Hong Kong skyscraper fire could mean $64M payout, cause under investigation Good point, Ms. Horton. Hemlocks standout on aerial photos because the limbs grow in a spiral pattern around the tree. I agree with the earlier post that if this fire had been in Southern California or other areas subject to devastating fire if it would have been managed differently. What Caused the Gatlinburg Fire of 2016? Here's the Real Story Yes a lot is somewhat predictable, just as this fire, but not every aspect is, there are too many variables in the real world. A similar fire occurred on English Mountain. Many are willing to allow the absolute open permission to some to behave as they will without question, but are unwilling to allow others the same room to learn and grow. I am a property owner in the Lake of the Ozarks, in Missouri, and oddly enough, had just returned from a trip to Branson, Missouri. Published: Oct. 11, 2022 at 5:31 PM PDT GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - Four downtown Gatlinburg businesses are picking up the pieces after a fire Sunday morning destroyed their building. As we drove south out of Pigeon Forge I took another photo before we entered the spur, which shows smoke and a red glow above Gatlinburg. The appearance of dead hemlock progression is astounding. Thanks for the correction Bill. Were these simply copy cat arsonists, arsonists with the most ridiculous stories to offer for why they lit these fires, or were they just cover-ups for something more sinister? At 3:00PM I convinced my husband to call the Gatlinburg Fire Dept. So who would you blame the people that died, wildlife and homeowners. Even this article seems to skirt around some of the issues and miss the depth of analysis it needs to effect meaningful change. Instead 14 people are dead, many are injured, 2000 structures burned, loss is now a pandemic. We have turned in a claim but still no word on a settlement. (PETER PARKS/AFP via Getty Images) Chan estimated the insurance claim could . The mayor and many fireman lost their homes and businesses, not to mention the deaths. IMT issued pre-evacuation notices in GA and NC each time they saw cold-front winds approaching that could would threaten communities. We need to hold, that experience though often shared, does not fit into every mold, because in the real world though some laws are universal, there is always changing variable and situations are never really exactly the same. We drove down to Calhouns complex, through their parking area and back out onto the parkway and headed east. For almost 24 hours a day for 10 days or more, I read everything I could about Gatlinburg, and even found Wildfire Today during that They were asleep at the wheel. GSMNP manager said he couldnt order an evacuation but he surely could have recommended one as the forecast for high winds was given early Sunday. I certainly hope the investigation of the totality of fire is not pressured to conclude prematurely. 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. Ive posted this type of questioning on other Wildfire Today articles. The miracle is that more people did not Would the apparent 24 hour plus monitoring bring into question a lack of response to suppress the fire considering the exceptional drought and excessive fuels? Thanks again for this forum. If the superintendent of the Park Service couldnt see what the consequence could be then he was not qualified for the job and after reading his BIO he was never qualified and this is what we get. While my husband tried to rake the leaves away more than once, they blew right back in. For the most part, the issues are with the Upper Brass. Analyzing the fire that burned into Gatlinburg - Wildfire Today Superintendent Cash says the NPS has no jurisdiction to issue evacuations for the City of Gatlinburg. You certainly got it right when you said that sometimes government does not listen and it takes a loud voice. Like I said this is like so many tragic events, a chain reaction of events that all contributed to a disastrous outcome, because of actions and inactions that were not questioned or corrected at many steps of the way. You can only manage one of those. Hit it with all you have the Moment it breaks out.. A spokesperson for the city said the Gatlinburg Fire Department was dispatched to the 700 block of Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg at 6:39 a.m. on October 9. Bob, I know where youre coming from. We had somewhat of a plan but both agreed that if we had a warning or concern we would leave because of our location and our neighborhood has no fire hydrants. There is room for all to be as important as the other, and hold all of these ideals up at the same time, to honor and to debate. Fire managers brought in resources from all over the country. is TEMA didnt have the training. I told him we would come pick him up in his car. We listened to local TV news at home which reported voluntary evacuations for Mynatt Park after fire was reported in the Twin Creeks area. Click here. I feel sad for everyone involved. I bet someone of you one here would sing a different tune if you loss a big chunk of your retirement because of someone incompetence. I was in my cabin the night of the fire and if I had spotted it a minute or so after I did I would not be alive to type this right now. Behind the Chimneys is Sugarland Mountain. Any person involved in any sort of firefighting/fire ecology/fire control/fire management profession learns these basic fire physic scientific principals from day oneeither from formal training or through hands on fire behavior observations . To echo your statements, the information is out there, a model exists on how to properly do it now its getting the proper training for all of the professionals involved and the public taking the role of accountability watchdogs. The two juveniles who set a fire are not alone in this. Nothing happens in a vacuum. If Im not mistaken, there is a Bob Stanton that was a former NPS Director. The amount of dead Frazier fir and Spruce trees, caused by similar non-native infestation, is dramatic on Newfound Gap road, but mainly past The Chimneys at higher elevations. I do not remember her name. Pacific Buddhist Academy set to hold 17th annual Taiko Festival, the 14th annual Kualoa Hakipuu canoe festival back after a few years of kind of being shuttered because of the pandemic. The fire broke