Death toll rises to 12 in Tennessee fire

“The Great Smoky Mountains are one of the most biologically diverse places in the United States, partly due to the geologically ancient nature of the landscape, as well as the wet and humid forests covering their slopes and hollows”, Bruce Stein, associate vice president for conservation science and climate adaptation at the National Wildlife Federation, said. The remains have not yet been positively identified nor families notified. “They had went to the point of having to sit down, we had some food and I guess as soon as we had the food it hit them and everybody was just kind of flaked out on the sidewalk”.

“Rain is a good thing for Gatlinburg right now”, he told the thousands assembled for the 80 Birthday Volunteer Jam. “I know you’re frustrated”.

“Today we’ve been going from house to house that are burned, checking the damage”, Terry Hood, Spring Hill fire chief, said around noon Thursday. ATF Agent Michael Knight said the agency was called in overnight to help with the investigation.

Heavy rain on Wednesday helped some, and the wildfires in the area were reported to be out by early Wednesday evening, TEMA said, though some were still smoldering. “We have to come to the realization that the potential is great it will be more of a recovery (of corpses) than a rescue”. He lost his home and his business. “And that grew and that grew and that grew”, Miller said.

People in the town described the scene as “people running for their lives”.

It’s unclear as to how many people remain unaccounted for. They’re sleeping on the floor. The park alerted Gatlinburg and Sevier County officials to be on the lookout.

Mayor Waters says all the fires are extinguished in the county and city, but some hot spots remain.

“We don’t want any of our recent precipitation to give any false sense of security, because fire is a tremendous beast”, Miller said.

The dead included a Memphis couple who was separated from their three sons during the wildfires.

Footage from an aerial drone operated by Gatlinburg, Tennessee, resident Andrew Duncan, shows the devastation resulting from nearby wildfires.

Officials discovered three more bodies Wednesday, raising the death toll to seven.

Gov. Bill Haslam said this is the largest fire in 100 years in Tennessee.

The Washington Post reports 53 people have been treated at area hospitals for injuries related to the wildfires.

A doctor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center said Wesley and Branson Summers would undergo surgery Monday requiring skin grafts. Just over an hour later, some 30 structures were on fire in Gatlinburg, including a 16-story hotel, emergency officials told the Associated Press.

The National Park Service earlier this week said rangers believe the fire – which ravaged more than 17,000 acres and destroyed or damaged more than 700 buildings – was manmade. The fire is now burning in brush, hardwood slash and leaf litter.

Deputy Park Superintendent Jordan Clayton said the initial fire started November 23 near the end of a popular hiking trail. “It is just knocked down”.

“Whether it was purposefully set or whether it was a careless act that was not meant to cause a fire, that we don’t know”, Clayton said. But the bureau said the number of leads doesn’t necessarily reflect those actually missing. Another 6,000 acres have been torched outside of the park. Authorities said they plan to announce details at an 11 a.m. news conference about when people can expect to be let in to check on their properties. Within an hour, more than 20 structures were on fire. “I don’t have a great understanding of it myself, because it’s so unfathomable”.

It advised people near the mountain resort town to stay off the Internet. The three were smiling and grateful to see friends and family, she said.

Authorities continue to block access to the city, from which about 14,000 residents and tourists were evacuated Monday.

When authorities decide it’s safe for people to return to the fire-devastated city of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Mark Howard knows what he’ll find: nothing. It’s not the buildings.

The county is asking pet owners to provide names and specific addresses of the animals to the Sevier County Humane Society Facebook page. It has taken days to comb through the area, in part because downed trees and power lines and other debris made some areas hard to reach. Donations may be made by calling 866-586-4483 or 865-430-7384.

Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said they will completely evaluate that system and improve it. From there, they were to go to Disney World. Waters declared that Sevier County was “open for business”.