LG&E gives power outage update for Fridays severe weather, WAVE Weather Now Syncbak Channel Embed for PBE Page, Man killed in Blankenbaker Lane crash identified by officials, Governor Beshear provides updates after storms and damaging winds, Louisville mayor declares state of emergency due to severe weather. A brushfire near Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, forced evacuations on Wednesday, March 30. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. At this time, Wears Valley Road is still closed. Mayor Waters also thanked the community for the outpouring of support, saying people and residents had donated many items including food, water and new clothes. As spring break runs through next week, this means that students should return to schools on Monday, April 11. Highway 321, Wears Valley Road, was closed to traffic from Townsend to Pigeon Forge due to the fire. Duran said the actions of a fire crew who took the time to rescue his American flag and Air Force banner were "a light at the end of the tunnel" for him as he assessedthe damageto his retreat in Shagbark Resort. WebShortly thereafter fire was reported some distance further to the North in the park behind The Hatcher Mountain Road Fire grew over the course of Thursday, but authorities also announced an increase in the containment of the fire. Have a wildland fire news tip? Firefighters from across East Tennessee are on the scene of a major wildfire in Sevier County as it continues to grow. Follow the link to read our updated Privacy Policy, Morgan Wallen Celebrates the Release of One Thing at a Time with a Concert at His High School, Brush Fire in Pigeon Forge Forces Evacuations. Country superstar and East Tennessee native Dolly Parton created the My People Fund to help victims of the wildfires. The raw audio details harrowing escapes and the desperate pleas for help made by wildfire survivors when the flames approached homes and businesses. If you are in the Wears Valley or Walden's Creek areas please evacuate immediately. Crews are continuing to make areas affected by the fire safe enough that people can return to their homes, he said. Last night we conducted fire patrol@and extinguished hot spots. That evening, wind gusts of up to 87 mph sent embers flying into Gatlinburg, wreaking havoc on the city and surrounding communities. If you are unsure if you are in this area, you should evacuate. TDOT official Mark Nagi also announced Friday morning that his crews are assisting with fueling first response vehicles in Sevier County. A fire at Pigeon Forge has been contained. Officials said they would be releasing a revised fire evacuation area. Map: In light of Smokies fire in Wears Valley, track wildfires in Tennessee Wears Valley Road is still closed from Waldens Creek to Valley View. The My People Fund gave families thousands of dollars and a chance for people to rebuild. The second video shows fire crews working to save cabins in Sevier County as flames creep closer. I dont have a vehicle, and I have no way out of here. I feel bad for them people.. It was 30% contained as of Thursday afternoon, officials said. Two helicopters moved overhead to dumpwater near several burning homes on the hillsideafter high winds and dry conditions sparked a brush fire and promptedan evacuation order for thearea. I have no way out, and I have children at home., The lawsuit alleges that the line went dead after the dispatcher told Mrs. Reed, Stay with me.. The Sevier County Emergency Management said at about 3:10 p.m. Thursday that the evacuation area would be reduced shortly. Waters also gave an update on the Millstone Gap Fire, another fire in the Sevier County area. Click here. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Wind-fueled wildfires swept across Sevier County in 2016 claiming lives, homes and livelihoods forever changing the landscape of Gatlinburg and the Smokies. "I'm very grateful to them for honoring the flag and honoring me as well.". Elaine Brown, 81, died after she sustained a medical event that caused a multi-vehicle accident on Wears Valley Road while fleeing the fire. PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WVLT) - More than 100 people were displaced after an apartment fire in Pigeon Forge, according to Sevier County dispatch. Upon arrival to the area, they will receive their assignments to help fellow firefighters that have already been on scene for several hours, officials with the Dandridge Fire Department said. A siren alarm system was used to evacuate the Gatlinburg area, but it is uncertain what time the sirens started, and some residents told WVLT News they never heard them. Documents filed in the case obtained by WVLT News show Reed filed a claim in 2017. Seymour Heights Christian Church, located at 122 Boyds Creek Highway, is opening its doors to anyone displaced by the fire. Its UTV was been requested, officials