TEMA Update on Sevier
County Wildfires
11-29-16, 8 a.m.,
Central
November 29, 2016
HIGHLIGHTS
This update corrects information indicating Ober Gatlinburg
was destroyed in the wildfire last night. Ober Gatlinburg posted video this
morning on its Facebook page, indicating all is OK at the facility:
https://www.facebook.com/obergatlinburg/
• Media
Note: The Level III – State of Emergency has been in place since Thursday, Nov.
10, 2016, due to the ongoing drought conditions and wildfire threats in
Tennessee.
• Thousands
of residents and visitors evacuated overnight in Sevier County. Hundreds of
structures damaged and destroyed by the wildfires, according to local emergency
management officials.
• Hundreds
of firefighters, and local and state personnel, directly responding to the
wildfire situation or coordinating to help those who are.
• Sevier
County residents can indicate their status with the American Red Cross at the
organizations Safe and Well website:
https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php
• Residents
can also use Facebook’s Safety Check to indicate their status:
https://www.facebook.com/about/safetycheck/
CURRENT SITUATION
State agencies and local officials evacuated likely
thousands residents and visitors from Sevier County last night due to
devastating wildfires in-and-around the cities of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
It is very likely 14,000+ residents and visitors evacuated from Gatlinburg
alone.
The Chimney Top Fire, which began in the Great Smoky
Mountains, spread very rapidly yesterday evening as high winds pushed flames
onto private property.
Even with the rain that is currently falling there, the
fires continue to burn and structures remain engulfed with little hope that the
rainfall will bring immediate relief.
A temporary flight restriction is in place to prevent
aircraft from complicating the response.
Numerous roads remain closed and blocked by fallen trees and
power lines. State Hwy. 441 heading into Gatlinburg is closed, except for
emergency traffic. State Hwy. 441 leaving Gatlinburg is open to evacuating
traffic.
Additionally, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has
liaison officers in Sevier County and has activated the East Tennessee Regional
Coordination Center to facilitate resource requests and mission assignments.
Green and Sevier County schools are closed today. Cocke
County schools are running two hours late.
FATALITIES &
INJURIES
Three persons with severe burns were transferred form
University of Tennessee’s Knoxville (UTK) hospital to Vanderbilt Medical Center
in Nashville overnight. A fourth with burns to their face continues to be
evaluated at UTK. Currently, there are no reports of fatalities.
POWER OUTAGES
Sevier County reports 11,595 people without power.
SHELTERS
At a peak, an estimated 1,300 people occupied six Red Cross
or independently-operated shelters. The latest estimate is 1,100 people in four
shelters.
RESPONSE ACTIVITIES
TEMA opened the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in
Nashville last night coordinating with Emergency Services Coordinators and
representatives with the Tennessee departments of Commerce and Insurance (State
Fire Marshal), General Services, Health, Human Services and Transportation, and
American Red Cross, Army National Guard, Fire Mutual Aid, Tennessee Division of
Forestry, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and Voluntary Organizations Active in
Disasters.
This morning, representatives from the Tennessee departments
of Economic and Community Development, Labor and Workforce Development,
Financial Institutions, Department of Education, Finance and Administration,
Agriculture, and the Tennessee Valley Authority will join those organizations
already collaborating to ensure coordinated response and effective recovery.
Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers (up to 52 at peak) have
conducted door-to-door canvassing to assist with notifications and evacuations.
Tennessee Department of Transportation (32 personnel) crews
and trucks have been working continuously overnight to help clear routes of
ingress and egress, fire fighters and apparatus from scores of jurisdictions
responded with mutual aid.
The Tennessee National Guard is activating 100 soldiers to
assist with movement of first responders, light debris removal and wellness
checks.
The Tennessee Department of Health is coordinating hospitals
and medical services with local partners.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency worked with the
Federal Emergency Management Agency this evening to secure a Fire Management
Assistance Grant (FMAG) for the Chimney Top Mountain fire, which caused the
wildfire outbreak in Sevier County.
WEATHER
Showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m., Eastern, today with
winds 5 to 15 mph, and gusts to 20 mph. High near 69. Precipitation chance 80
percent.
Tonight, a chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers
likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 10 p.m., Eastern. Mostly cloudy with a
low around 59. Breezy, with a south wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph
after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is
70 percent.
