Here's what you need to know as crews continue to battle a raging wildfire in Sevier County. https://bit.ly/3wMSfVj
SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) – Responders from several East Tennessee agencies are on the scene of a major wildfire in Sevier County. Follow here for live updates on what officials are calling the Hatcher Mountain Road/Indigo Lane Fire.
Live Update (3:30 a.m.):
List of shelters and evacuation centers:
Live Update (1:30 a.m.):
A mandatory evacuation was issued for the Dupont Area from South Rogers Road to the Blount County/Sevier County line and Ownby Hills and Hidden Hills neighborhoods in the city of Gatlinburg. Residents can go to the Gatlinburg Convention Center or Pigeon Forge Community Center.
The King’s Academy is open as a shelter for those evacuating due to local fires. If you are in need of shelter please come to 202 Smothers Road, Seymour, TN.
Live Update (10:00 p.m.):
Sevier County EMA officials released an interactive map for those in the area. Residents can use it to search their address to find out if they need to evacuate.
Officials with the Rural Metro Fire Department announced they deployed one engine and one chief officer to Sevier County to assist their incident management team.
“Please pray for those personnel and ALL the personnel working hard to extinguish this wildfire,” officials said.
Live Update (8:56 p.m.):
Responders have confirmed to WVLT News that the wildfire in Sevier County has grown to 1,000 acres and affected 35 structures.
Live Update (8:16 p.m.):
Knoxville Fire Department officials told WVLT News just after 8 p.m. that they deployed four units to Wears Valley to assist in fighting the fires, according to Knoxville Police Department Assistant Chief Mark Wilbanks.
WVLT News also spoke with Brook Smith, a forester at the scene, who said as nightfall nears the situation may improve some. “Nighttime, we can usually get a good handle on containing the fire, putting it in a place to where we can bump crews out for the evening so they can get sleep,” Smith said. “They can some back in the morning and the fire hasn’t moved.”
On the other hand, high winds also concerned responders, Smith said. “By and large nighttime fires calm down and don’t move much, but tonight we are going to have winds that will be a concern.”
Live Update (7:21 p.m.):
Authorities issued an evacuation for the greater Wears Valley and Walden’s Creek areas just after 7 p.m.
Live Update (7:13 p.m.):
Sevier County Schools officials announced schools would not be open on Thursday, March 31 just after 7 p.m.
Live Update (6:08 p.m.):
Sevier County authorities told WVLT News that the fire had affected at least 20 structures, like buildings, and one civilian was injured. The injured person was reportedly taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center via airlift.
Live Update (4:30 p.m.):
Live Update (3 p.m.):
Live Update (1 p.m.):
Hatcher Mountain Road/Indigo Lane Fire Full Story:
Multiple agencies responded to a large brush fire in the Wears Valley community Wednesday morning, according to the Sevier County Fire Department and the Tennessee Division of Forestry. As of 6 p.m., the fire had affected at least 20 structures, like buildings, and one civilian was injured.
This comes after fire crews were preparing for the threat of wildfires due to a Red Flag Warning. Firefighters in Sevier County said they were on level 4 alert of 5 for the threat of wildfires on Tuesday. The Tennessee Military Department told WVLT News that the national guard was on standby to fly two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters over the fire if needed.
Sevier County officials began issuing mandatory evacuations around 4:30 p.m. They said people in the Hatcher Mountain, Shagbark Resort and Little Valley Mountain Resort should evacuate immediately. More evacuation orders followed, including one for the Black Bear Resort area and the great Waldens Creek and Wears Valley area. For those evacuated, a shelter was established at the Pigeon Forge Community Center Center, located at 170 Community Center Drive. The shelter was open to families and pets.
If you are in the Wears Valley or Walden's Creek areas please evacuate immediately. The map below shows the evacuation area. If you are unsure if you are in this area, you should evacuate.
Highway 321, Wears Valley Road, was closed to traffic from Townsend to Pigeon Forge due to the fire. Officials with the Pigeon Forge Police Department said no traffic will be able to travel into Wears Valley from Pigeon Forge until further notice. Crews closed the road, saying they were focusing on stopping the fire from crossing it and spreading into more populated areas.
Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters spoke to WVLT News about the situation Wednesday afternoon, saying officials are doing their best to stay ahead of fires, monitor conditions and issue evacuations when needed.
“Stay vigilant. We have personnel going door to door,” he said. “We just want everybody to stay vigilant. Have a phone that’s charged and on and listen to the media.”
When asked how he felt personally, Waters said he felt nervous and asked for prayers.
Tony Ogle, a spokesperson for Sevier County Schools, said that Wearwood Elementary School evacuated its students to the Pigeon Forge Community Center due to the wildfires. He also told WVLT News that buses are en route to Pigeon Forge Primary, Intermediate, Junior High and High School to dismiss students. Once buses arrive, students will be dismissed accordingly.
As of 4:30 p.m., forestry officials also reported one resident was injured and was airlifted out of the area to the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
Those in the Sevier County area can get the lasted information through the WVLT News app or from officials through Sevier County alerts, which come to cell phones automatically.
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