How many have died in Gatlinburg fire?
14 people
The massive Gatlinburg wildfires, which began in November, caused the deaths of 14 people, injured 175 others and destroyed homes and towns all around eastern Tennessee. Damage was estimated at more than $500 million, according to Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters.
What happened to the Gatlinburg arsonists?
Arson charges dropped against teens in Gatlinburg wildfire case. KNOXVILLE — Prosecutors have dropped charges against two Tennessee teenagers they labeled as responsible for the state’s deadliest wildfire in a century, an attorney confirmed Friday.
What started the fire in Gatlinburg TN?
The Gatlinburg fire that killed 14 people was started by two teenagers dropping lit matches onto the ground along Chimney Tops Trail in Great Smoky Mountain National Park, sources close to the investigation told the Knoxville News Sentinel.
Was Dollywood affected by the fire?
Fanned by hurricane-force winds, the flames reached the doorstep of Dollywood, the theme park named after country music legend and local hero Dolly Parton. But the attraction was spared any significant damage.
What was the cause of the Gatlinburg TN fire?
GATLINBURG, Tennessee — The charges have been dropped against two teens who were accused of starting the wildfires in Gatlinburg last fall. The wildfires caused millions of dollars in damage in the Smoky Mountains and resulted in over a dozen deaths.
Where did the Great Smoky Mountains fire happen?
Some of the towns most impacted were Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, both near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The fires claimed at least 14 lives, injured 190, and is one of the largest natural disasters in the history of Tennessee.
How is the Gatlinburg fire going to heal?
The scars remain. It’s four years later, but large swaths of forest, burned in November 2016, have yet to heal. They will heal eventually. As more years pass, green growth will envelop the deadwood, and the path raging inferno – infernos really – took as they burned every bit of fuel they could reach will be erased.
Who was the Gatlinburg fire chief in 2016?
Because of power outages to some pumping stations on November 28 and because other pumping stations burned, hydrants quickly went dry on November 28, and Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller first asked for help from all of Sevier County and later from the entire state.