After the fire: 10 spots in Gatlinburg from the air

He said he had no specifics, including where the body was found or whether the person died in a hospital. Wildfires can rekindle, they said. Officials will work with business owners to confirm that people were staying at their lodging businesses.

As people were let into the city, a county mayor raised the death toll to 13 and said the number of damaged buildings now approached 1,000.

For now though, the citizens of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge will have more tears than smiles.

But echoing a sentiment shared by many, he said little could have been done to prevent the catastrophic spread of the fires, fueled by ideal conditions for explosive growth. “I don’t know that we’ll ever know that answer”. “A lot of the families that don’t know where to go or what’s next”. Search and rescue efforts continued in areas that have been unreachable because of downed power lines and trees.

More than 1,400 wildfires have burned across Tennessee this year. Within an hour, more than 20 structures were on fire.

Then she remembered that her home was gone. Gatlinburg is considered a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We got off with the clothes on our back. People must be able to prove they are property owners, leasers or renters. They’re sleeping on the floor.

“She called me at 8:30 and said the house was on fire”. He said the wind came in earlier than forecast.

“There was a wall of fire outside the condominium wall”, Carnes said.

Jon and Janet SummersJon and Janet Summers, of Memphis, shown here with their three sons, were killed in the wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

Burned buildings and cars aftermath of wildfire is seen in this image released in social media by Tennessee Highway Patrol in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has set up a hotline at 800-TBI-FIND for loved ones to report anyone missing. She gave no details on any specific cases.

A doctor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center said Wesley and Branson Summers would undergo surgery Monday requiring skin grafts.

GATLINBURG, Tennessee (AP) – The wildfire that popped up on a steep, rugged peak in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was just one of a dozen that fire crews had been fighting over the last month because of the drought.

Gatlinburg Fire Department Chief Greg Miller said at a press conference Thursday the fire had moved very quickly, overwhelming the resources of his department and national park fire authorities, who did not know that winds would gust as violently as they did. “It is just knocked down”.

It is believed the fire was initially human-caused.

Authorities want to talk with anyone who hiked in the Chimney Tops area or who knows anyone who hiked the trail on November 23. Strong winds that began Sunday helped the fire spread into the Gatlinburg area the next day.

In response to reporters’ questions Friday, John Matthews with the Sevier County Emergency Management Agency said a text alert telling people to evacuate went out around 9 p.m. Monday to anyone with a mobile device connected to a cell tower in the city.

More than 14,000 people have been evacuated from Gatlinburg and the neighbouring resort town of Pigeon Forge.

In Gatlinburg, the centre of the devastation, officials hope to open the city’s main roads to the public by Wednesday.

“She … said there were flames across the street from the house”.

A 6 p.m to 6 a.m. curfew continues in Gatlinburg.

One of Hagler’s sons, Lyle Wood, says the family is mourning and trying to figure out the next steps for a brother who lived with his mother but wasn’t home when the fire came.

“Gatlinburg is the people”, he said. It’s not the buildings. Authorities have asked that information on specific animals be provided to the county humane society at sevierhumane.org or on the society’s Facebook page. The Red Cross is now seeking donations and I am sure that many other organizations will seek donations as well. Donations may be made by calling 866-586-4483 or 865-430-7384.

The blaze has damaged or destroyed more than 700 structures in Sevier County, the team said. Almost 500 firefighters from state and federal agencies continued laboring Friday to keep the fire area contained and monitor hotspots. The damage is well in the billions of dollars, as the mayor of Gatlinburg has stated in a press conference. Homeowners may bring insurance adjusters with them.