who caused the gatlinburg fires?

Work for the NPS and see their Fire-is-not-our-mission outlook on fires and know that they will not be a aggressive enough, will not have seasoned fire staff, will not allow their staffs go out on fires and get the necessary experience. He wanted us to pack and leave. There were emergency vehicles blocking Motor Nature Trail. I called Bob back and told him I was leaving hurriedly and that I would call him when we had made it out of woods to Pigeon Forge. GFD officials examined the scene and found a body, later identified as Joe Martin Bates, in Suite 4. At 3:00PM I convinced my husband to call the Gatlinburg Fire Dept. Were here to rally and support those people until they can get back up on their feet, said Laura Rippetoe of the Gatlinburg Inn. 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. According to Public Information Officer Seth Butler, the Gatlinburg Fire Department and the Pigeon Forge Fire Department were dispatched to downtown Gatlinburg at 6:39 a.m. on Sunday, Oct.. If their destination is not lit, they have to land there no later than 30 minutes after sunset. It was about 11:30AM when we got to downtown Gatlinburg, where I took photos of the heavy on the Parkway in town. It was Congress that adjourned for the holidays without passing a bill to fund forest fire fighting efforts. For folks afflicted by this tragedy, emotions running high should be expected; and it is understandable for Kelly Morgan to be upset. Who will accuse and then fire then? Most excellently put, Jeannine (you are an exceptional writer). Maybe within the next year, well see some kind of progress come together, said Neddo. During fire suppression efforts, crews found one person dead inside the structure. We got a text message. Unfortunately, Im not optimistic about the inter-agency review. Im sure there will be lots of finger pointing, name calling pushing for blame and then legal actions. I dont understand, but I dont judge. What about helicopters dumping water? Youve certainly added much food for thought. One of the owners of the impacted businesses called a contractor to demolish a damaged portion of the building. The park should have been begging for help and putting out warnings all week end!!! People that I know said that not implementing fire suppression is exactly what they should have done, so we can agree to disagree. Tom. Try to stay neutral I understand; but the NPS has a track record of avoiding accountability. We had no significant rain in 2 months!!! Do arsonists typically work alone? By the end of the day on Sunday the fire had burned approximately 35 acres, according to Ms. Schroer and the results from a mapping flight (see the 3-D mapabove). In this case, there were no firefighters in a position to take direct action. Not the best plan but the safest. What makes one golden and one not? Money. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Gatlinburg Fire Department and Gatlinburg Police Department officials are investigating. Copyright 2022 WVLT. LeConte is going to be fine. We were there on Thanksgiving week-end. they may be using too wide a brush to place blame. Guessing the fire spotted from the Chimneys, to Bullhead, then on to Twin Creeks area. I believe that many, many people are alive now because they did use common sense but some of the people who died, were victims of circumstances that they should never have faced if their public officials had been acting solely on their responsibility, first and foremost, and perhaps only, to protect and serve. What about firefighter safety? Many times, as has been thoroughly vetted during the analysis the Chimney Top 2 wildfire the ONLY option is an all out aggressive, throw the world at it initial attack from air, ground and sea. On Monday morning we awoke to the smell of smoke. Behind the Chimneys is Sugarland Mountain. Above: Chimney Tops 2 Fire at 9:37 p.m. November 28, 2016 after it had burned into Gatlinburg, Tennessee. When peoples towns and lives are at stake, letting a fire burn or hoping to get lucky is a tough sell. This is how we all get better at what we do and are. In addition, the valley above Gatlinburg, drained by LeConte Creek, has had enormous numbers of dead hemlock standing and fallen. This is as far as this subject needs to go; for the objective of this site is in regard to wildfire. Those businesses were also protected from the fire. There was lots of sunlight and lots of low-level vegetation so much that the trail was overgrown and we decided to turn around. The fire on Sunday caused extensive damage to a block of businesses and left some with only charred debris, news outlets reported, citing a statement from the city. 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! Also I just came across a facebook page showing two views of the same interchange in Gatlinburg at 10:28 and 10:52. James, thank you for that compliment! Have a wildland fire news tip? We, the public, have to be activists for our own safety, the very safety that public officials claim to protect. I look forward to seeing the report when it comes out. And no doubt books both factual and not on this event. When I crawled my way up Pinecrest Drive to Wiley Oakley through dense smoke, I saw a Gatlinburg pumper at the top of the hill. We believed the firefighters were going to stop the fire from entering the city. People were ready to leave their home in 15 min. This rain took much of the heat out of the vegetation fire and slowed the spread, but smoke from the burning structures in the communities and smouldering logs in the Park continued to fill the air. Climate change, human, social, political and economic factors are all also a part of this outcome, cause and effect. 