One thing I have learned is that the news media, especially in todays world is just as skilled and often benefits from pushing their own agendas as well. I am in my late 60s and have never seen such a drought, or such low stream levels. Birmingham City close training ground after fire causes damage I guess they are helping the people they always help and the rest of us are out of luck. notice should have been at 5-6 given the wind. 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? I wonder why? We went to West TN for Thanksgiving Holidays and came back home to Gatlinburg on Sunday. The wind and the low visibility caused by the smoke made it impossible to fly aircraft over the fire. You may have a point regarding lawsuits, reported actions and actual actions. But outright blame? The learning system of resolution. What caused the fire in the Smoky Mountains? Ever since Hurricane Katrina, I have doubted the ability of our emergency managers to plan for any aspect of, or kind of disaster, and the fire in Gatlinburg only supports my concerns. Humans will never be able to control or suppress all unwanted fires-structure, chemical or wildland. It is written by Stephanie Sweeney, whose house was off the Spur between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Typos, let us know HERE, and specify which article. Yes, there had been many fires in the southeast during the 6 to 8 weeks before the fire started in Great Smoky Mountains NP, but it is my understanding that at that time they had diminished and there may have been significant firefighting resources available. Not everything that happened with the fires had a dotted line to those two teens. The man at the Forestry base told him the winds were predicted to keep getting stronger and to be careful of falling limbs. Are they learning how to use it? I hope this video puts people at ease that this fire is. We are still dealing but two of us or degree, the emotional loss of losing our beloved cabin but now we are in the rebuild mode. It appears that only TEMA has the authority to give a notice over multiple counties, but they didnt take the lead until Monday night, after the fact. All weekend, my husband and daughter followed the fire on the Chimney Tops 2 facebook page NPS had established. We had a contractor there working on improvements to our house. We had loaded dog and Abram in car, out of smoke and told them to stay put. Much needed rainfall is expected on Monday with additional rainfall possible through Wednesday. This come from long time residents, The prices we have been getting should be considered price gouging because that is exactly what it is. I have wanted to learn because I dont know enough to say much, but when I read your two posts about the loss of your cabin, and your escape, I felt I had to say, Im so sorry, to you, and probably speak for many many others who did not find this blog and find an avenue to learn, listen and to speak. Jeanne: I do not disagree with your thought process regarding some of the broad challenges wildland fire mangers have faced in the past thirty some years. As I reflect on the comments regarding this fire, the articles and analysis, as well as any instance of leadership, decision-making and accountability, I have to askHow is it that one gets experience? All those who have experience from saythe wildfires out west, were not born with it. We are excited to start new memories and get back on the trails. They had their moment in history and did not rise to it. Hello Jon, for what its worth, I did some hiking in the Greenbrier area of the GSMNP back in October and didnt notice many dead hemlocks, although The Chimneys area may be different, which I havent hiked in years. Damage was estimated at. It was probably 4:45 by this time. The Park Superintendent did not want to risk the lives of NPS fire crews with the Chimney Tops Fire 2; and that is to be respected. My prayers are with all of you. Travelers are urged to avoid the area at this time. Thanks! Read more Tennessee Wildfire Cause: Gatlinburg Fires May Have Been Man-Made, Officials Claim is an article from: The Inquisitr News. The truck was filled with firefighters. The 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires, also known as the Gatlinburg wildfires, [1] were a complex of wildfires which began in late November 2016. It is a sad state of affairs, the loss of life was quite avoidable. Here is a question & answer from Bill interviewing Tom Nichols on Wildfire Today: One of the more common errors in judgment you have seen on fires? http://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/tennessee/2016/12/13/timeline-gatlinburg-wildfires/95138656/. Frankly people should lose their jobs and fault should be placed on their shoulders. GRSM posted Fire Information signs in the area explaining their monitoring strategy due to vertical cliffs, narrow rock ridges and steep drainages. Hemlocks standout on aerial photos because the limbs grow in a spiral pattern around the tree. I can name 14 people who deserved much better! We all contribute to this phenomenon if not