Gatlinburg TN Wildfire Updates; Wildfires Displaces Thousands; 100 Homes Burned; City Evacuates 4,000 Residents

By Marguerite Chang - 29 Nov '16 07:13AM

Thousands have fled to a safe location after an out of control wildfire engulfs Gatlinburg in eastern Tennessee.

The wildfire caused 1,200 people to go to evacuation shelters to seek refuge from the wildfire that is affecting the city. 100 homes have been confirmed to have been damaged by the fire. According to the spokesperson of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), Dean Flener, the firefighters have managed to control the fire and stop it from fully engulfing the Dollywood theme park.

ABC News has reported that over 12,500 people have been affected as they lost power in their area. TEMA has labeled the fire as dangerous and has given warning to the residents already.

Sharon Pinyan, leaving Gatlinburg, reports… “Evacuated Gatlinburg. A car behind us caught on fire due to the flames jumping the road.” pic.twitter.com/qislDoxpl0

— James Spann (@spann) November 29, 2016

As the large wildfire continue to grow, over 100 firefighters have been dispatched to help control the fire in Pigeon Forge and Sevier County in Gatlinburg.

Animal shelters are also opening their doors for pets that are in need of assistance especially if their owners are fleeing towards the shelters. Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies have also made sure that the animals under their care do no inhale the smoke from the wildfire.

In downtown Gatlinburg, a hotel and an apartment complex have been damaged by the fire and about 30 structures have been burned. Fox News interviewed the Superintendent of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cassius Cash, and he has said that he has not experienced this great a wildfire in all his 25 years in the service. Cash has said that this is "unprecedented". Residents have been rushing to leave the city to flee for safer ground.

Firefighters are hoping that the weather forecast that there will be rainfall in the area will help the authorities contain the wildfire faster. Sadly, the wind is picking up and further fanning the flames as they await for the much needed rainfall.