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 . God doesnt cut financial budgets. Also, lots of hills in the area washed to bedrock by cloud burst and slides. Had they viewed the Chimney Tops 2 fire as though it was in the forested southwest Im sure they would have issued pre-evacuation notices up to 48 hours prior to the wind events of that Monday. What really was going on here? I bet someone of you one here would sing a different tune if you loss a big chunk of your retirement because of someone incompetence. Then and only then will He let you effectively manage His creation that He has allowed you to be a part of for a short time. Not just putting out the fires, but restoring the forest and trails afterward. I told him there wasnt when I got there at 5 oclock but I could not even see driveways on the way up. There were and continue to be many deaths and fires that occurred in those western areas, and with those IMT expert Teams, that taught hard lessons, and enabled those people to gain experience and become the so called experts in the field. Jeannines comments were spot on. The adelgid apparently needs the rougher bark of older trees to climb up the trunk to the greenery on which they feed. Emergency management should have been all over this from the very beginning. Thanks for the good fact based, solid coverage of the events leading up to the fire. They strive to their utmost and have a true passion working in GSMNP. In my opinion there is more blood on the hands of the NPS, Gatlinburg city and fire officials and Sevier County politicians than those kids. Ms.Schroer said she was not aware of any actual on-the-ground fire suppression efforts, other than perhaps some work on a distant indirect fireline, until Monday November 28, after the fire had grown large and crossed US Highway 141, the main road into the park. Why hasnt the NPS mentioned this first fire of the 14th? Hit it with all you have the Moment it breaks out.. I hope this video puts people at ease that this fire is. The extremely dry conditions in the area, though, should have raised the concern level. City prosecutors have charged a longtime Mililani High School leader with multiple counts of theft. As a contractor I worked with a Dunes engine in Michigan MI years ago. We had a contractor there working on improvements to our house. In all the Disasters I have worked in Texas, FEMA reimburse City or County for debris pickup. level, in advance of this disaster had occured. They did too little, too late. 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. As they are minors, nothing else is known other than the Feds said the State could prosecute. 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 identities of the three killed have not been released . They had no sirens or Claxons blaring, no shouting to evacuate thru their grill mounted speakers. I called Bob, boys and I got a bite to eat for supper so we wouldnt be a bother to our friends whose house we were going to wait out the evening. As one who has had experience and ready mix, concrete block, pavers, and pre-cast, one would be a fool to rebuild on ANY existing foundation that came in contact with temperatures approaching 3,000F. We were still asleep when it happened. At the official Gatlinburg weather station recognized by the NWS 0.73 inch was recorded on Tuesday. Talk about finger pointing! It caused a shutdown . I was in the area hiking November 21 and there was no smoke coming from the Chimneys area. My prayers are with all of you. About 20 years ago, I hiked to Albright Grove, an old-growth hemlock forest near Greenbrier. Thanks again for your touching reply. They will be touched in their heart as deeply as anyone who has lost in the tragedy itself. Monday I was surprised to look at the Knoxville News and see nothing about evacuation notices. It goes for miles, Ive pushed as hard as I could straight down and only managed 1/10th mile an hour on the gps in a few such places. Fire-wanted or unwanted- is not a warm and fuzzy abstract thing it is often portrayed in todays media and society to play around with. 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. We all contribute to this phenomenon if not intentionally but unintentionally, simply by the design of our brains! GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) Firefighters have found a body in the remains of a building that burned in downtown Gatlinburg, officials said. That mall is also rigidly enforced. I was on the Party Rock fire in NC and our IMET was predicting that storm event 3-4 days before it happened. This should be placed firmly on the shoulders of the Park Service, Cassius Cash, Superintendent and the City and County. The actual clifts are small and easily avoided. These so called means of helping people out is a lie. There isn't one specific cause behind the fires, Boyd said. Park Service has not issued any warnings and there are no active fires in Gatlinburg city limits. I ask her if they had plans of issuing a warning if evacuations became necessary and ask her how they would do that. A club . Granted these fires werent inside Gatlinburg, but the fire chief knew full well the potential for catastrophic wildfires in these mountains. All three incidents have a common denominator. 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. Visited Gatlinburg for the first time in Oct 2016. 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. 