posted. Knox County Rescue crews were headed to Sevier County Saturday morning to assist in several capacities, including working in the EOC & an Incident Command Sub-Section, performing field damage assessment and search. Posted: Mar 2, 2023 / 06:41 AM EST. Officials said that airdrops will continue Friday morning. Officials have not determined a cause, and evacuations are still in place. HWY 321 from Waldens Creek to Valley View, Tennessee National Guard members were sent to help with the Sevier County fire, A helicopter dropping water on the wildfire in Sevier County, TDOT officials drive as the Sevier County wildfire nears US 321 Wednesday night. Mayor Waters confirmed that there had still been no fatalities in the week, and the only person seriously injured had been released from the University of Tennessee Medical Center. A temporary shelter is set up at the Pigeon Forge Community Center at 170 Community Center Drive. The Millstone Gap Fire, on the other hand, is in a more rural area than the Hatchers Mountain Fire, Miller said. A temporary shelter is set up at the Pigeon Forge Community Center at 170 Community Center Drive. Officials give latest update on Hatcher Mountain Wildfire. We have personnel going door to door, he said. WVLT News also spoke with Brook Smith, a forester at the scene, who said as nightfall nears the situation may improve some. WVLT News spoke to Red Cross officials Wednesday night to try and get answers, but they said the decision was in the hands of Sevier County EMA. "It could be worse," Duran told Knox News of his predicament. The blaze started as a house fire, he said. Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new articles by email. WebCom localizao central em Pigeon Forge, Hilton Garden Inn Pigeon Forge est a apenas 4 minutos de caminhada de Pigeon Forge Snow e a 6 minutos a p de Christmas Place. appreciated. National Guard crews from Chattanooga were called in, and three Chinook This is our favorite place to come, love it down there, sure hope no one get hurt or worse. What we do is we evaluate active fires, hotspots, Miller said. A small crew remained in the area to monitor hot spots, the station said. Fire officials also said that lessons learned in the 2016 Gatlinburg fires helped authorities respond to this weeks fire. In a 10 a.m. briefing on Thursday officials said the wildfire southwest of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, which is being referred to as the Indigo Lane Fire and Hatcher Mountain Fire, has burned 3,700 acres and affected 100 structures. Five fire apparatus vehicles were damaged. The fire prompted the Sevier County School System to cancel classes Thursday out of an abundance of caution for our students, parents, and staff members, it said in a message on its website. The relative humidity rose from a low of 16 percent Wednesday afternoon to 92 percent at 6 a.m. Thursday. Hatcher Mountain Wildfire 100% contained, number of structures lowered due to duplicate counts. An evacuation was ordered for anyone within two miles from Parkside Resort in Pigeon Forge due to a fast-moving brush fire. A wildfire burns in Sevier County, Tennessee, on Wednesday. He wrote, Looking West just now from Gatlinburg Golf course (in Pigeon Forge). Due to Updated Helicopters have been dropping water on the fire since early Thursday morning. Red Cross officials confirmed the Pigeon Forge Community Center shelter will close at 2 p.m. Sunday. Officials with the Knoxville Fire Department confirmed that they would remain in Sevier County throughout the night, and likely into Saturday as well Friday afternoon. A Type 2 Incident Management Team, the Southern Area Gold Team, has been mobilized. The delay caused stress for people already in a dire situation who were not able to plan where they would spend the night. He also told WVLT News that buses are en route to Pigeon Forge Primary, Intermediate, Junior High and High School to dismiss students. When asked how he felt personally, Waters said he felt nervous and asked for prayers. The fire spread rapidly and widely because of wind gusts that blew up to 87 mph on Monday night, according to Miller. SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. The Pigeon Forge Fire Department fought an apartment complex fire that affected 150 rooms Tuesday night, according to the department. We believe there was no way we could have controlled the fire prior to the wind event. He also confirmed that less than 10 people stayed the night Thursday at the Pigeon Forge Community Shelter. Updated: Mar 2, 2023 / 09:10 AM EST. Officials said three people were found dead from fires in the Chalet Village area, and one person was discovered dead near a motel on Highway 321. Guests staying in Sevier County's park vista hotel described being trapped inside by wildfires that raged in 2016, Power outages reported across the region following severe storms, Kentucky State Police investigating Floyd County death, Restrictions on vehicles restoring power and clearing debris temporarily lifted, Governor Andy Beshear updates Kentuckians following severe weather. