SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. — There are two fire fire seasons in Tennessee, one happening in the spring and the other when the leaves begin to drop in the the fall.
Wildland firefighters are on the front line of battling blazes that spark up in the woods.
"We have a Spring and a fall season and as leaves begin to change, we expect leaves to drop soon, which is our primary source of wildfires," said National Park Service Fire Manager Sean Paxton.
East Tennessee firefighters gathered to share insight and partake in training for the upcoming fire season.
The area has been in a dry spell for the past couple of weeks, something Pigeon Forge Fire Chief Tony Watson says people should be paying attention to.
"We live in a wild land mecca and we all know that these fires are continuing to get worse, not just here but worldwide. We need to work together to come up with solutions and prevention," Watson said.
Watson adds that people who live in high woodland density areas should take some simple steps to help firefighters protect their homes, like making sure your burn piles are safely put out and clearing your yard of any combustible materials.
Fire season officially begins on October 15th.