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Newfound Gap Road closed and no burn permits issued in Wears Valley due to winds

Newfound Gap Road runs from Gatlinburg, TN, to Cherokee, NC. Officials with the Great Smoky Mountains said the road would be temporarily closed due to high winds.

WEARS VALLEY, Tenn. — The Great Smoky Mountains National Park said a popular road would be temporarily closed Sunday due to high winds. Later, they said Newfound Gap Road would be closed overnight due to debris and downed trees.

 The road runs from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to Cherokee, North Carolina and is often used by travelers trying to navigate through the mountains.

Winds were estimated to be between 20 mph and 30 mph on Sunday. Gusts of more than 60 mph were also possible Sunday. The Wears Valley Fire Department also said that winds of up to 40 mph could be expected in the Wears Valley area.

As a result, they said no burn permits would be issued Sunday. They also said winds were expected to start diminishing later on Sunday evening.

The Knoxville Utilities Board also said they were working to restore power to around 570 customers after high winds caused power outages across the service area.

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