KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Crews have been battling wildfire after wildfire across East Tennessee amid severe and extreme drought conditions that are fueling the fire threat.
The fire danger will be high Monday and Tuesday due to gusty winds, particularly in the higher elevations. Due to the elevated risk, Red Flag warnings will be in effect for several counties, and crews are pleading with people not to burn anything outdoors because it has a high potential for starting brush fires that could spread quickly.
Wildfires have been reported in most counties in the area over the past two weeks, including, Knox, Blount, Sevier, Loudon, Cumberland, Anderson, Scott, Campbell, Claiborne Union and Grainger counties.
Most have burned in remote areas away from the public. Some, such as a Knox County fire that burned in the Choto area, were more visible to people living in those areas.
A fire sparked up in Blount County near Townsend on Monday as Red Flag warnings went up for the higher elevations. The fire was reported on Rich Mountain Gap, which is inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park southwest of Townsend. Crews with Townsend, Tennessee forestry, and the National Park responded. It was 100% contained Monday evening, and crews were staying overnight to make sure it did not cross a fire line.
Another fire was reported in Cocke County Monday night, in the Wilton Springs area of Cosby. Crews were responding to that fire Monday night, Nov. 20. The Cocke County Fire Department said two people from one home were evacuated at around midnight, and three homes were threatened.
A fire burning near Dollywood in Pigeon Forge had crews working quickly to contain it Thursday. On Wednesday a different brush fire broke out south of Pigeon Forge near Sugar Mountain Way. As of Friday, there were no active or uncontained fires in Sevier County, according to the county Emergency Management Agency.
At least one fire on Renegade Mountain in Cumberland County has threatened and destroyed a few buildings. As of Thursday afternoon, it was 100% contained.
Crews in Union County were battling a wildfire near Satterfield Road and Buck Lane. Knox County Rural Metro said it was up to 100 acres large and it was helping Union County firefighters battle it. As of Friday afternoon, it was 60% contained.
Another brush fire ignited in Fountain City on Nov. 17. It was relatively small, under ten acres, but authorities said it was intentionally set and a person was charged with arson.
Mark Wilbanks, the Assistant Chief for Knoxville Fire Department, said all the fires are stretching their forces thin.
"Tennessee Forestry is stretched pretty thin, local fire departments have become stretched pretty thin dealing with this stuff," said Wilbanks.
He says his crews are facing dangerous conditions when working to extinguish fires.
"You're out there climbing steep hills, you're working in rocky terrain with trees that can fall on top of you if the wind starts kicking up. It's a very dangerous type of place to have to work," said Wilbanks.
The largest fire in the area is in Scott County with a size of more than 2,600 acres. Since Oct. 15 Tennessee has seen more than 8,500 acres go up in flames, according to the Department of Agriculture.
A fire burning in North Carolina, near Cocke County, also threatened to spill over into Tennessee. The "Black Bear Fire" was around 1,193 acres on Nov. 17 and was 0% contained.
You can see a map with all the fires the Tennessee Division of Forestry is tracking below:
If the map is not loading, try clicking here. A red symbol means the fire is actively being fought, a green symbol means the fire was recently reported, a brown symbol means the fire is contained, and a gray symbol means the fire is no longer active.
It is important for people in East Tennessee to avoid burning outdoors right now. Conditions are extremely dry and aren't looking to improve anytime soon, so even small fires have the ability to easily spark up grass fires that could spread into much larger fires.
State-issued burn bans are in effect for Morgan, Rhea and Sevier counties, including Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, due to the fire danger from the severely dry conditions East Tennessee is experiencing.
A burn ban forbids any open-air fire, including:
- Leaves and brush
- Fence rows and ditch banks
- Construction debris boards, plywood, decking, cardboard, etc.
- Fields and grassland
- Gardens
- Wooded areas
- Campfires and cooking fires
- Charcoal or wood-fired grills (does not include natural or propane gas-fired grills)
- Burn barrels
- Air curtain destructors
- Fireworks
The burn ban will be enforced by local law enforcement officers. According to officials, Violation of the ban is considered reckless burning and is punishable as a Class A misdemeanor.
Violators of the ban could face a Class A misdemeanor charge, which carries a penalty of up to $2,500 in fines and up to one year in jail.
“With the current dry conditions and low humidity values, the risk of wildfires is very high,” Sevier County Fire & Rescue Chief David Puckett said. “A single spark could ignite a wildfire that could threaten lives and property.”
Emergency personnel are asking residents and visitors in the Sevier County area to use extreme caution when working outdoors. This includes operating equipment outdoors, ensuring safety chains on trailers are properly attached, and properly discarding smoking materials in ashtrays or other containers.