the Chimneys. Instead 14 people are dead, many are injured, 2000 structures burned, loss is now a pandemic. Our government has been paying these communications companies millions in tax breaks and tax dollars to provide cellular and other affordable services to rural America, and they are failing to do so or providing the services at outrageous rates. These so called means of helping people out is a lie. The Chimney Tops 2 could be a good case in point. At 3:00PM I convinced my husband to call the Gatlinburg Fire Dept. There could be traffic jams. We spent Thanksgiving there with our family, who left on Sunday. But the last one, issued at 7 a.m. EST on Sunday by Eric Holweg, did predict strong winds. We were there from May until early November. Crews are currently taking down the China Bazaar and Puckers building. This lack of serious response is all too obvious. Below is a comment I posted from New Sentinel article about Gatlinburg fire, Wildfire Today something that undoubtedly should be investigated as well as compared to their actions of the 23rd to 28th Chimney Tops Fire 2: Officials are evasive and vague about the 1st Chimney Tops Fire. Experience in itself is never enough. China Bazaar, Pucker's Sports Grill, Gifts of Gatlinburg, and Caf 420 were all deemed a complete loss. My questions are: what were the wind speeds when NPS crews ignited these backfires to protect NPS structures; and if they ignited fire on the 28th when the winds were getting stronger and stronger, would the potential exist for backfire embers to get out of control? Youre right change is hard to come by. He yelled at Bates to get out, and Bates did leave before coming back without the worker knowing. They have tied their hands and resources through environmental forestry management. It means they eliminated natural causes, such as lightning and volcano eruptions. It seems to me that the extreme wind was as unprecedented as the drought and the low stream levels. It was probably 4:45 by this time. CNN A wildfire burning near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Sevier County, Tennessee, has grown to more than 3,700 acres and impacted more than 100 structures, County Mayor Larry. . Very well put Mari. It is the duty of the people and Congress to maintain and voice our concerns and opinions to where check and balances work. Damage was estimated at. I think were all just going to come back and rebuild stronger than ever, he said. I left early to get boys and filled Stantons old Subaru Outback up with gas. One option could be helicopter fire repellers to repel into the fire and make an assessment of risk. I agree with you Bill that it isnt Most but whether it is a few or many isnt the point for me. On-the-ground fire suppression activity took place Monday when firefighters took defensive action to protect structures at a nearby GRSM picnic area. Conspiracy, no. The Gatlinburg Fire Department was dispatched to the 700 block of Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg at 6:39 a.m. on October 9. Fortunately, Wildfire Today and Knox News had both published detailed timelines about what happened and when, before the Sevier County DA cut off the info flow. Excellent points, Jody. Bob called. They will be touched in their heart as deeply as anyone who has lost in the tragedy itself. One person was found dead in the rubble of a fire that broke out in downtown Gatlinburg early Sunday morning. The People have been deceived with a vague and biased investigation regarding this particular bear incident. Sitting in a Sevierville motel room for four days watching the fire chief, city mayor, city manager, and county mayor pat each other on the back for being Mountain Strong sickened me. We had no significant rain in 2 months!!! Gatlinburg fire: Body found in blaze rubble, cause of fire under Sevier County remains Smokies Strong 5 years after wildfires - WBIR.com 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 didnt for one reason in my humble opinion: $$$ Sunday, four days after the fire started, was the first time that any firefighting aircraft were used on the fire, Ms. Schroer said. Charges dismissed against boys, ages 17 and 15 after Gatlinburg - WITI Our house was in a direct N/S line from the Chimneys. She said smoke had been super heavy. Thank-you Bill for your through and in depth analysis of this wildfires chain-of events. In late 2016, wildfires . An in depth investigation should be launched and the (ir)responsible parties identified. 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. Considering the record of wind gusts between 5-6pm and that the fire had jumped US 441, NPS calling Gburg Fire Dept. Do arsonists typically work alone? They had the same weather forecast information. 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. But until the awareness of possibility and the letting go of holding onto what we think we know to be the truth much will remain unchanged. However, to expect her to honor the NPS is inappropriate considering reality and her circumstances. It also led officials to. I convinced my husband to drive back toward our house to see if we could see the fire. To successfully allow a fire to burn for a long period of time requires VERY skilled personnel and luck. I repeat The NPS and the Fire Chief of Gatlinburg should have started fighting the Chimney Tops 2 fire aggressively the day it was discovered. A voluntary evacuation should have been issued at least 36 hours before the fire exploded. 