High winds were to start soon and rain was 5 hours away as indicated by radar. They should not be excused because they did not escape the consequences this time of their lax policies and their actual failure to follow the procedures they should have followed. If you take a hands off approach with minimal management and indirectly Play God look out. If one is growing by experience you keep them moving forward as we all benefit from their learning and experience. Was the fire that inaccessible on foot? 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. It would make suppression efforts difficult, but a fire break could have been constructed around the original slow-moving fire in the early days. I remember a news conference 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. If they had taken action the day it started instead of now using the excuse of the rough terrain, yeah it is but so is most mountain areas. Only we, the people, the voters, can force change by raising our collective voices by repeatedly demanding the governor and Congress take action now! We are to be stewards of the land. Perhaps a simple thing like calling for a Voluntary Evacuation from Noon on that day could have made the danger more obvious in light of the forecast for storm warnings with high winds for the afternoon and overnight. 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. One question I have not seen asked is why any adult would have witnessed children playing with matches and lighting fires especially under the obvious conditions in this situation and 1. not taken immediate action 2. I hope the governors investigation team finds all of the miscues AND gets proper training for all the different agencies involved. All rights reserved. The next morning we werent allowed to go check on our house because of fires still burning and impassable roads. Bill, correct me if I am wrong, but aircraft should be on the ground a half hour after sunset? 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. fire Sunday morning destroyed their building. Undoubtedly, the current management of our natural resources will come before the Judgments of the Almighty; for human lives were lost in this fire. 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. The fire occurred in the Autumn after the deciduous trees had shed their leaves adding more fuel to the forest floor that was already abundant with desiccated leaves, twigs, dead branches, and logs that had been sucked dry of their moisture by the months of drought. Which is why human history keeps repeating itself over and over. That said I have been an avid backpack or in hiker who has done probably every trail in the Smokies many times over. Waited a month to report this event and turn over the pictures they took to forestry officials! There will be legal repercussions because of incompetence. Many times this tactic takes commitment of over a week. They learned. Virtually no one knows they have it and THEY DID NOT USE IT. When we got to the bottom of the mountain, we ran into the Sevier County Electric crew where the road was blocked. An in depth investigation should be launched and the (ir)responsible parties identified. Wildfire Today covered engines being shipped from CA. Those probably did not finish burning for several days. I think thats pretty cut and dry and yes its their fault that they didnt at least try and do something. Hasnt anyone noticed that friends groups are paying for major park infrastructure and various other projects that our Congress has failed to provide for? But instead great risks were taken through basic inaction and the consequences were disastrous. The coolness and the moisture were gone. For folks afflicted by this tragedy, emotions running high should be expected; and it is understandable for Kelly Morgan to be upset. WTF were they letting the planes in Chattanooga sit idle? This appears to be the case once again. On Monday morning we awoke to the smell of smoke. Whether a tornado, hurricane or natural disaster, it weighs on your psyche. When enough folks dont take a vulnerable interest in situations and root out the evidence and real root causes to a situation, that is how cover-ups and lies live on, and the wrong people or wrong causes go unrooted. WBIR is going to interview me as soon as two weeks from now regarding how I was taken for $120,000 by a crooked contractor that I was hooked up with by a log home firm. 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. I would recommend reviewing Wildfire Todays post titled: NPS releases information about the Chimneys Tops Fire 2 as well as the post Analysis of wind, vegetation, and air tankers before the fire burned into Gatlinburg. We discussed what we would/could do if we had to evacuate. How many resources were on how many fires at that time in this region and in others? I think anyone that is from this area could see this could be a very dangerous fire from the first day!! He asked them if they had any information on the fire and they told him Youve got nothing to worry about. By this time the wind was blowing hard and strong. It is this same type of think tank and diversity we need in reaching a host of solutions to our complexity of problems both in this situation and in all others. The city said crews working the structure fire that . The forecasts from the 24th through the 26th did not predict the extreme weather that began Monday, November 28. 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. It was very low on gas and fully covered with insurance. That evening, GSM park officials tweeted that a 1.5 acre fire (Chimney Tops 2 fire) was burning in a steep location around the Chimneys. I thought if we were have to leave we could take both vehicles to our friends house to sit out the night. Officials say the road will be closed for an extended period. (The fire was in eastern Tennessee near the North Carolina border.). We have border issues, at the local levels, states rights and federal rights that are still at issue, leadership silos, and rising political issues. As the crow flies, thats not far from Gatlinburg and Ive heard of and read about how quickly wildfires spread and how far reaching they can be under dry conditions from drought. I looked at the NWS Forecast Discussion and told my sister They should order pre-evacuation before the wind gets strong.. When I came out of dr. office, which is located on Middle Creek close to hospital, the atmosphere was eerie. The two juveniles who set a fire are not alone in this. There could be traffic jams. Hemlocks were mentioned in a number of daily updates on Inciweb because they are basically standing roman candles thanks to the spiral of limbs. Jeannine, its obvious that you write from the heart, and you write so well it is indeed inspirational. I viewed aerial photos of that area over the past 10 years (on USGS website). 