out around 6:30 a.m. at the mall on the Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg. To access this area, it is important to follow check point protocols. The three places the fire was stated to have been seem to line up pretty straight on the map. One option could be helicopter fire repellers to repel into the fire and make an assessment of risk. The GRSM person that requested the Spot wrote: Concerned about ridgetop winds with the coming front. The NPS protected themselves and other special interest groups as well. I phoned 911 and reported that the fire was approaching our home and that it was within a few feet of the city/park boundary. Why did they wait until Monday to do a voluntary a evacuation or were the city father is involved in the decision not to panic the thousands and thousands of people still there for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was Congress that adjourned for the holidays without passing a bill to fund forest fire fighting efforts. How many have died in the gatlinburg forest fire? - JacAnswers I am in my late 60s and have never seen such a drought, or such low stream levels. It caused a shutdown . It works like an Amber Alert to people who download the app and sign up. 1 dead in Anchorage home fire that officials say was likely caused by There will be legal repercussions because of incompetence. The notice went out to people within 10 miles of the fireline. They got info from NPS about the fire spreading. The contractor who had been working outside on the house left as it got dark early because of the smoke. We saw some trucks when we drove out late morning. The People have been deceived with a vague and biased investigation regarding this particular bear incident. Unfortunately, Im not optimistic about the inter-agency review. Lots of fires getting controlled, crews pulling off and the new fuel falling and all back ablaze. Special interest groups and other self serving human beings with other priorities cut budgets. Humans will never be able to control or suppress all unwanted fires-structure, chemical or wildland. Its community and people that have jobs. I am a management specialist and I understand how to plan, and implement risk-protection and safety in many kinds of settings, to address various threats to people. Dollywood flat out refused to even consider we needed any help and also tried to shame our neighbor to discourage home not to take it. A little later the local TV news reported the fire had crossed the road and was headed up the mountain behind the Park Vista. Copyright 2022 WVLT. Just looking at media coverage on the evacuation order public messaging snafu points out that this fire will provide many lessons learned for future fire managers. Im not saying IMTs are perfect (and no doubt there are background politics involved), but they sure appeared to do an awesome job coming to the situation with a big view and didnt hesitate to get the job done and keep the public informed. Beginningat 2 a.m. on Sunday November 27 the relative humidity at Indian Grave dropped,getting as low as 17 percent at 8 a.m. and then lingering in the 20s and 30s until 4 am on Monday November 28. Another factor in the tragic outcome goes way beyond any mismanagement of the fire in its early period. On Monday November 28 it recorded wind gusts in that part of the state at46 to 60 mph, and a 76 mph gust on Wednesday. Experience by itself often lends to complacency and been there done that thinking. I can picture all Typically instead of outright termination, the NPS is classic just to relocate the personnel and in some cases give them a promotion to keep them happy and from whistle-blowing; or just live in a delusional world of denial. We waited as the days passed until we could go and see if ours had burned. Body found in rubble of Gatlinburg fire - wtvq.com They found plenty of resources when they realize they were going to be burning all the money making business is down on Monday. LeConte, is spread primarily, if not exclusively through the air.Though I havent been there in awhile, there used to be a stunning grove of Hemlocks in the Linville Falls area off the Parkway approx. Anyone can arm chair quarterback incident manager decisions after the smoke clears. Watch the pride and ego firefighters: youll never outmatch Gods elements. So they were more concerned about NPS structures than our homes and lives? Jordans comments on the video indicates that their management was taking care to show how they were not responsible. 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. The leaves that had hung on into late Fall because of lack of winds and rain for months began to rain from the trees in copious amounts and there were leaf funnels forming and it was hard as we ran from cabin to car loading Abram and Lady. Very well said Tommy. 100-acre brush fire causes evacuations in Collier County I am broken-hearted over it .. You cannot sit and watch a fire in the mountains this close to a town and not call in lots of HELP!!! Downtown Gatlinburg Fire at Puckers Sports Grill & More (OCT 9, 2022) I hope the report gives the reason why the tanker planes were never called in since they are co-managed by the NFS and NPS. Nonetheless, your observations on the 21st indicate that no signs of the 14th fire were present; and if the NPS did fully suppress the first fire, their timeline was undoubtedly non-aggressive to do so. 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. Some may be pines, but the vast majority appear to be hemlocks. I know for a fact that all humans are not as tuned into Nature as others. I would like to insert the word, accountability into this discussion. How the Historic Gatlinburg Fires Happened; a Humble Start - GovTech Now I can only imagine what children or adults with issues might have gleaned from this message being broadcast. I have for years pointed out to my students the dead hemlock all over the mountain. In regard to the Knoxville News Sentinel article by Don Jacobs and an apparent press release statement by the Deputy Superintendent of GSMNP: There was no way the fire could have been extinguished before the winds came. Jordan says. It goes for miles, Ive pushed as hard as I could straight down and only managed 1/10th mile an hour on the gps in a few such places. In a time in which the NPS and all other government agencies are under attack and certain