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. Who can or will hold them accountable for their part in this tragedy? Common since would tell you a mountain fire in wind and drought would move very fast!!! I told him my home was on fire and he said they were evacuating everyone,then. Whatever happened to good old common sense decisions considering the drought, excessive fuels, and weather! They didnt want CNN down there declaring their tourist town a death trap. The devastation of the Gatlinburg wildfires offered hope, in a - Yahoo! Almost every creek drainage in GSMNP has stands of dead hemlocks (though some areas near roads had some hemlocks treated regularly to prevent adelgid infestation). Some of those GSMNP personnel were trained out west and know how fast a wildfire spreads in high winds. I also wanted to let everyone know that the City and County is an example of nepotism at its finest. That said I have been an avid backpack or in hiker who has done probably every trail in the Smokies many times over. Until 1 p.m. sustained speeds were 4 to 6 mph with gusts at 12 to 19 mph. Another 2.3 inches accumulated that day by the time it stopped at 7 p.m. LeConte is going to be fine. If the defendants didnt ignite the 14th fire, who did and is this 14th fire under investigation? Amazingly, some locals have whined about Knox News and Wildfire Today pointing out facts and timelines while ignoring the fact that it was Congress that cut the National Forest and National Park budgets. Once the winds came on day 5 or 6, there was nothing anyone could do. Will it change what has happened? I hounded the Knox News editor for a followup article around Dec. 19. 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. 100-acre brush fire causes evacuations in Collier County Our local congressional representative will be the first to confront the Park Service for numerous shortfalls, bias agendas that cater to special interest groups, and a host of other issues to where the NPS serves itself more so than the people. But if park management had been spending budget on fire management capabilities equal to those sites there would likely be criticism of that. When we reached our car at road level, we saw flames coming over the ridge directly south of our house. Nicely put together article. He has had to struggle with the untimely death of his very healthy and active in younger retirement parents but both of us having been an EMS and fire service, he is of the opinion just as I am that the NPS as well as the Gatlinburg fire chief and the city and county officials have the most of blood on their hands . On the night before I left for Branson, I had terrible nightmares of being caught in a forest fire in Branson. The fire, which was reported at 6:39 a.m. Sunday in the 700 block of Parkway, caused extensive damage to a block of businesses, the city's spokesperson said. I was struck by the daunting task of creating a viable fire-prevention plan in that area of constant tourist turnover, and the way it is laid-out. As a contractor I worked with a Dunes engine in Michigan MI years ago. It was also unbelievably dry. Why did they wait until Monday to do a voluntary a evacuation or were the city father is involved in the decision not to panic the thousands and thousands of people still there for the Thanksgiving holiday. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. 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. In regard to the Knoxville News Sentinel article by Don Jacobs and an apparent press release statement by the Deputy Superintendent of GSMNP: There was no way the fire could have been extinguished before the winds came. Jordan says. On November 27 the fire was a third of a mileas the crow flies from US Highway 441. This goes all the way to our Congress and irresponsible, blind, budget cutting exercises. 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! A fire burns at a high-rise building under construction in the Tsim Sha Tsui district in Hong Kong on March 3, 2023. I was on the phone w them that Mon. Asked if I knew if there were any other people down in that area. The cause of the fire has still not been determined. Basically telling the press, the public and the injured families to go to hell. I appreciate how articulately you described your thoughts. This come from long time residents, The prices we have been getting should be considered price gouging because that is exactly what it is. there is still a nagging question regarding the use of BACKFIRE on the part of the NPS and the Gatlinburg Fires? Like hell he did. We had a contractor there working on improvements to our house. 119K views 4 months ago GATLINBURG Many people get worried when they hear the words Gatlinburg and Fire in the same sentence. Nearly five years. They were asleep at the wheel. Hasnt anyone noticed that friends groups are paying for major park infrastructure and various other projects that our Congress has failed to provide for? There are thousands and thousands of people who feel as I do about your loss and the losses of so many people in Gatlinburg and the surrounding area. There were cliffs in the area but firefighting Hotshot Crews can figure out how to work on steep slopes, sometimes backing off a bit, constructing a fire line and intentionally burning the fuel in between, preventing further expansion of the fire. It is interesting, though not a surprise that when so many diverse experts from across the country and sometimes other countries come with diversity of experience, backgrounds, and training; all come together to handle a disastrous incident, such as this, they do so and often are quite successful. 