GSMNP and Gatlinburg fires

Hopefully the rain will help.

Various social media reports, and just now on our local 10pm news out here in Denver, reporting that a 16-story hotel is on fire (Park Vista Hotel)and 30 other structures and apartments are on fire.

Prayers to all in that area that the weather will change and assist the valiant firefighters.

Gatlinburg has been evacuated, and a lot if Pigeon Forge as well. Early estimates are one third of town has fire damage or destroyed. It is still burning in many places and there are not enough people/equipment to stop the many fires that are active.

This is a video from someone trying to escape one of the cabins in the Gatlinburg area. Language warning.
Clicky

heard on the news dollyworld is close to the fire.

midnightsadie wrote:
heard on the news dollyworld is close to the fire.

The fire is at the edge of Dollywood, but has not entered the facility. No Dollywood structures are damaged at this time but are being threatened.

Any news from the ELKMONT camp ground would be appreciated... All of the news we get to hear about are about the towns and town property... Heard lots of folks evacuated...

Heard the mtns have had some small forest fires on-going for a week or so now and the winds from the weather front moving through the area now really kicked everything in gear with high winds...

Gatlinburg and Smoky Mountains been one of our most favorite places to do our RV and Tent Camping over the years since the 60s... Hope all is safe around there...

AS we all know there are cabins all over those mountains that surround Gatlingburg....

Roy Ken

Large wildfires have been ongoing for several weeks in north GA and sw NC. They're getting rain now. Here's more on east TN.

Prayers for all those folks!

Reports are still coming in, but the extreme drought we have experience in east tn, as well as the terrible winds last night brought things to a head and rather quickly.

Reports are still coming in, and the videos are terrifying to watch.

We spent all of Thanksgiving week in Pigeon Forge (we live 75 miles south of there) and came back Sunday. There are also some fires in our county (Monroe) but nothing near like what they experienced in the mountains.

From a friend that lives there

Fire update: I just evacuated my house. There is a fire by the middle school in pigeon forge.

I don't have the news so I have no idea what is being broadcasted but I do have a firefighter in Gatlinburg literally in the middle of the fires who is trying to keep me informed as much as he can. So I will tell you briefly what I know:

First off if you've been following my post, Damian is okay! He was trapped in a fire at park vista with no way out. They finally figured out how to get out and saved him and his crew. Let's just say he text me and told me he loved me and that there was no way out of this fire. By the grace of God and all your prayers, he got out of that fire. Thank you so much!

Gatlinburg is completely on fire. Everything. Last time I talked to him he was sitting watching as his station was about to burn. He was watching people sit outside their houses as they watched them burn down just sobbing. People are trapped in their houses and rescue very well may not be able to get to them. And that's not from a lack of trying. His words to me tonight were they have called EVERY body they know to call in and they are LOSING. He is tired. They all are sooo tired. If you are in Gatlinburg and not leaving by choice, stop. Leave. You are putting every emergency personnel lives in danger by staying. I haven't heard from Damian in a bit. Please keep them in your prayers.

We live in the city of pigeon forge and just evacuated our home. I will update again in about an hour when I can talk more and we are safe away from all the fires.

I'm going to ask again, please pray for our emergency personnel. I just had to pack up my entire family and leave Damian behind. Wives and children want them to come home safe in one piece. Please please pray. This will be in our history books.

Are you sure it was PF Middle School? We just camped on the other side of the river from them (riverbend campground), can see their football when they have games on Friday night. Wow!