factions are seeking to replace all our government agencies with private for profit industry I would not ignore the possibility of anything. Excellent report Dr. Gabbert. The town I live in in Kentucky has a $500 fine for tossing a cigarette out the window and we do not even have The potential for many brushfires. From an all hazards POV large scale fire should have been recognized long before any drought conditions. The windspeed was 1 to 3 mph. This appears to be the case once again. This is the way to honor each other and to learn. Those with information are urged to contact the Tennessee Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017 or the GFD at 865-436-5112. Downtown Gatlinburg fire: Experts identify remains found in rubble From my back ground in fire, safety and as a fire investigator I see the development of a chain of multiple, unusual and totally unexpected events leading up to final blowup. From just across the Smokies in Bryson City, N.C./Swain county. We would best not be blind until that time is upon us, as then it will be too late. Blame, no. I stopped him and said, Stanton, weve got to calm down and go slowly getting out of here so that we dont scare Abram and so that we can drive safely. Years ago, the NPS wasnt maintaining the churches in Cades Cove of the Smokies. There should be accountability for those in charge, in every arena of governance and responsibility and at every level. Our world is complex and it is a system of interacting parts, we all need to start thinking more globally (meaning systemic and how each part interacts with the other) in our processes and understand how each choice, decision and action we take personally and as a group affect all the other parts. Report: Gatlinburg fire caused $7 million in damages If I had even been in the bathroom or downstairs I wouldve died . Who can or will hold them accountable for their part in this tragedy? He and the other NPS staff there regularly went on out of state assignments. There was two contributing factors to this disaster. Thank you for this excellent synopsis. Because we were heading home to Ohio early Tuesday morning, we packed our suitcases and put them in the car. However, I still wonder why there has been no word from the governor about the post-fire review team he promised. Oh thats right they did but it was after everything burned! The reason that is a point is IMT has experience far beyond any fire teams in east TN or GSMNP, especially with wind-driven wildfires. We, the public, have to be activists for our own safety, the very safety that public officials claim to protect. The Spur between Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg is open from Pigeon Forge to the Gatlinburg Welcome Center. As for Caf 420, they have plans to rebuild, and their employees will keep their jobs. People who live in forested areas need to be aware of fire danger. Are Gatlinburg fires common? A list of big fires in the area [2022] Those are low numbers for the southeastern United States. Yet, at that very time, citizens were asking city employees and fireman if they should evacuate (well documented in the local news). Former Gatlinburg fire chief reflects as new wildfires burn - WTVF Virtually no one knows they have it and THEY DID NOT USE IT. What about firefighter safety? they may be using too wide a brush to place blame. I called Bob back and told him I was leaving hurriedly and that I would call him when we had made it out of woods to Pigeon Forge. Body found amid rubble of Sunday's major fire in Gatlinburg It now seems obvious that no housing development should have only road in and out. It is a sad state of affairs, the loss of life was quite avoidable. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1477959465566642&id=100000578092120. I checked historical aerial photos on the USGS website because the die-off of the hemlock has been primarily over the past 10 years in the southeastern Appalachians. The businesses include Cafe 420 . Even Congressman from east TN and western NC need to here it. We stopped at another neighbors house. Alice Hagler was reported missing by her family and later confirmed dead. These breaks downs undoubtedly show shortcomings by officials. What the fire victims need is non-biased experts to analyze the BACKFIRES that the NPS claims they ignited to protect NPS structures. At least seven people have died and dozens have been hospitalized in wildfires in Tennessee that have ravaged a popular tourist town and forced thousands from their homes. Not everything that happened with the fires had a dotted line to those two teens. The Incident Management Teams at Tellico, Rock Mountain and Joyce Kilmer/Slickrock fires had dead hemlocks near the trials knocked down (dynamite, cutting, other means theyre still working on it along the AT). Very well put Mari. By being so quick to lynch people we have created a fear of decision-making and a paralysis of critical thinking. She said I dont think its necessary for you to leave home with children and dog at this point. 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. The aptly named Fire Cherry, Beech and Mtn. Tennessee firefighters find dead body in remains of Gatlinburg building I seriously question if bias will be discreetly worked into this agency and their review of the fire?? Susan, Being that were neighbors with these people, its people that we love. As a former FF, their claim that they could have never put it out if they tried from day one is BS. Hemlocks were mentioned in a number of daily updates on Inciweb because they are basically standing roman candles thanks to the spiral of limbs. 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. No warnings of spreading fire, just radar and high wind warnings. All together this was the absolute worse place to have a fire at almost the worst time, save it was lucky to not have been a few weeks earlier. Now I am tasked with trying to motivate and coordinate the local fire departments much of who are volunteer, the state and national forest professionals to work with me and the community. It is unfortunate that sometimes a few seek to blame someone so quickly that they miss the opportunity to really get to the root of the causes for those issues in the first place. As it was, there had been brush fires burning in N Georgia and Western NC since October.
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