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. Chalet Village Gatlinburg, Tommy there is a class action lawsuit being formulated by a Knoxville attorney. Case in point is our European religious history. The wind and the low visibility caused by the smoke made it impossible to fly aircraft over the fire. This is a failure at the city, county and state levels, as well as top FEMA, leadership. Many, if not most, of these incidents leave the confines of the managing agency and sweep out onto lands owned or managed by others who had NO input into the original incident management strategy. It is a truism that many people want all the benefits of government, but dont want to pay for them. By the time the troops were called in, it was too late. This isnt finger pointing its the simple facts of the entire situation like it or not! Hit it with all you have the Moment it breaks out. What caused the fire in the Smoky Mountains? Join our group. Have a wildland fire news tip? I would rather have someone on the job who has screwed up, erred and learned from the experience as I know that the chances of a repeat performance are lessened and for most learners they will progress forward with even better decision making skills. Just like the mayor of Amity in Jaws, they were not about to evacuate the entire city on Thanksgiving weekend. The one picture showing a PVC clean-out with charring on it is a very good example of a very fast, hot torch of flame blasting a relatively small area. I hope this video puts people at ease that this fire is. I am thankful so many are not only opening their eyes here, but taking action and questioning. 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. And we were lucky. If their destination is not lit, they have to land there no later than 30 minutes after sunset. I may be alone in thinking that, but I do think the Feds would stand up to local influence. 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. What about firefighter safety? Not every fire manager gets the benefit of a meteorologist in your hip pocket, but there are many good weather websites available. Thus, private, State, or other agencies get left holding the bag, as it were. Contractor will be on site this weekend with a subcontractor cleaning up my debris and really pouring my foundation and my logs will arrive within 15 days or more . Where was all the HELP TO PUT THIS FIRE OUT A WHEN IT STARTED???? And each structure became much more of a threat than the spreading ground fire ever was. I guess they are helping the people they always help and the rest of us are out of luck. wasnt blocked off since Mynatt Park was told to evacuate at 5:17. I was in my cabin on 28 November and barely made it out alive. Heavy Rain In Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg Tennessee (March 2023) I felt like people had been robbed of the vital information they needed to make the decisions they needed to be safe. Classic Swiss Cheese risk management fire management failurehave we as a profession learned anything since South Canyon, Yarnell and now Chimney Top 2? I could not figure how to put pictures on Wildfire Today, so here are links to let you see whats happened in the Park. Tom. All rights reserved. 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. 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). We believed the firefighters were going to stop the fire from entering the city. But when it's close to home, the sadness and concern of those affected is ten-fold in the worry department. We need to hold, that experience though often shared, does not fit into every mold, because in the real world though some laws are universal, there is always changing variable and situations are never really exactly the same. Your reply well done! So because of his and other incompetence property owners are paying the price. It is a sad state of affairs, the loss of life was quite avoidable. He wanted us to pack and leave. Brought mine in from Texas. I certainly agree there are definitely consequences for our actions, for some more than others. Corker and Alexander know what would happen if they tried to interfere with a Federal prosecution! It was hard to drive because of falling leaves, branches, smoke, wind, and nerves. Of course they wont. I just assumed that others would be leaving Gatlinburg out of concerns similar to mine. All the guy in the truck told us was that they had dug a fire line and were told to wait here. Then another large red pickup came down from Turkey Nest Road and stopped in front of us. Many locals are saying the lack of evac was income driven. Gatlinburg fire 10/9/2022: One body found after Parkway blaze The fire broke out around 6:30 a.m. at the mall on the Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg. As we drove in the smoke was no better than it had been when we left cabin, it was worse. I would describe this as flooding in Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg Tennessee, but certainly heavy rain rising the water levels throughout. On Sunday when GSMNP called in helicopter water drops, there were 3 fire tanker planes sitting on the runway 20 minutes away in Chattanooga (covered in Wildfire Today). The learning system of resolution. Over 3000 wildfires received Initial Attack in November in the southern Appalachians, many of which were still very active when Chimney Tops 2 started. When I came out of dr. office, which is located on Middle Creek close to hospital, the atmosphere was eerie. But I believe there is a fourth element of fire behavior prediction and that is the element of situational awareness. Jeannine, its obvious that you write from the heart, and you write so well it is indeed inspirational. 