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Emma Frederick and her family, who were staying at an Airbnb rental in Sevier County for the week, received an alert about the evacuations Wednesday afternoon when they were out, and were unable to retrieve their belongings from the cabin. You can type an address at the top-right on the page to see if it is affected. "As the fire breaks those containment lines, we are pulling back and readjusting, and putting in new lines. The U.S. Government through its employees, failed to follow mandatory regulations to monitor and extinguish a fire in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, thereby allowing it to spread beyond the park boundaries onto claimants private property, destroying their property and resulting in the death of his wife Constance and their daughters Chloe and Lily, court documents read. A mandatory evacuation was issued for the Dupont Area from South Rogers Road to the Blount County/Sevier County line and Ownby Hills and Hidden Hills neighborhoods in the city of Gatlinburg. Please keep in mind our commenting ground rules before you post a comment. Residents told WBIR they noticed smoke that appeared to resemble a chimney fire in the area. Waters did have some good news, saying he thinks that the worst of the danger is over. He also asked that anyone wanted to donate supplies do so through mountaintough.org. He said teams were out evaluating which roads could be reopened. PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WVLT) - An evacuation was ordered for residents in Pigeon Forge Thursday following a fast-moving brush fire that officials are calling the Pine Mountain Fire and has since been lifted. "It meant a lot to me," he said. All rights reserved. Anyone in the affected area should use caution as emergency crews continue to work. Very little current information is available about this fire. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Tennessee Forestry representative Bruce Miller gave a fire update, saying the Hatcher Mountain Fire is 95% contained. He is requesting $250,000 in property damage, $150,000 for personal injury, and $13.5 million for the wrongful death of his wife and children. Residents can use it to search their address to find out if they need to evacuate. CNNs Melissa Alonso, Sara Smart and Chris Boyette contributed to this report. Another fire that started March 26 about 17 miles south of Gatlinburg near Bryson City and Whittier, the Thomas Divide Fire, has burned 948 acres. Crews with the Dandridge Fire Department along with other Jefferson County fire departments were headed to the fire to assist the Sevier Co. Wildland Task Force. The fires caused more than $66 million in damages in Sevier County, according to early estimates. Duran currently lives in Coral Gables, Florida. A reporter with WVLT got photos of some of the five pieces of fire apparatus that fire officials said were damaged on the Hatcher Mountain Fire northwest of Gatlinburg, Tennessee yesterday. The Sevier County Fairgrounds will open Friday to receive donations as well. They said people in the Hatcher Mountain, Shagbark Resort and Little Valley Mountain Resort should evacuate immediately. It has been a brutal 24 hours in Pigeon Forge, TN. Local agencies incurred more than $3 millionof expenses, Anderson added. There will be an update on the noon news here shortly. A wildfire burning near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Sevier County, Tennessee, has grown to more than 3,700 acres and impacted more than 100 structures, County Mayor Larry Waters said at a news conference Thursday. -Pass Departmental NFPA 1582 Complaint Physical Exam. Our response was challenged due to loss of internet and cell service. An evacuation was ordered for downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Discovery Company. An evacuation was ordered for anyone within two miles from Parkside Resort in Pigeon Forge due to a fast-moving brush fire. Officials estimated that about 11,000 homes were evacuated over the course of the day. Kyle Grainger WVLT sent these photos in from the Hatcher Mountain fire as it is now being called. At 9 a.m. Thursday the wind at Cove Mountain was 21 mph from the south-southwest with 81 percent RH. Once buses arrive, students will be dismissed accordingly. WVLT News spoke with the Sevier County Assistant for Governmental Affairs Perrin Anderson said the number of affected structures was higher because of duplicate counts. Mandatory evacuation orders in the county, which includes Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, will remain in place, Waters said. As we previously reported, NONE of