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. This country was founded on open respectful discussion, such as this which has occurred in this article commentary and blog comments. This is a text book example of waiting for rain and not planning for WHAT IF! This year has been crazy, with so many fires happening in Autumn. The chain reaction that if un-inhibited can create the perfect storm, block the perfect solutions or that can lead to the ignition of possibility and opportunity. During fire suppression efforts, crews found one person dead inside the structure. I remember a news A day or so later where that fire chief of the Gatlinburg stated that they knew on Sunday that it was predicted the fire would hit Gatlinburg proper by 11 AM on Tuesday morning. A year or two ago, there was a small fire on Rocky Spur on the Rainbow Falls Trail up Mt. All without the but why reflection, cause and effect analysis, drill down technique and the inter-relationship effect. It certainly should be addressed, by We, the People. Ive posted this type of questioning on other Wildfire Today articles. If the NPS backfires were not ignited on the 28th; then they had to be ignited on the 27th a day before the fire broke out. 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! This goes all the way to our Congress and irresponsible, blind, budget cutting exercises. The extremely dry conditions in the area, though, should have raised the concern level. China Bazaar, Pucker's Sports Grill, Gifts of . The town I live in in Kentucky has a $500 fine for tossing a cigarette out the window and we do not even have The potential for many brushfires. If the Park Service had done there job in the first place and City and County leaders would have stepped in and done something this could and would have been prevented. I seriously question if bias will be discreetly worked into this agency and their review of the fire?? Now I can only imagine what children or adults with issues might have gleaned from this message being broadcast. We need a growing pool of resources who have gained knowledge and wisdom hat can be applied to future events, not to lessen the pool by throwing out those who failed but are not a failure. 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. Read more Tennessee Wildfire Cause: Gatlinburg Fires May Have Been Man-Made, Officials Claim is an article from: The Inquisitr News. 3:36 p.m. Gatlinburg Fire Department is going door-to-door asking residents to voluntarily evacuate to a Red Cross evacuation shelter set up at the Gatlinburg Community Center located at 156 . perish, but for the 14 who did, Were these simply copy cat arsonists, arsonists with the most ridiculous stories to offer for why they lit these fires, or were they just cover-ups for something more sinister? In late 2016, wildfires . I saw Wyoming and Colorado engines being demobalized after containment. The coordination and communication of the Incident Management teams is impressive. These people both the successful along with the ones who erred and experienced failure, courageously risked being vulnerable in order to help others. Thanks! Im sorry but that initial fire management at the outset was atrocious. (The fire was in eastern Tennessee near the North Carolina border.). Crews working a Gatlinburg structure fire that began early Sunday morning discovered a body. I have for years pointed out to my students the dead hemlock all over the mountain. milepost 316. She may have chosen poor timing, and perhaps not the best method of tackling the issues, but nonetheless we need to start asking the tough questions without being so offended and then take a good hard look at the issues, and how they can be resolved. NPS can suppress the first fire; but not the second fire? Thanks for the legwork. We have turned in a claim but still no word on a settlement. Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new articles by email. There is no cost, and in case you change your mind each email has an unsubscribe button. So whether the defendants started the 14th fire or not, a close examination of this Facebook press release indicates the fire apparently started on the 13th; and yet a social media photo post claims the 12th clearly showing a lack of response once again in fire suppression by the NPS. Undoubtedly, the current management of our natural resources will come before the Judgments of the Almighty; for human lives were lost in this fire. Visibility was so low that other car lights could barely be seen from oncoming cars. There is much to delve into in resolving the causative factors of this disaster and the fire and park service are only a part of that equation. No pre-evacuation notice was sent so citizens could be ready to depart. So my husband called the Gatlinburg policy department with the same questions and got the same answers. That is when I said to myself Where the hell is TEMA?. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the GFD, Gatlinburg Police Department, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. 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. 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. Screenshot from the Knox News video. They found plenty of resources when they realize they were going to be burning all the money making business is down on Monday. These folks do this often in situations in which they have little control over much of the situation or outcomes. Just a reminder to all, wildfires knows no boundaries, political beliefs, policy or management decisions just simple laws of physics and science from S-190: Basic Fire Behavior fuels, weather, topography and an ignition source plus extreme, well documented, long term drought conditions equals a recipe for conflagration, death and destruction. Kelly you are right, NO Help from City or County in the clean up..SOS home owners responsible for all.. Obviously spent no time in the military so they didnt know how to field dress A cigarette and pack it out. I am a management specialist and I understand how to plan, and implement risk-protection and safety in many kinds of settings, to address various threats to people. On November 27 the fire was a third of a mileas the crow flies from US Highway 441. Just wondering was it God who drastically cut the federal budgets for NPS, Wildland firefighters and other resources or was that Congress? I dont know details as to the trail. How far from the Chimney Tops, as the crow flies, were these pictures taken? 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. Thanksgiving weekend is one of the 4 busiest weekends for Gatlinburg and the National Park. The electricity goes out almost everytime there is a high wind. Flies north of fire (s) in TN. The use of smokejumpers could be part of the plan. We watched local news and weather forecasts. 