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. Tom, I want to express to you how sorry I am to hear about the loss of your cabin, what you went through escaping the fire, what you have gone through since the fire and what you are facing. Whomever is in charge locally for the NPS should also be summarily fired. Published: Oct. 11, 2022 at 5:31 PM PDT GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - Four downtown Gatlinburg businesses are picking up the pieces after a fire Sunday morning destroyed their building. Visibility was bad and it was hard to breathe as we unpacked our truck. 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. Person killed in downtown Gatlinburg fire identified. The cleaner told officials he found Bates in the room where the fire started and had what appeared to be a warming fire going. Who will accuse and then fire then? 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. 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. Shortly after he left, he called my husband to tell him that the road between our house and downtown Gatlinburg was blocked by a crew from Sevier County Electric. We, the public, have to be activists for our own safety, the very safety that public officials claim to protect. The person or people responsible for the fire have not yet been found. Spirit Airlines . Earlier on Tuesday, media reported that a man was arrested for setting three fires that spread into a 300-acre fire in. Mitchell, Mt. Gatlinburg Fire 2016: How It Happened & the Aftermath - PigeonForge.com I told Stanton I wanted him to drive our truck up to top of mountain behind house to get it away from house and out from under so many trees. At 10AM we drove to Sevierville to buy more materials (to eventually add to the bonfire). All weekend, my husband and daughter followed the fire on the Chimney Tops 2 facebook page NPS had established. Not clouding the issues with the intent to take down a person. I would recommend reviewing Wildfire Todays post titled: NPS releases information about the Chimneys Tops Fire 2 as well as the post Analysis of wind, vegetation, and air tankers before the fire burned into Gatlinburg. I dont think so they were the people in charge not any of us and they didnt do their job. Resources = $$$=taxes. Fires in the Great. It now seems obvious that no housing development should have only road in and out. (Originally published at 11:04 a.m. MST November 23 . I am in my late 60s and have never seen such a drought, or such low stream levels. But instead great risks were taken through basic inaction and the consequences were disastrous. The forecasts are supposed to be detailed and customized predictions of the weather at a particular location, or spot, for at least the next two days. I ran other errands and stopped by cabin to unload groceries before picking boys up from school. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. As it turned out the sprinklers were far above affordable means and way outside the parameters quoted by the NFPA for the cost of a standard sprinkler system so we did not get them. Im not saying GRSM made the right or wrong decision, there is just a lot more involved then saying they didnt suppress it promptly. According to the great gag order, government officials should not be commenting???? 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. This Park Ranger was appointed to this position in December 2014 and he took office in February 2015, so in a span of one year and nine months he managed to let the place burn and we have owned property there for 32 years and nothing remotely like this has ever happened. If I had even been in the bathroom or downstairs I wouldve died . Hopefully all of those affected will be able to begin again. Not just putting out the fires, but restoring the forest and trails afterward. I am a property owner in the Lake of the Ozarks, in Missouri, and oddly enough, had just returned from a trip to Branson, Missouri. When the rain started again at 8 a.m. the relative humidity rose into the 90s. She has given me permission to share it on this site. Property owners still have the rights to protect their property. One only has to imagine a single downed power line starting a structure fire at the same time the wildfire was approaching to understand how the great loss of property and life actually happened. There was two contributing factors to this disaster. This is how the devastating Gatlinburg wildfire erupted overnight 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. We all contribute to this phenomenon if not intentionally but unintentionally, simply by the design of our brains! Unfortunately its the home owners that are taking the hit and I think it should be them. It is to be considered, but verified by other means. I was in the area hiking November 21 and there was no smoke coming from the Chimneys area. 865-637-2442. A lot of personnel put forth heroic efforts to save lives and we should all be grateful for that. When we got to the bottom of the mountain, we ran into the Sevier County Electric crew where the road was blocked. Why did they wait until Monday to do a voluntary a evacuation or were the city father is involved in the decision not to panic the thousands and thousands of people still there for the Thanksgiving holiday. 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. I would hope that we would fund the National Park Service much better so that cost-cutting is not so high on their priorities. .. bless you all! Thanks! Someone must have started the fire. Who allowed this to happen? When the fire started on Chimney Tops I thought surely the National Park Service would take necessary steps to put it out quickly because of the sure danger of it spreading. Remembering the Gatlinburg Wildfires five years later - WBRC January 4, 2017 at 5:26 pm

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