our cabins were damaged in the blaze. It is possible that the strong winds on Wednesday affected the incident. The Dupont fire startedMarch 31, burned nearly 1,000 acres and was fully contained a week later. Residents can evacuate to the Pigeon Forge Community Center if needed. It could be 1 to 3 oclock right, could be all night. "At this time, the high winds are anticipated to affect primarily the Tennessee side of the park," the park wrote on its Facebook page. PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Dozens of Sevier County residents Five firefighting vehicles have been damaged. Forestry officials said they expect firefighters to be able to increase containment since weather forecasts are not calling for the high wind conditions the area saw Wednesday. Knoxville Fire Department officials told WVLT News just after 8 p.m. that they deployed four units to Wears Valley to assist in fighting the fires, according to Knoxville Police Department Assistant Chief Mark Wilbanks. Sevier County officials began issuing mandatory evacuations around 4:30 p.m. The Tennessee Military Department told WVLT News that the national guard was on standby to fly two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters over the fire if needed. There are no reports of fatalities or missing people as a result of the blaze, Waters said, calling the news answered prayers.. Responders said that one crew of firefighters had to abandon their vehicles and move back into already-burned areas as the fire approached Wednesday night. The Sevier County Michael Reed is suing on behalf of his wife, Constance Reed, 34, and their two daughters, Chloe Reed, 12, and Lily Reed, 9. Because of this, the addition of overnight rain was a necessity on Wednesday evening. An evacuation was ordered for anyone within two miles from Parkside Resort in Pigeon Forge due to a fast-moving brush fire, according to officials with the Sevier County Dispatch. SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) - Responders from several East Tennessee agencies are on the scene of a major wildfire in Sevier County. The website (mountaintough.org) manages information and donations. The two wildfires were caused by high winds that downed power lines, according to the investigation completed last week by the Tennessee Department of Agricultures Agricultural Crime Unit. While the fire was put out, several people are now without Officials with the Rural Metro Fire Department announced they deployed one engine and one chief officer to Sevier County to assist their incident management team. They were staying in Chalet Village on Crooked Ridge Road. The high winds knocked down power lines and started other fires, hindering communication to order mandatory evacuations. The fire in Indigo is looking very good.. The Knoxville Fire Department posted to Twitter saying that Saturday looked to be its last day in Sevier County supporting operations. About half an inch of rainfall is expected early Thursday morning. Upon arrival to the area, they will receive their assignments to help fellow firefighters that have already been on scene for several hours, officials with the Dandridge Fire Department said. Officials identified Robert A. Hejny, 63, who was found at Travelers Motel in Gatlinburg. WEARS VALLEY, Tenn. ( WATE) A wildfire near Pigeon Forge has It looks like somebody just went through there and just dropped a bomb on the place, Shannon McCostlin told WATE. Twin brothers Beau and Zackary MacLellan lost their home and their jobs to the fire. The buckets allow helicopters to transport hundreds of gallons of water from local sources to the site of the fire where needed. They said they are working on creating a list of donation drop-off points, but until those are released asked people to not donate. Crews closed the road, saying they were focusing on stopping the fire from crossing it and spreading into more populated areas. They made solid decisions and saved thousands of lives, GSMNP Superintendent Cassius Cash told WVLT News in 2016. Sevier County EMA officials also released a phone number for people to call with questions or information about areas affected by the Hatcher Mountain Road/Indigo Lane Fire Thursday afternoon. Investigators said the state was unable to prove the criminal responsibility of the two juveniles beyond a reasonable doubt for the devastation that happened outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park due to the high wind speeds that spread the fire from the mountains and into the city. A trial date is set for July 12, 2022, at 9 a.m. at the U.S. Tennessee National Guard officials confirmed to WVLT News that a helicopter they sent to assist with the fire suffered engine failure and had to make an emergency landing around 11:25 a.m. All four crewmembers were unharmed in the landing, and the helicopter reportedly only suffered minor damage.