Gatlinburg on fire

[ruger1800]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/us/gatlinburg-tennessee-wildfire.html?_r=0

 

[87iroc]

Yah, I saw that. Glad I was down there when I was. I hope the rain last night and today saves the bulk of the town. The forrest grows up all around the town, unfortunately it was bound to happen.

Anyone know how they started? On purpose? Careless fire usage? I've heard of fires starting all over NC...maybe this is carryover? Drought?

 

[hoosierdoc]

I have said for years terrorists should just launch flares out of trucks as they drive through dry areas. Hope it's not that starting up like in Israel

 

[rw02kr43]

I read the fires started in the Chimney Tops area and then winds spread it from there. More were started with downed power lines. I have many great memories of climbing on rocks in the stream there at Chimney Tops when I was a kid.Jason

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Another reason I never complain about rain.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

LIST: What's damaged, destroyed and intact | WBIR.com

 

[rudyman]

I and 21 members of my family were there last week forthanksgiving . We all came home Sunday.We made a lot of great memories ,hiking in the mountains,my grandchildren seen their first wild bear at Laurel Falls.My wife, son, brother,nephew and I hiked cucumber gap trail,little river trail and played in the stream at Metcalf bottoms. Prayers to all effected.

 

[1911ly]

That last family vacation we took (just before my wife passed away) was there. It breaks my heart.

 

[joe138]

I was there in March and on the Cherokee side there were several wild fires. I was told by the Cherokee equivalent to a Conservation Officer, that the fires were arson. The fires were believed to be set so that people could hired to fight them and make some money, as a lot of the locals get hired. The FBI was in the area investigating. Those fires didn't do any damage except to the forest. I hope the current fires are not from the same motivation.

 

[ruger1800]

I was there in March and on the Cherokee side there were several wild fires. I was told by the Cherokee equivalent to a Conservation Officer, that the fires were arson. The fires were believed to be set so that people could hired to fight them and make some money, as a lot of the locals get hired. The FBI was in the area investigating. Those fires didn't do any damage except to the forest. I hope the current fires are not from the same motivation.

most of the Cherokee I have seen in that area lately are too obese to fight a fire in those hills, the casino money is killing them,by enabling the Indians to eat astronomical amounts of food, drugs, alcohol

 

[eldirector]

So sad. We vacation there every few years. Lots of great memories. Was my wife and I's first real vacation together. My daughter's first real vacation memories are playing Hillbilly Golf.

I hope the Greenbrier is OK. Love that place.

 

[Super Bee]

I hate seeing this. We camp down there often, one of the familys favorite places to visit. The fire department needs to put extra resources around Cooters, one of my favorite places to visit.

 

[joe138]

most of the Cherokee I have seen in that area lately are too obese to fight a fire in those hills, the casino money is killing them,by enabling the Indians to eat astronomical amounts of food, drugs, alcohol

What you said is true, but they were still fighting the fires closer to the town. The full time Park service and National Forest Service fire fighters were up in the higher elevations. And without hijacking this further, there were already large drug and alcohol problems there, as there are on most reservations. The casino accelerated a lot of the problems.

 

[jd4320t]

Dang this is crazy.

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

Prayers to all effected and to the brave men and women battling the fires. My wife and I spent our 5th wedding anniversary there with our closest friends and my in laws vacation there a couple times a year.

 

[Waveraider]

My Brother lives between Gatlinburg and Sevierville. He said the sky was glowing orange, with tons of smoke. Really weird looking. Too bad for everyone who lost something.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Photos: Wildfire destroys more than 150 Gatlinburg homes, businesses

 

[mikebol]

I hope Cades Cove is unaffected. We always enjoy driving through there and visiting the old cabins, barns, churches, mill...

Mike

 

[Cameramonkey]

Well, the good news is its not ISIS.

UPDATE: Man arrested after admitting he set three wildfires that consumed 300 acres | Times Free Press

He looks like he'll make somebody a nice girlfriend.

 

[1911ly]

Well, the good news is its not ISIS.

UPDATE: Man arrested after admitting he set three wildfires that consumed 300 acres | Times Free Press

He looks like he'll make somebody a nice girlfriend.

Glad that got the SOB. Really makes me wish an ass whooping was an allowable along with the jail time.