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. One option could be helicopter fire repellers to repel into the fire and make an assessment of risk. 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. Gatlinburg fatal fire investigation continues as crews demolish building Experience in itself is never enough. Most of those people got out of the pre-evac zone just to be safe and watch the fire at a distance. Behind the Chimneys is Sugarland Mountain. I spent two weeks in the area after the fire to inspect my property and ascertain where my wife and I would go from there. Lose their jobs over this? Remember GSMNP is not Yosemite or Yellowstone with extreme fire behavior and a history of problems. May God look out for all of you in your time of loss. Thanks for the good fact based, solid coverage of the events leading up to the fire. Some of the towns most impacted were Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, both near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. teams had Lake Lure and Tate City evacuate when high winds were forecast. I told Stanton I wanted him to drive our truck up to top of mountain behind house to get it away from house and out from under so many trees. How about that for arm chair quarter backing. I was in the area hiking November 21 and there was no smoke coming from the Chimneys area. The fire could have been stopped over the weekend if proper procedures had been followed. TEMA had the power and authority, yet did nothing until Hell was at their door. I appreciate that fine quality of writing that expresses your thoughts in an easy to read yet structured style that makes sense. Intense, deep burning fires with significant downwind spotting should be expected. GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - Four downtown Gatlinburg businesses are picking up the pieces after a fire Sunday morning destroyed their building. Circular holes in the ground spread around the forest floor for no apparent reason, no evidence in sight, no history of mining activity, most of the oldest living trees around the same height/age. They probably feel they are fortunate and safe because they will not speak out on the topic until the criminal charges are completed against the two youth that perpetrated this fire but they would be foolish to do so as time just continues to churn the anger. Two Hawaii police departments are making moves to beef up incentives as recruiting efforts grow more competitive. Contingency plans for how to evacuate the entire town, regardless of the specific hazard, were not well thought out. Being asleep at the wheel is no excuse. I am trying to learn everything I can and hope to find an avenue to serve in this cause in some small way as most of you have and are serving in major, ways, risking your lives. What caused the Gatlinburg wildfire? I think were all just going to come back and rebuild stronger than ever, he said. Those businesses were also protected from the fire. Period. She has given me permission to share it on this site. The further fire growth part was more accurate than they realized at the time. Spirit Airlines . When I built a home here just a few years ago and wanted to have a sprinkler system installed, I was told we dont have big wildfires here. The body of an unidentified person was found amid the rubble of a downtown section of buildings that. 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. Even the courts of law no longer put as heavy weight on personal testimony, as so much has been proven to so easily be manipulated and affected by a host of factors. I was near Gatlinburg until Saturday prior to the fire, visiting my family. I realize some of my questioning is speculative and yet legitimate. Thanks again for this forum. City prosecutors have charged a longtime Mililani High School leader with multiple counts of theft. National Park Service Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection) in Many fire managers in that situation would immediately attack emerging fires very aggressively with overwhelming force, that is, many firefighters on the ground assisted by numerous aircraft dropping water or fire retardant. Not to lay blame or punishment but as a real learning tool for improvement of service provision. This come from long time residents, The prices we have been getting should be considered price gouging because that is exactly what it is. Read more Tennessee Wildfire Cause: Gatlinburg Fires May Have Been Man-Made, Officials Claim is an article from: The Inquisitr News. One other consideration relevant to some of the previous comments about the aggressiveness or lack thereof in dealing with the fire in the first few days is the context of other ongoing wildfires. I was afraid to go into Park with boys. Questions are powerful tools, but only when we allow them to be asked, we receive them with an openness and willingness to be vulnerable, and seek to answer them openly and without fear of reprisal. Unfortunately human lives were lost and hundreds of folks have been displaced. However, their findings could certainly implicate some of the decision makers concerning how things were handled and may lead to a few resignations. The first thing you think is, Is this real?, said Tyler Neddo, a longtime employee of Caf 420. There are many many folks who even if cell service were functional could not afford it. Everyone knew how dry it was. Arson charges dropped against teens accused in deadly Gatlinburg - WJLA GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - Four downtown Gatlinburg businesses are picking up the pieces after a fire Sunday morning destroyed their building. Stantons car was full of gas and only has liability insurance. 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. Once again: the questions remain unanswered. Gatlinburg Fire 2016: How It Happened & the Aftermath - PigeonForge.com We would best not be blind until that time is upon us, as then it will be too late. Fire those managers! Most of us feel there was negligence but sorting it all out is not something I know how to do.