WEARS VALLEY, Tenn. — Fire crews from the city of Dickson are one of about 400 different agencies that have traveled from across the state to try and save as many structures in the path of the Wears Valley wildfire.
Emergency crews from Dickson worked to keep flames from entering the Smoky Mountain Ridge Resort Friday. As smoke and ash were flying and flames grew closer, fire crews said they were trying to protect structures in clustered areas.
Once fire catches somewhere like a resort, Dickson Fire Captain Shane Steely said it’s hard to stop.
“Because if it gets into one area or one home, it’s typically going to go to multiple,” Steely said.
Hundreds of fire agencies from across the state are working together trying to contain the fire. This crew from Dickson traveled hundreds of miles to help.
“About 200. We’re about 40 miles west of Nashville,” he said.
The Dickson fire crew said they and about 400 other agencies are being dispatched wherever needed. On Friday, that meant protecting the resort from encroaching flames.
“Help them save their property...that’s what we’re here for. Everybody that’s here from the state of Tennessee or that’s come here -- that’s why we’re here to help,” Steely said. “We’re highly trained and prepared to help stop the fire.”
So far, they have been successful in their efforts to keep the flames from catching, but some structures in the path of the Hatcher Mountain fire weren’t as lucky.
“Fire rangers came in and we were told we had 20 minutes to get out,” tourist Christy Newell said.
While enjoying the second day of spring break at Little Valley Resort, Newell and her family were evacuated.
“Not being from here, we got really nervous. We didn’t take the opportunity to really pack up,” Newell said. “Our hearts just kind of sank. We got very nervous, you know like shaky nervous because you know, we had no idea what to expect really at all.”
They left without their personal belongings to stay in a hotel in Pigeon Forge. Thankfully, as evacuations lifted -- Newell was allowed back into her cabin in the resort Friday to grab her things before heading back to Chicago. She said it’s a family vacation she will never forget.
“Knowing that others were not as fortunate, you know, it’s the highs and lows of both so I’ve been packing up and crying,” Newell said. “It just breaks my heart for the people who live here.”
According to George Rainwater, the owner of Little Valley Resorts, five of the cabins were completely lost to the flames.
He said that considering what has been lost to this fire, they have been lucky to still have what they do and that they’re thankful for the emergency fire response.
TEMA launched a Sevier County Wildfire recovery webpage to provide information on state and local resources available to help wildfire survivors on Thursday.
The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance has a team in place at the Sevier County Fairgrounds, 753 Old Knoxville Highway, in Sevierville, beginning Friday who will be able to assist those affected by the Wears Valley wildfire to file insurance claims.
TEMA said insurance claim help and information from TDCI is also available by calling 615-741-2218, or 1-800-342-4029, and on TDCI’s website.