who caused the gatlinburg fires? who caused the gatlinburg fires?

If I had even been in the bathroom or downstairs I wouldve died . I understand the excellent point made in the article that history in the Smokies area would expect less of a problem than out West. Under ideal conditions they can temporarily slow the spread, which may be effective if firefighters on the ground can move in quickly totake advantage of the short termchange in fire behavior by constructing firelines, stopping the spread at that location. 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. Unfortunately its the home owners that are taking the hit and I think it should be them. By definition, prescribed burning is described as fire applied in a knowledgeable manner to forest and grassland fuels on a specific land area under selected weather conditions to accomplish predetermined, well-defined management objectives, pg 2, http://www.southernfireexchange.org/etc/ITPFISE.pdf. A fire burns at a high-rise building under construction in the Tsim Sha Tsui district in Hong Kong on March 3, 2023. However, when adequate risk analysis, proactive contingency planning and decision making, real time fire behavior simulations predicting possible disastrous outcomes, humans may have a much better chance of containing, or controlling, or herding, or managing or all-out suppressing an unwanted or unplanned ignition. 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. As a mountain boy who loves the harshest terrain even I couldnt imagine trying to run a fire line in this area. We believed the firefighters were going to stop the fire from entering the city. If you had transposed the same fire with similar conditions to California or Idaho would it have been managed the same way? Officials said three people. Many times this tactic takes commitment of over a week. 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. Lets just be careful about who they are in our criticism. The needle suffered extensive damage and was closed for three years. The Spur or US 441 runs between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg in the Smokies. He also raked as many leaves as he could from around our cabin. 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. They lost phone coverage but didnt activate the Motorola wide area radio system. The fire could have been stopped over the weekend if proper procedures had been followed. 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. I was truly astounded at how well coordinated the IMT teams are they cover it all, firelines, backburns, aircraft, field communications, weather forecast, community information via meetings/Facebook/Blog page/Twitter with daily updates, pre-evacuation notices when wind events were predicted. Paddlers prepare to hit the water for the return of the Kualoa Hakipuu Canoe Festival, Former Mililani High athletic director indicted, Hawaii police departments offer big incentives as competition for new recruits heats up, Stroke survivor's specially-modified bike returned, Midday Newscast: City proposes $300 tax credit for those with homeowner's exemption, 'The Other Side of Paradise' with Lynn Kawano, [email protected] (808) 847-3246, [email protected] (808) 847-3246, [email protected] (808) 847-3246, [email protected] (808) 847-3246, [email protected] (808) 847-3246. Authorities have not identified the victim or . Many, if not most, of these incidents leave the confines of the managing agency and sweep out onto lands owned or managed by others. National Park Service says never push a slower friend down when escaping a bear, Knoxville utilities crews work to restore power after intense storms, Missing elderly Knoxville woman last seen at hospital, police say, Vols drop to 5-seed in SEC Tournament after falling at Auburn, 79-70. the downtown fire on Oct. 9 that killed one person and injured another. January 4, 2017 at 5:26 pm Those decisions had to be made with the best information available at the time not what we now know in post incident critique. wasnt blocked off since Mynatt Park was told to evacuate at 5:17. The radio conversation was fairly early in the day as I recall, maybe 7:30-8:00 am. Did the 14th fire discreetly burn in the duff amid rock cervices? We could smell smoke from the fires in NC for a month before the fire began on Chimney Tops. Do arsonists typically work alone? The aptly named Fire Cherry, Beech and Mtn. Tunica, MS, from our area near Kansas City, to arrive late evening, that day, in Tunica. When you see more of them completely charred but living trees seemingly untouched that is a sign of both underground burning and how much water the living trees still possessed. Monday I was surprised to look at the Knoxville News and see nothing about evacuation notices. Of course Dollywood and Gatlinburg was virtually unscathed. They need to be accountable for their inaction, and action. In this case, there were no firefighters in a position to take direct action. Your are correct; and we all pray and hope for the community to get back on their feet again. They had access to the same fire flight info from Sundays flyover that other agencies had. Dollywood flat out refused to even consider we needed any help and also tried to shame our neighbor to discourage home not to take it. Jeannine, what an awesome, in-depth and thoughtful response. Our Gatlinburg Inn was built on family and community. Our house sat below the road about 30 feet. I did blast him; and though I do have the utmost respect for his firefighting endeavors; it it disheartening to see someone with this apparent degree of experience claim this Chimney Tops Fire look at both fires was unpredictable. 