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. Nothing happens in a vacuum. Ash move in quickly after a fire, and through the yearly process of shedding their leaves, make it difficult for seeds from the Red Spruce/Fraser Fir/Hemlocks to make an effective seed-soil contact, thus when we lose one of these magnificent evergreen forests, it truly is a tragedy in more ways than one. But any land manager that expects to allow active spreading fire behavior for weeks or months is knowingly taking a risk that a wind event unpredictable weeks or months in advance will occur and change everything, sometimes with a very undesirable outcome. I ran other errands and stopped by cabin to unload groceries before picking boys up from school. We drove west down the parkway. We were still asleep when it happened. I would suggest that you read over Bills articles on this site regarding NPS releases information about the Chimney Tops Fire 2 and Analysis of wind, vegetation, and air tankers before the fire burned into Gatlinburg. ATF, other agencies search for cause of blaze that claimed life of Buffalo firefighter. Yes, good points Jody. 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. They have tied their hands and resources through environmental forestry management. The wildfire began burning in a remote location of the park (Chimney Tops) in steep terrain with vertical cliffs and narrow rocky ridges, making access to the wildfire area . Many locals are saying the lack of evac was income driven. I spent two weeks in the area after the fire to inspect my property and ascertain where my wife and I would go from there. I do remember the bad fires in the 1990s in Florida and Colorado (I was in Glenwood Springs at a week-long seminar only a week after the Storm King Mountain aka South Canyon fire). 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. In response to Jeanne in regard to Kelly Morgans comments: It is the duty of the American people to honor and respect and obey the Laws of the Land unless government becomes a dictatorship to basic rights and freedoms. Being asleep at the wheel is no excuse. I was afraid to go into Park with boys. An expert, a hero or success is the one who takes a vulnerable risk at making a decision and by grace the outcome is positive, by contrast is the person who makes similar vulnerable risk in decision-making and by grace the outcome is negative. This isnt finger pointing its the simple facts of the entire situation like it or not! According to FOX 5's Matthew Cappucci the smoke plume got to about 3,600 feet and . The fire was south of Gatlinburg. I wonder why? The Chimneys functionally act as the head of a canyon leading directly to downtown Gatlinburg. We applied for the Dollywood assistance and FEMA and can get neither, Im not sure who they are helping but for us and our neighbors we arent getting anything. 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. Unusually dry conditions in eastern Tennessee spurred a ban on fires in the national park on Nov. 15. Thanks Henry. After the fact they called in helicopters to dump water on the fire which is what they should have done in the first place and didnt, WHY NOT? People in our country must get this, because for all the overwhelming issues in our country today, they keep voting many of the same politicians back into office over and over and over again expecting a different outcome. Officials identified Robert A. Hejny, 63, who was found at Traveler's Motel in Gatlinburg. Authorities have not identified the victim or . One option could be helicopter fire repellers to repel into the fire and make an assessment of risk. Thanksfully ATF agents helped TN Bureau of Investigation put their full resources at hand and arrested to two teenage idiots that started the fire. A similar fire occurred on English Mountain. That doesnt mean excessive chainsaw mania; but it doesnt mean going to the other extreme with the type of forestry management in some of our Parks and other public lands. All rights reserved. Thanks for your rundown on the fire Bill. Those strong southerly winds had been forecast a good two days before the fire broke through into the developed areas. LeConte is going to be fine. This openness which allows for both expression of feeling and diversity of thought and ideas will be what drives our ability to fix the complex issues we are faced with, and to grow as human individuals, groups and nations. 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. Two Hawaii police departments are making moves to beef up incentives as recruiting efforts grow more competitive. We could see the smoke. 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. It works like an Amber Alert to people who download the app and sign up. Will the Firefighter Safety crutch of the last twenty plus years be the political linchpin to justify fire management strategy and tactics employed by the GSNP? 865-637-2442. I can only hope that the actions are being undertaken somewhere and by the decision-makers and leaders to think and act differently. She said smoke had been super heavy. Lose their jobs over this? However, firebe it a wildfire, structure fire, flammable liquid fire or a a bi-nine campfire does not care or worry about budget cuts, staffing issues, political agendas, experienced or inexperienced decision making or other human factors. 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. The news media started out just like the city news conference people leading people to believe the fire that burned everything occurred on November 28th, not true. It would be interesting to understanding the impact of excessive fuel from dead hemlocks, killed by hemlock wooly adelgid (together with the lack of moisture typically found under a mature, live, shady hemlock canopy, even with the extreme drought conditions) had on this fire. The smoke steadily became thicker as the days passed and friends were showing pictures of the Chimneys on fire. We were wearing bandanas wrapped around our faces at this point. 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. Bob headed our way. She replied, Mrs. 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. In addition thorough explanations could have been given for the reasons for calling for the Voluntary Evacuation and could have been published. At the big forest fires in NC and GA, where the federal incident management teams were located, the Incident teams ordered pre-evacuation prior to the arrival of a cold front when strong, gusty winds were forecast. The Chimney Tops 2 could be a good case in point. 