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Forest Fire Threatens Dollywood

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
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A Forest Fire has broken out in Great Smokey Mountain National Park, which has given rise to a mandatory evacuation of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. This fire currently covers 500 acres, but has quickly spread today due to abnormally dry conditions in the mountain areas. No word yet if Dollywood is in a high-risk area, however this story will continue to develop over the coming 24-48 hours.

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/gatlinburg-neighborhood-voluntarily-evacuating-due-to-fire/357115866




 

Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
Moderator
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To give folks a sense of where the fire is at present, Upper Middle Creek Ridge sits immediate south and east of the park, picture here in between the park and Dollywood Cabins (which have been evacuated).
 

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GuyWithAStick

Captain Basic
Oh dear, hopefully they'll control the fire before it gets to Dollywood. Imagine getting spited by LR due to a fire. </3

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peep

CF Legend
This news really sucks, I hope they're able to start controlling the fire soon, such an amazing area.
 

davidm

Strata Poster
This (link) report says "...The traffic is horrible. It's a mass exodus," Gail said. "A roller coaster is on fire at Goats on the Roof," a theme park in Pigeon Forge..." (how accurate that is, who knows :( )
Very nasty ; Goats is the other side of PF to Dollywood so fires could be pretty widespread (but read elsewhere its all meant to be inside the national park itself which is a few miles south of PF).
Gatlinberg seems to have been hit very hard (read somewhere that the Hillbilly Golf was destroyed and thats right next door to the Gatlinberg Mountain Coaster).
No fatalities reported so far (at least thats good), but some serious damage being done it seems. :(

( Wildfire beats Lightning Rod then? (Too soon?) )
 
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Hyde

Matt SR
Staff member
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http://www.wymt.com/content/news/Dollywood-park-not-damaged-by-wildfires-403593696.html

ATLANTA (AP) - Dollywood representatives say the theme park hasn't been damaged by wildfires, but more than a dozen cabins operated by the park have been damaged or destroyed.

A news release says Dollywood made an assessment of the park early Tuesday morning. On Monday night, resort staff evacuated families staying in 50 rooms at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort and in 19 of Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Cabins.

The release notes that Dollywood has suspended park operations at least through Wednesday, but DreamMore will be open on a limited basis as a shelter and for registered guests.

Also on Tuesday, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency reported that the Ober Gatlinburg amusement park and ski area is fine. The agency previously received reports that the facility was likely destroyed.

Preliminary surveys indicate that the fires have wiped out the more than 100 buildings of the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa.
 
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