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. 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. When maintenance employees with GRSM drove past the Chimney Tops 2 Fire early Mondaymorning they saw that the intensity and rate of spread of the fire had increased dramatically. 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. This is how civilians, firefighters, personal property and extensive environmental damage results. Another 2.3 inches accumulated that day by the time it stopped at 7 p.m. They were in their driveway with a water hose. Especially our local emergency workers and the Park Service. 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 . The body of a person has been found in the rubble of a fire in downtown Gatlinburg, our ABC affiliate WATE reported Monday. Well I can say that if TEMA announced right now and emergency message to my cell phone in the east TN mountains I would never get a thing. Your reply well done! Here again, more of a horse and pony show from all officials both state and federal. Wildland firefighters typically request Spot Weather Forecasts from the NWS for wildland fires or other events that can be greatly influenced by weather. Copyright 2022 WVLT. Any person involved in any sort of firefighting/fire ecology/fire control/fire management profession learns these basic fire physic scientific principals from day oneeither from formal training or through hands on fire behavior observations . The helicopter worked until it had to refuel and then two other Type 1 helicopters took its placeuntil dark. Until you sit in my seat after 20 years of fire service, making decisions on where to send your firefighters based on their experience levels, you will then realize decisions have trade offs and sometimes Mother Nature over rules you. 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. The governors promised investigation has yet to appear (if it ever will), but the National Parks investigation is proceeding and no locals are on that team. I particularly liked Sharon Jensens after action summary. I think thats pretty cut and dry and yes its their fault that they didnt at least try and do something. Nothing happens in a vacuum. In this instance, it is not only important to ask the questions its mandatory to question the answers if we are to achieve true critical thinking. Also, for the last several decades, NPS policies have allowed these excessive fuels to build. Only 0.05 inch fell at the Indian Grave Remote Automatic Weather Station 18 miles west of the fire. There were emergency vehicles blocking Motor Nature Trail. Copyright 2022 WVLT. Being asleep at the wheel is no excuse. Do we need to learn from it. Waited a month to report this event and turn over the pictures they took to forestry officials! Considering the record of wind gusts between 5-6pm and that the fire had jumped US 441, NPS calling Gburg Fire Dept. All rights reserved. Climate change, human, social, political and economic factors are all also a part of this outcome, cause and effect. Over 3000 wildfires received Initial Attack in November in the southern Appalachians, many of which were still very active when Chimney Tops 2 started. He was told there was none/no one. Also I just came across a facebook page showing two views of the same interchange in Gatlinburg at 10:28 and 10:52. If they do work as a pair, do they set multiple fires in the same area? As for Caf 420, they have plans to rebuild, and their employees will keep their jobs. It appears that the Deputy has contradicted himself here. You said in your post what I have been thinking. Thanks for the good fact based, solid coverage of the events leading up to the fire. Also, lots of hills in the area washed to bedrock by cloud burst and slides. We had better see something besides suggestions for new warning systems and making people that are rebuilding their homes put in overly expensive sprinkler systems that way they can say to the press they made major strides and changes and they learned from the fire. May God look out for all of you in your time of loss. This country was founded on open respectful discussion, such as this which has occurred in this article commentary and blog comments. I had heard that many of the stumps and rotted out trees had become abnormally dry because of the drought. A couple of weeks after hearing no hardcore news from Knox News, I wrote the editor asking if the News was still doing hardcore investigation of the fire. OnMonday, December 5, the Incident