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. The fire gutted the entire city block and closed a dozen businesses. Your reply well done! Because we were heading home to Ohio early Tuesday morning, we packed our suitcases and put them in the car. Hasnt anyone noticed that friends groups are paying for major park infrastructure and various other projects that our Congress has failed to provide for? To successfully allow a fire to burn for a long period of time requires VERY skilled personnel and luck. It would appear that in the end it comes down to lack of adequate training, lack of adequate rehearsals (shouldnt they have known how to get messages out to the public via cell phone? Brought mine in from Texas. Would it be wise to implement backfire with such strong winds forecasted on top of exceptional drought and fuels? Also. On the map below, the fire is the small dot in the center surrounded by the yellow line. I have seen local hiking pictures that appear to show two separate smoke columns on Saturday 11/26. There is much opportunity in the Eastern Appalachians to better prepare citizens, towns , leaders and firefighters; To create more fire aware and safe communities. Over 3000 wildfires received Initial Attack in November in the southern Appalachians, many of which were still very active when Chimney Tops 2 started. Our place was gone. If this is the same Bob Stanton commenting here, then the bias is way too obvious. OF COURSE the dead hemlocks (and spruces and firs) are changing the picture for fire danger. Anyone can arm chair quarterback incident manager decisions after the smoke clears. Those with information are urged to contact the Tennessee Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017 or the GFD at 865-436-5112. Great job on this website, it is very informative and I recommend it to everyone in the business. 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. The only way they will learn from the fire is if they have to face a jury of their peers to account for their ineptness even know they were in charge of protecting us and our homes and they did neither. 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. The massive Gatlinburg wildfires, which began in November, caused the deaths of 14 people, injured 175 others and destroyed homes and towns all around eastern Tennessee. There isn't one specific cause behind the fires, Boyd said. Sunday, four days after the fire started, was the first time that any firefighting aircraft were used on the fire, Ms. Schroer said. The decisions that worked made us heroes, and those that did not changed us if we were allowed that opportunity. We told them the fire was coming. You can see in the leaf pattern around it how a strong gust pushed up against the side of the house. 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). I viewed aerial photos of that area over the past 10 years (on USGS website). I looked at the NWS Forecast Discussion and told my sister They should order pre-evacuation before the wind gets strong.. Asked if I knew if there were any other people down in that area. My husband stopped the car and the two men inside identified themselves as city water department employees. Where was all the HELP TO PUT THIS FIRE OUT A WHEN IT STARTED???? There were ashes raining and that was very alarming to me. I hope this video puts people at ease that this fire is. A safefy plan for people in the event of the many natural threats, would have to be determined ahead of time though because that level of decision-making rarely occurs in the face of imminent danger. The steepness here is epic, the only way out of valleys this steep is straight down or up, your lucky not to hit a waterfall. They must be invited in by the state, so the bureaucracy and border silos are at issue here too. The Knox News timeline alone has enough info for several indictments. GFD officials examined the scene and found a body, later identified as Joe Martin Bates, in Suite 4. High winds were to start soon and rain was 5 hours away as indicated by radar. It was extremely dark and small branches and twigs were pelting our car. Businesses affected by the fire include Puckers Sports Bar, China Bazaar, Cafe 420, and Gifts of Gatlinburg, according to WVLT News crews on the scene. We saw some trucks when we drove out late morning. I am in my late 60s and have never seen such a drought, or such low stream levels. U.S. Park Service (again) and Thanksgiving. Accusations were abundant. Special interest groups and other self serving human beings with other priorities cut budgets. Frankly people should lose their jobs and fault should be placed on their shoulders. FEMA did say they would give us a low interest rate loan, we dont want a loan we worked hard and paid it off and dont want to go in debt to rebuild! A lot of chainsawing has been going on. The park needs to share accountability in this situation, and all of us who have formerly worked in fire realize this. 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! That is when it began moving rapidly toward Gatlinburg. 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. The 6pm and 7pm newscasts could have been leveraged by TEMA to order an evacuation then, before lines went down, power went out and cell towers on fire. Im not saying IMTs are perfect (and no doubt there are background politics involved), but they sure appeared to do an awesome job coming to the situation with a big view and didnt hesitate to get the job done and keep the public informed. Suffice it to say betting against individual as well as class-action instruments being utilized against local and federal officials would be as unlikely as betting that the sun wont rise tomorrow. Click here. A lot of personnel put forth heroic efforts to save lives and we should all be grateful for that. 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. 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. This is from previous questioning of mine from another Wildfire Today article: Team to Begin Chimney Tops 2 Fire: I appreciate your more thorough break down of backfire. 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. It is very hard and slow to navigate through laurel stands and the thick Tennesee Barbed Wire Briar patches. By NPS rules a watch should have been kept on the fire overnight Sunday, but such did not happen. Suddenly a fire truck from Harriman came careening around the corner and headed up Turkey Nest Road. 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. (Bloomberg) -- Zoom Video Communications Inc. slumped in early trading Friday after abruptly terminating the employment of . The cleaner told officials he found Bates in the room where the fire started and had what appeared to be a warming fire going.