KEY MESSAGE
TEMA is asking residents in Sevier County to stay off mobile
devices unless it is for emergency calls to prevent taxing the mobile system.
About the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency: TEMA’s
mission is to coordinate preparedness, response and recovery from man-made,
natural and technological hazards in a professional and efficient manner in
concert with our stakeholders. Follow TEMA on Facebook, TNDisasterInfo, on
Twitter, @T_E_M_A, and at www.tnema.org.
TEMA Update on Sevier County Wildfires, 11-29-30, 2 a.m.,
Central
HIGHLIGHTS
• The State
Emergency Operations Center remains activated tonight with numerous state and
non-profit agencies coordinating resources to assist Sevier County’s wildfire
response and to help in protecting lives and property.
• Wildfires
still burning in Sevier County with heavy smoke beginning to settle in parts of
the County.
• Sevier
County residents can indicate their status with the American Red Cross at the
organizations Safe and Well website: https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php
• Residents
can also use Facebook’s Safety Check to indicate their status:
https://www.facebook.com/about/safetycheck/
CURRENT SITUATION
Dangerous wildfires are still having an impact in Sevier
County as local officials ordered evacuations for downtown Gatlinburg, Pigeon
Forge, and other parts of the county.
Fire crews are still battling blazes in Sevier County as a
heavy layer of smoke settles in many areas of the county.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency worked with the
Federal Emergency Management Agency this evening to secure a Fire Management
Assistance Grant (FMAG) for the Chimney Top Mountain fire, which caused the
wildfire outbreak in Sevier County.
Sevier County officials currently estimate about 100 homes
impacted in the county with 10 homes impacted in Gatlinburg from the fire.
Approximately 30 structures have been impacted in
Gatlinburg, including a 16-story hotel on Regan Drive and the Driftwood
Apartments reported fully-involved near the Park Vista Hotel.
State Hwy. 441 heading into Gatlinburg is closed, except for
emergency traffic. State Hwy. 441 leaving Gatlinburg is open to evacuating
traffic.
Green, McMinn, Sevier County schools will be closed on
Tuesday. Cocke County schools run two hours late.
FATALITIES & INJURIES
There are no reports of fatalities. There is a report of a
report a burn injury to a male evacuee. There is also a report of minor
injuries due to a fire truck involved in an accident.
POWER OUTAGES
Sevier County reports 12,509 people without power.
SHELTERS
A total of 1,200 people have sheltered at the Gatlinburg
Community Center and at the Rocky Top Sports Park.
RESPONSE ACTIVITIES
The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Nashville is
open and operational, and TEMA coordination is ongoing through the SEOC with
state and local partners involved in the Gatlinburg wildfire response. These
partners include: the Tennessee departments of Agriculture and its Division of
Forestry; Commerce and Insurance and the State Fire Marshal, Correction, Environment
and Conservation, Health, Human Services, Military, and Transportation, and
Tennessee State Parks, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Voluntary
Organizations Active in Disasters, and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
The Tennessee National Guard is in the process of mobilizing
100 personnel from East Tennessee to assist Sevier County with transporting 1st
responders, removing light debris, and assisting with welfare checks.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation is securing fuel
resources and equipment to assist in replenishing diesel fuel for firefighters
and first responders’ vehicles.
The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development is
identifying lodging resources to assist those displaced by the wildfires.
TEMA logistics and the Tennessee Department of General
Services is working to secure a gasoline tanker for fuel.
Tennessee’s Fire Mutual Aid system is coordinating the
arrival of 50 to 60 fire apparatuses from local departments around from as far
north as Greenville, Tenn. and as far south as McMinn County, Tenn.
Tennessee Department of Health is coordinating to send
medical units from surrounding counties to assist with any medical transports.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is deploying strike teams to
assist with evacuations and traffic control.
WEATHER
High-wind warning for Sevier County until the morning. Rain
is also in the forecast for the area for the next few days.
KEY MESSAGE
TEMA is asking residents in Sevier County to stay off mobile
devices unless it is for emergency calls to prevent taxing the mobile system.
About the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency: TEMA’s
mission is to coordinate preparedness, response and recovery from man-made,
natural and technological hazards in a professional and efficient manner in concert
with our stakeholders. Follow TEMA on Facebook, TNDisasterInfo, on Twitter,
@T_E_M_A, and at www.tnema.org.
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