Officials defend response to deadly wildfire

At 5 p.m. Monday, the city of Gatlinburg had no reported fires.

“We’re strong, but we’re even stronger with the help we’re getting from across the nation”, Waters said.

A school building burns as wildfires move through Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Nov. 28, 2016.

Thirteen people are confirmed dead and about 70 are still missing in USA wildfires that continue to burn in a 70-square-kilometre area in and around Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Local officials bowing to pressure from frustrated property owners said they would allow people back into most parts of the city Friday morning, with residents having to go through a check point showing proof of ownership or residency. If all goes well, this type of access will continue through Tuesday.

The officials warned that structures are not necessarily safe to enter and may not be stable. Cash said they knew high winds were coming, but they came much earlier than expected.

Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters also defended the response to the wildfires that spread rapidly Monday, saying it was not the time for “Monday morning quarterbacking”. Charred home and cars sit on a property, while a neighbor’s home, background, is undamaged Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Roads won’t be open to the public until Wednesday. The county is asking pet owners to provide names and specific addresses of the animals to the Sevier County Humane Society Facebook page.

Waters said responders did the best they could as 14,000 people were forced to flee, some of them through a tunnel of flames.

Gov. Bill Haslam said it’s the state’s largest wildfire in 100 years.

The massive wildfires that stormed through the communities in and around Sevier County, Tennessee claimed the lives of 13 people while destroying thousands of acres of attractive countryside. An additional 212 firefighters were requested to help with the effort on Tuesday, he added.

In nearby communities, there were signs of normality.

“We will rebuild”, said Werner. Most stayed at their duties despite being told to take breaks, Miller said. Founded in 1846, AP has covered all the major news events of the past 165 years, providing high-quality, informed reporting of everything from wars and elections to championship games and royal weddings.

Estimates place the number of homes and businesses damaged or destroyed at more than 700 so far – about 300 inside the Gatlinburg city limits and another 400 in neighboring Pigeon Forge and unincorporated communities such as Wears Valley and Cobbly Nob. In a first look at the origins of the fire, park officials explained to The Associated Press on Thursday how nothing was going to stop this voracious beast from spreading over 16,000 acres in just 24 hours.

Burned buildings and cars aftermath of wildfire is seen in this image released in social media by Tennessee Highway Patrol in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on November 29, 2016.

One thing I have learned about Mother Nature is that she’ll come back. So the Great Smoky Mountains, in a few years, will be more handsome than ever before.

“She called me about 8:15 and said that there were flames across the street from our house, and she didn’t know what to do, so I told her to call 911, and that was the last time I talked to her”, Reed told WATE-TV in Knoxville.

The flames reached the doorstep of Dollywood, the theme park named after Parton, but the park was spared any significant damage and will reopen today.

Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, both popular vacation destinations, are home to a combined 10,000 permanent residents.