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. They didnt and now its the property owners problem, they havent offered any clean up assistance, free dumping fees, no permit cost to rebuild, and certainly no financial help. It had burned into a picnic area and crossed the main roadinto the park, US Highway 441. Screenshot from the Knox News video. The successes, and the losses, the poor decisions, the mistakes, the error and the failures. In addition, officials confirmed that a firefighter was transported to the hospital with minor injuries from the fire but has since been released. The individual was identified as Joe Martin Bates, 54, according to the Sevier County Medical Examiners office. For the most current information about the Chimney Tops 2 Fire at Gatlinburg, see our articles tagged Chimney 2 Fire. 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. No warnings of spreading fire, just radar and high wind warnings. That is when I said to myself Where the hell is TEMA?. I said at the time thatvwas crazy, evac. That and your wish to pay 50% income tax and there will never be a fire again! You cannot sit and watch a fire in the mountains this close to a town and not call in lots of HELP!!! This is the way to honor each other and to learn. We have had dry conditions in years past and there has probably been fires in the past and nothing like this ever happened. Are they learning how to use it? It was probably 4:45 by this time. Why the Monday morning quarterbacks seems to always get it right, while those in the game make the errors and the scores, winning and losing. Yes my house burnt along with 520 others in North Chalet Village, village no longer but all foundations. I learned that it is extremely difficult to manage, rather than suppress, a wildland fire for an extended period of time. Its all in moderately dense forest that overhangs above the road. Your reply well done! The NPS, IMO, did not take an aggressive stance on this fire, and that is usually the case with them. They are as Brene Brown puts it, In The Arena; not merely sitting in a seat watching it or viewing from a comfort zone at home on the big screen but in the Arena risking everything for others. If Im not mistaken, there is a Bob Stanton that was a former NPS Director. They found plenty of resources when they realize they were going to be burning all the money making business is down on Monday. As citizens we should be aware of all threats we face and expect our leadership to plan ahead as best they can. We would best not be blind until that time is upon us, as then it will be too late. Every business downtown was closed except for Bubba Gumps. 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. 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. 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. Multiple businesses were destroyed in the flames, totaling an estimated $7 million in damage. Not because I am a teller of fortune. From my back ground in fire, safety and as a fire investigator I see the development of a chain of multiple, unusual and totally unexpected events leading up to final blowup. With the drought conditions this would have acted as a flammable liquid would with explosive ignition and then been carried easily by the prevailing strong winds. These words are so terribly inadequate but I feel even worse not saying anything at all. 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. I was nervous about it. The excellent Park folks seemed to just monitor it, and it resolved itself. From an all hazards POV large scale fire should have been recognized long before any drought conditions. It is important to look at many facets, evidence and root cause studies so that the issues can be resolved. We do have insurance however based on the prices for clean up there it wont go far enough to build back. 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. What caused the fire in the Smoky Mountains? Being asleep at the wheel is no excuse. Politics, as we know can cloud even a clear sunny day!!! Late Monday afternoon the Gatlinburg Fire Department began informing some residents of a voluntary evacuation. Or in steep cliff terrain it just isnt going to happen, no one on the fire. These people both the successful along with the ones who erred and experienced failure, courageously risked being vulnerable in order to help others. I told him my home was on fire and he said they were evacuating everyone,then. Back home in West TN, when tornado warnings were active in a particular area there were loud sirens that went off. 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. 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. While I had the privilege is having dinner with the NPS director at a prescribed fire conference I am just a retired rx fire practitioner. It is good to question everything, all is not as it appears. This should not be a time to blame and inflame, but to think and act wisely. We could smell smoke from the fires in NC for a month before the fire began on Chimney Tops. Gusts above 40 continued until 2 a.m. on Tuesday when they mostly dropped below 20 mph for the rest of the day. I hope they can train more local governments how to handle big wildfire situations. 