Management Team (IMT) on the Chimney Tops 2 Fire that burned from Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) into the Gatlinburg area reported that it has caused the deaths of 14people. Because we were heading home to Ohio early Tuesday morning, we packed our suitcases and put them in the car. Susan, There isn't one specific cause behind the fires, Boyd said. There seems to be many people who just dont get that their are many areas in these mountains and in rural America that are no tech zones. Youve certainly added much food for thought. I felt like people had been robbed of the vital information they needed to make the decisions they needed to be safe. Drought, fall winds, fuel moistures that havent recovered in months, what part of this disaster was a surprise. A stroke in 2011 left Akaka partially paralyzed and unable to speak but he didn't need words to express his joy to be reunited with it. Excellent report Dr. Gabbert. 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. A massive wildfire in the Tennessee resort towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge has destroyed more than 150 structures, including homes and businesses, authorities said Tuesday. While my husband tried to rake the leaves away more than once, they blew right back in. Which is pretty near chimney tops. However, they are using a Super Tanker to douse the flames going on down there. Thanks for your rundown on the fire Bill. Perhaps all the firefighters prior experience was giving them mental slides that were no longer valid given the conditions. 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. If that was the case, then they had to be fully aware that the fire was going to come down the mountain and burn not only NPS structures, but Gatlinburg structures as well? Their chronological order of events doesnt match up with what some folks were observing posted on social media. For the most current information about the Chimney Tops 2 Fire at Gatlinburg, see our articles tagged Chimney 2 Fire. Yes government at all levels needs to be held accountable; otherwise we regress back into the Dark Ages. I picked them up and came back home with plans of bringing truck back over mountain and filling it up because it was near empty. IMT issued pre-evacuation notices in GA and NC each time they saw cold-front winds approaching that could would threaten communities. When we reached Turkey Nest Road there was a big white crewcab pickup truck parked in front of Barbaras Real Estate. 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. Granted these fires werent inside Gatlinburg, but the fire chief knew full well the potential for catastrophic wildfires in these mountains. My husband and I were at our house in Gatlinburg, just north of the Park Vista, on the night of the fire. My wife and I hiked to Alum Cave Bluffs Saturday, Nov. 26, while the fire was small up on the Chimneys. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. It seems to me that the extreme wind was as unprecedented as the drought and the low stream levels. Remember GSMNP is not Yosemite or Yellowstone with extreme fire behavior and a history of problems. Numerous photos show a dramatic increase in smoke in the downtown area between 5 and 5:30 pm. People responsible during the initial stages of the Chimney Top 2 wildfire need to be held accountable for violating these basic rules of fire physicsperiod. And we were lucky. Ive ranted about the comparison to how Chimney Tops and Gatlinburg was handled by GSMNP and TEMA. I guess they are helping the people they always help and the rest of us are out of luck. Fire Summary. We could get blocked in by both. Being an avid mountain hiker, I had seen evidence of fires from decades ago (Graveyard Fields being a macro example, but most prior fires in the forest were just like the ones this fall floor duff and fallen dead wood). If it was felt that people on this fire were at risk then dont staff the fire. In my eyes, TEMA should have taken control of the situation and ordered evacuations before sunset. Blame, no. He promised a committee to study what happened and there has been no word since. That didnt work out. Im surprised Cherokee Orchard Rd. We probably wont want to attribute 14 deaths to a non-native insect infestation, but in the end, can we say it exacerbated the situation? On Oct. 9, a woman who was working at the Ripleys Aquarium smelled smoke and walked up to 745 Parkway Suite 4 to investigate. Stantons car was full of gas and only has liability insurance. Who knows what the climate will bring next year. They had no sirens or Claxons blaring, no shouting to evacuate thru their grill mounted speakers. NPS manager Cassius Cash said the NPS didnt have the authority to order an evacuation (how about recommending a pre-evacuation status so the public was ready to evacuate if needed?). The lines between reality and virtual reality or fake reality are so blurred. 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. Thanks! It caused a shutdown . 