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Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge Fires [Multiple threads merged.]

hvsteve1

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Gatlinburg and areas of Pigeon Forge, including Dollywood Resort, are being evacuated as forest fires approach with strong winds. Details on www.knoxnews.com
 

riverdees05

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Has anyone heard any news about the Timeshares in the area? We own at Tree Tops.
 

JimMIA

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There is a huge wildfire that has forced the evacuation of downtown Gatlingburg and has threatened Dollywood. It also seems to have closed much of the national park, at least on the TN side.

Anyone know if either of the Wyndham resorts are threatened?

[Threads merged.]
 
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Talent312

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According to Tenn. Emergency Management:
“Westgate Resorts is likely entirely gone (more than 100 buildings)...”

[Update:] Tree Tops appear to be mostly destroyed. Ober Gatlinburg is fine.

--------------------
Smoky Mountains National Park has closed all of its facilities.
The park’s headquarters is currently without power and phone services.
Road closures in the Park: Highway 441 and Cherokee Orchard Roads.

.
 
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The Haileys

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Westgate in Gatlinburg is a near-total loss, along with many other businesses and homes in the area

upload_2016-11-29_9-12-20.png
 

whitewater

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I drove through the area this past weekend. They are getting several inches of rain yesterday and today. Fires should be all but gone. As for effects it was not noticeable except in isolated and areas beyond what some burnt shrubs and trees look like. Smoke was all but gone except one area around Jellico, TN.

hope it helps. Think you will be fine to enjoy the inside water activities and some hiking it desired.
 

JimMIA

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Here's a story from the Washington Post talking about the destruction of Westgate and Ober Gatlinburg -- apparently hundreds of buildings destroyed. Also says it has affected the southern part of Pigeon Forge "...near Sevierville." Sevierville is where Great Smoky Mountains is, although farther from Pigeon Forge.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...s-flee-gaitlinburg-tenn-as-flames-lick-roads/

That's also apparently today, not last week.
 
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hvsteve1

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Sixteen story Hilton Park Vista supposedly burned. Obergatlinburg says they are intact.
 

Miss Marty

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Gatlinburg Tennessee

is a popular mountain resort area located in Sevier County
on the border of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
along US Route 441, which connects Gatlinburg Tennessee
to Cherokee, North Carolina through the national park.

This is America's most visited national park.
Appalachian Trail, Black Bears, Caves Cove.

During the Christmas season, the entire downtown area
is decorated with lights for the Winterfest Celebration.

Fire of 1992
Downtown Gatlinburg
On the night of July 14, 1992, Gatlinburg gained national
attention when an entire city block burned to the ground,
due to faulty wiring in a light fixture.

Fire of November 29, 2016

Fire forces Ripley`s Aquarium employees in Gatlinburg
to leave thousands of animals behind.

Ober Gatlinburg

Due to this unfortunate situation, our operation will be closed today
and tomorrow (Wednesday 11/29). We are gathering information
and will give updates as we receive them. Our structure on the
mountain and our animals in the Wildlife Encounter are safe.


Pigeon Forge is about 6 miles to the north

Our favorite Music by Craig Duncan
Sunday In The Smokey Mountains
 

staceyeileen

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I drove through the area this past weekend. They are getting several inches of rain yesterday and today. Fires should be all but gone. As for effects it was not noticeable except in isolated and areas beyond what some burnt shrubs and trees look like. Smoke was all but gone except one area around Jellico, TN.

hope it helps. Think you will be fine to enjoy the inside water activities and some hiking it desired.

Think you should check the news today...... things are quite different than they were over the weekend.
 

hvsteve1

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As of today, Tuesday, you are not allowed to leave Pigeon Forge headed toward Gatlinburg. Saw TV report of National Guard vehicles rolling in. Nobody is allowed into that entire area.
 

SueDonJ

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The reports look just awful! It's odd, though, how completely contradictory they are about that one Ober Gatlinburg place. TEMA says it's destroyed but their website says, "Due to this unfortunate situation, our operation will be closed Tuesday 11/29 and Wednesday 11/30. We are gathering information and will give updates as we receive them. Our structure on the mountain and our animals in the Wildlife Encounter are safe. Please keep our rescue workers in your thoughts and prayers." I know it's difficult to assess and get the word out quickly but to have such opposite reports??
 

JimMIA

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The reports look just awful! It's odd, though, how completely contradictory they are about that one Ober Gatlinburg place. TEMA says it's destroyed but their website says, "Due to this unfortunate situation, our operation will be closed Tuesday 11/29 and Wednesday 11/30. We are gathering information and will give updates as we receive them. Our structure on the mountain and our animals in the Wildlife Encounter are safe. Please keep our rescue workers in your thoughts and prayers." I know it's difficult to assess and get the word out quickly but to have such opposite reports??
Ober Gatlinburg is a small ski area located on top of a mountain with an incredibly narrow, winding road. I'm sure they can't give much accurate information because they can't get up there right now because of the fires, fallen trees, probably downed power lines, etc.

Wildfires burn in crazy patterns, so it's going to be a few days before they really have a comprehensive assessment of the damage. And it's going to be a patchwork thing -- utter devastation right next to untouched areas.
 

moonstone

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Keeping our fingers crossed that Sunrise Ridge Resort escapes any damage as well.


~Diane
 

The Haileys

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This is the Facebook page of a local paper, and they are doing pretty good coverage: https://www.facebook.com/knoxnews
And a local TV station: https://www.facebook.com/pages/WBIR-TV/ and their web site with live updates: http://www.wbir.com

We live about 20 miles as the crow flies from these fires. The information we get locally is constantly changing and often contradicting right now. There are several thousand people displaced from their homes, hundreds of tourists turned out of their resorts and hotels, most all with only the clothes on their backs. Over 150 businesses and homes have been destroyed or damaged, including some historic and iconic locations.

Rain is due to move in tonight again. What we got last night barely helped. The fire fighters, police and EMS are going on 36 hours of on duty.

Please pray.
 

Talent312

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From the List -- Alamo Steakhouse: Destroyed.
... Decent steak, but overpriced.

.
.
 

Saintsfanfl

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I drove through the area this past weekend. They are getting several inches of rain yesterday and today. Fires should be all but gone. As for effects it was not noticeable except in isolated and areas beyond what some burnt shrubs and trees look like. Smoke was all but gone except one area around Jellico, TN.

hope it helps. Think you will be fine to enjoy the inside water activities and some hiking it desired.

Light to moderate rain does little for a raging forest fire except add some smoke. The water can vaporize in seconds. If the wind dies down combined with the rain it sure can't hurt.

Ironically if a fire is hot enough it can ignite the hydrogen in water like gasoline. A forest fire or any other normal fire can't do that but there are certain types of High Temperature Accelerant Arson fires that can.
 

rapmarks

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Seiverville is north of Pigeon Forge isn't it? Dollywood is in Pigeon Forge, and east of the town, so I would think Pigeon Forge was damaged too. it is so terrible, can't believe it.
 

Space Coast Laurie

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From Tree Tops Resort's Facebook page, about an hour ago: "Update: we are all very anxious to find out the condition of the resort. The authorities are still not allowing us into Gatlinburg. However, there have been some people that have made their way there. We do not want to give you incorrect information and there is a lot of that happening. We do know that some buildings have burned to the ground. But.....we have received new information (unconfirmed ) that some may not have been. As soon as we are able to go there and see for ourselves what has happened, we will give an accurate update."
 
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