intentionally but unintentionally, simply by the design of our brains! There are other potential hazards that make unplanned evacuations a danger in that area. It is a primary source and illuminates some of the discussion topics that have been on Wildfire Today. One Person Dead After Downtown Gatlinburg Fire Sunday Crews are currently taking down the China Bazaar and Puckers building. I am rebuilding the home that was burned to the ground possibly due to negligence by local fire officials like many of Lincolns Union generals, did not have the will to fight . But. Click here. I told him we would come pick him up in his car. The notice went out to people within 10 miles of the fireline. To echo your statements, the information is out there, a model exists on how to properly do it now its getting the proper training for all of the professionals involved and the public taking the role of accountability watchdogs. Will Lessons Learned fade into distant short-term US fire management history archives once again. I also wanted to let everyone know that the City and County is an example of nepotism at its finest. At about 5:20 p.m. the fire was discoverednear the top of a steep hill called Chimney Tops not far from where another fire occurred about a week before. There will be legal repercussions because of incompetence. I hope the report gives the reason why the tanker planes were never called in since they are co-managed by the NFS and NPS. There isn't one specific cause behind the fires, Boyd said. Do we need to learn from it. 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. I certainly agree there are definitely consequences for our actions, for some more than others. As a former FF, their claim that they could have never put it out if they tried from day one is BS. Yet no one will be severely punished i.e. Unfortunately this isnt always the case. Their are undoubtedly many many causative factors for any disaster, even the actions, inactions and unintentional actions can be like a snowball rolling down a mountain of snow! Multiple businesses were destroyed in the flames, totaling an estimated $7 million in damage. That said, it is always easier for those outside of the forest to see the big picture then those who are standing inside the trees down on the forest floor. 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. As a citizen with a firefighting background, I knew days ahead of time that high mountain winds were expected in the Eastern TN/NC Mountains, coupling that with the extreme drought conditions and the knowledge of the massive amount of ground fuel available in the forest based on being in the forest regularly even just days prior, outside observing the conditions and the terrain. Chief Kurtz was right on target to compare South Canyon, Yarnell, and now Chimney Top 2. Humans lostfire won. 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. There is a time and a season for prescribed/monitored fire and that time is NOT during an historic drought and fire season in the SE US with numerous ongoing large fires and a very well predicted wind and storm event. 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. Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg from the intersection at Traffic Light No. For the most current information about the Chimney Tops 2 Fire at Gatlinburg, see our articles tagged Chimney 2 Fire. Every business downtown was closed except for Bubba Gumps. If Knox media wanted to go after the NPS or someone else wanted them to, it is possible that even their timeline and investigation is slanted. That night after we arrived home we started getting text from friends showing fires at the Park Vista Hotel, then one from our neighbors across the street, he lives in Knoxville called and said he had been there at 5:30 P.M. this was on the 28th and when he left it was smokey but everything was still fine. The Knox News timeline alone has enough info for several indictments. It is not just officials who have not caught up with the new climate reality, it is the general public and those in the path of fire. 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. All you left out was Howie Long jumping out of a plane on a motorcycle with a chainsaw running and you would have knocked that thing into last century! Only we, the people, the voters, can force change by raising our collective voices by repeatedly demanding the governor and Congress take action now! There is much opportunity in the Eastern Appalachians to better prepare citizens, towns , leaders and firefighters; To create more fire aware and safe communities. It was a very horrible dream and I had qualms about my trip before I arrived in Branson. For now there is heartbreak and hindsight on the part of every one now. I was in my cabin on 28 November and barely made it out alive. They found plenty of resources when they realize they were going to be burning all the money making business is down on Monday. I was on the Party Rock fire in NC and our IMET was predicting that storm event 3-4 days before it happened.
who caused the gatlinburg fires?