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. This time it is not firefighters but civilian deaths. Early in the afternoon we began to see large crewcab pickup trucks driving past our home. This is how the devastating Gatlinburg wildfire erupted overnight By Angela Fritz November 29, 2016 at 1:06 p.m. EST Wildfires raging in the Tennessee resort towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon. Lots of fires getting controlled, crews pulling off and the new fuel falling and all back ablaze. Brush fires spread across multiple counties this afternoon in Southwest Florida due to high winds. Good comments by all. I would also hope that we would figure out that such major climate disruptions as the recent drought in the Southeast are getting more common and that human action has helped cause, and can help cure, such disruptions. Regardless, the appropriate aerial assault should continue. The report concluded that the fire was an accident; however, officials said the investigation was limited because the building was not structurally sound. Mother nature always bats last Sad chain of eventsonce again. with a notice that evacuation is imminent would have been prudent. Though Im missing the boat a little here, my questioning is still legitimate being that any managed ignited fire can still get out of control adding to an existing wildfire or creating one. Who allowed this to happen? Many locals are saying the lack of evac was income driven. Those with information are urged to contact the Tennessee Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017 or the GFD at 865-436-5112. Within a few days or week prior to this deadly fire I heard a local major Knoxville radio station broadcasting a satire bashing HRC, Obama, the Federal Government among a few other controversial things, and how the revolution has begun including the incitement of burning down the place, this Knoxville radio station followed this rant with songs whose lyrics tough-ted and instructed the starting of fires. We are to be stewards of the land. A map posted with the Fire Information sign dated November 27 showed that the park hoped to stopthe fire before it crossed the bottom of drainages on the west, north and east sides, and the Chimney Tops Trail to the south. Being that were neighbors with these people, its people that we love. I stopped him and said, Stanton, weve got to calm down and go slowly getting out of here so that we dont scare Abram and so that we can drive safely. Concerning the time the fire jumped 441. 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. 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. I dont have the statistics to prove what you wrote is incorrect, but I am convinced that it is not a fact to say most of the fires that are monitored (as opposed to fully suppressed) escape outside the agencys borders. Fourteen people lost their lives. Sunday, four days after the fire started, was the first time that any firefighting aircraft were used on the fire, Ms. Schroer said. Finally, the Superintendent has the power to call up all the resources which were available. Very good pictures! Bob and Stanton snuck around back roads and made it in a few days earlier than most and found what we were fearing. Easy for many of you to sit back and Monday morning quarterback when you dont have skin in the game as I did. Council will utilize the 100s of wildfire experts testimony that the forresty service and local fire chief should have thrown everything they had at the Chimney 2 blaze the day it happened and everyone and every resource they could use from out of state that could get there within 24 hours. A lot of chainsawing has been going on. For example politicians far away from the event make decisions regarding funding, resources and operations. I was near Gatlinburg until Saturday prior to the fire, visiting my family. The governor needs to hear that, as well. I left the professional fire service with 3o plus years of experience, yet with a still learning and observant mind. The amount of dead Frazier fir and Spruce trees, caused by similar non-native infestation, is dramatic on Newfound Gap road, but mainly past The Chimneys at higher elevations. China Bazaar, Pucker's Sports Grill, Gifts of Gatlinburg, and Caf 420 were all deemed a complete loss. Thought among the locals is that officials didnt want to lose the post-holiday weekend crowd and revenue. Yet, at that very time, citizens were asking city employees and fireman if they should evacuate (well documented in the local news). I checked historical aerial photos on the USGS website because the die-off of the hemlock has been primarily over the past 10 years in the southeastern Appalachians. How about that for arm chair quarter backing. Considering the record of wind gusts between 5-6pm and that the fire had jumped US 441, NPS calling Gburg Fire Dept. Tunica, MS, from our area near Kansas City, to arrive late evening, that day, in Tunica. It was about this time that we noticed the wind beginning to get stronger. 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. The forecasts from the 24th through the 26th did not predict the extreme weather that began Monday, November 28. I asked my husband to go outside and hook up the water hose we had disconnected for winter. Due to the damage this fire has caused Im sure there will be follow-up effects (and recriminations) for years. ATF, other agencies search for cause of blaze that claimed life of Buffalo firefighter. GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - One person died and another was injured in a large fire in downtown Gatlinburg Sunday. Visibility was bad and it was hard to breathe as we unpacked our truck. The smoke steadily became thicker as the days passed and friends were showing pictures of the Chimneys on fire. Branson is built into the mountainous forests of south-central Missouri, is a resort town, and a retirement community and entertainment venue. It was the hottest summer we ever felt. I have a close friend on IMT in southern CO so have some familiarity with the process. it would not be the first time that political or other motivation caused biased reporting. I would like to know if the same two kids are also responsible for the first Chimney fire? Oct. 11, 2022, at 10:27 a.m. 1 Dead in Gatlinburg Fire That Affected Travel to Smokies.

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