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. As a contractor I worked with a Dunes engine in Michigan MI years ago. My vacation cabin in Gatlinburg burn to the ground on November 28. 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. This story Im telling is all factual you see I have a problem with anyone exaggerating events as well as lying so I tell the truth regardless of how unpopular it may be. Oddly, some folks that posted photos of the fire of the 23rd in its early stages have either pulled the blogs or the material cannot be accessed. There was a tree down on road out but we were able to drive around it. Waited a month to report this event and turn over the pictures they took to forestry officials! You are reading this like most folks with common sense and a little analytical process, being all the data as you stated isnt on the table. However, their findings could certainly implicate some of the decision makers concerning how things were handled and may lead to a few resignations. Most events have a series of issues that contribute to the outcome, the more catastrophic the event the greater the number of contributing factors. The windspeed was 1 to 3 mph. GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - Four downtown Gatlinburg businesses are picking up the pieces after a fire Sunday morning destroyed their building. That and your wish to pay 50% income tax and there will never be a fire again! 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! Google and Bing maps give a pretty good idea of the expanse of dead hemlocks. I turned on tv to see if there were warnings of any sort. Everyone knew how dry it was. For now there is heartbreak and hindsight on the part of every one now. Many on that team are not NPS employees, but are highly experienced wildfire fighters. This leads to continuation of the same issues over and over because the root of the problems are not being dealt with, and therefore it is just a matter of time before another failure occurs and someone else becomes the blamed one, totally ignoring the real issues. It would make suppression efforts difficult, but a fire break could have been constructed around the original slow-moving fire in the early days. The Gatlinburg fire chief put out a notice for additional help to come to Gatlinburg around 11:52 pm. That is when it began moving rapidly toward Gatlinburg. What makes one golden and one not? I fully understand the financial difficulties of the NPS and with firefighters abroad. Sunday, four days after the fire started, was the first time that any firefighting aircraft were used on the fire, Ms. Schroer said. It was so blatant and irresponsible of the media station to broadcast in this manner especially under the current circumstances. Not just putting out the fires, but restoring the forest and trails afterward. ATF, other agencies search for cause of blaze that claimed life of Buffalo firefighter. A true lackadaisical response. Yet no one made a move. Stanton wanted to go but I was afraid to for several reasons. That should have been done over Thanksgiving! View Google or Bing aerial photos of the past year hundreds of dead trees with the tale-tell circular pattern of limbs stands out against the foliage. Bill thank you the excellent i sight and info that is hard to find publicly. Lets look in the mirror before we are too quick to blame someone else. They got info from NPS about the fire spreading. GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - One person died and another was injured in a large fire in downtown Gatlinburg Sunday. When we got to end of Beech Branch Rd., and turned onto Spur, there was no traffic but the winds were getting worse. You can see in the leaf pattern around it how a strong gust pushed up against the side of the house. You can only manage one of those. I dont understand, but I dont judge. 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. 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. He had been experiencing the high winds back West all day and was alarmed at possibilities as well. Officials identified Robert A. Hejny, 63, who was found at Traveler's Motel in Gatlinburg. The report stated the roof started to collapse, and the building was deemed too unsafe to work inside. Limbs began to fall. Their soft wood holds a lot of moisture normally, but the conditions the past few months would have dried the limbs and outer layers up the trunk. Local folks here who have been involved with Park issues have an old saying about the NPS and their mismanagement of historic structures. Thank you for the timeline and the opportunity for comments. Can fire experts examine burned areas and decipher the path of natural wildfire from managed ignited fires? night at 9pm when mom said there was evacuation notice on TV. You forgot lack of funding to adequately staff the park. That mall is also rigidly enforced. Tom. What authority does NPS have outside GSMNP? I wish some barracuda Attorney would take this on and represent the property owners in a lawsuit to try to recuperate some of our losses, any takers? Since November 29 it has rained about every 2 to 3 daysin the Gatlinburg area.