From USA Today
Wildfires lead to evacuation of Gatlinburg
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Gatlinburg Fire Department has ordered the mandatory evacuation of downtown Gatlinburg as wind conditions worsened and several fires grew increasingly unpredictable and dangerous.There were reports that Dollywood, the theme park started by country star Dolly Parton, was in the path of the flames.Some areas of Pigeon Forge also were being evacuated, according to fire spokeswoman Trish McGee.”Three county school buses are available for emergency transport and are being dispatched as needed to transport those who need to evacuate,” according to a statement from McGee.”We were just told by the Gatlinburg Fire Department that they had told everybody in Gatlinburg to get out,” said Judy Tucker, director of Sevier County’s E-911 call center, around 9 p.m. “… No one’s getting through to anyone. Phones are ringing and not being answered anywhere. It’s chaos.”
Gatlinburg, Tennessee is a popular tourist destination. The fires there are something the people aren’t used to. They need rain. God be with those folks.
The Tony Burgess Blog 