On Nov. 28, 2016, the unthinkable happened. A human-set wildfire on a remote, rocky mountain called Chimney Top in Great Smoky Mountains National Park began what can only be described as an unprecedented northward race that lasted several hours but covered 5.5 miles, until eventually reaching the border of the national park.
Unfortunately, this particular portion of the park border happened to be occupied by the scenic mountain village and well-known tourist destination and ski resort of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Beginning at 5 p.m., the wildfire marched uncontrolled through and around Gatlinburg, burning more than 1,700 structures, including private residences, businesses, resorts and churches.
But the wildfire did not stop in Gatlinburg. The fire jumped farther northward, burning the landscape around the scenic parkway that led to Pigeon Forge, home of Dollywood family amusement park. Neighborhoods along the southern periphery of Pigeon Forge were all but consumed, adding another 300 structures to the total.
The final toll of the 2016 Gatlinburg wildfire and other nearby fires was more than 2,400 buildings destroyed and 14 lives lost, with some estimates of damage by insurance companies totaling more than $500 million to date. Some insurance experts are predicting that the covered costs of the damage from this wildfire could rival the still-increasing recovery costs associated with Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Why was this wildfire so unusual? The wildfire started on Nov. 23 on the south slope of Chimney Top, a well-known hiking trail destination for visitors to the national park. For three days, an inversion kept the wildfire fairly localized due to cooler temperatures and higher humidity near the ground surface, which also created a fairly stable atmosphere and little chance for fire growth.
Read more at Treesource: https://treesource.org/news/management-and-policy/gatlinburg-tennessee-wildfires/