Tennessee wildfire News

Wildfires Prompt North Carolina, Tennessee Campgrounds to Evacuate; West Virginia Blaze Contained

Wildfires prompted campgrounds in North Carolina and Tennessee to evacuate starting Sunday while firefighters prepared for high winds and low humidity on Monday, though officials hoped for some help from expected rain. The National Weather Service`s office in Morristown, Tennessee, …

Dollywood Temporarily Suspends Park Entry Due to Nearby Wildfire

Dolly Parton`s Dollywood temporarily suspended entry Thursday into the Tennessee amusement park as wildfire crews on Thursday battled nearby flames. Park officials say they paused entry to allow fire crews enough room to assess the growing blaze in Sevier County …

Judge Allows Great Smoky Mountains Wildfire Lawsuits to Move Forward

U.S. park officials have failed to show enough was done to keep the public updated as a deadly wildfire spread from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2016, a judge ruled. The decision earlier this month by U.S. District Judge …

Judge: Survivors of Tennessee Wildfire Can Sue National Park Service

Survivors of a historically deadly Tennessee wildfire that killed 14 people can sue the National Park Service for failing to warn them of the danger, a federal judge has ruled. The fire began in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park …

Insurance Companies Sue Government Over Gatlinburg Fire

More than 40 insurance companies sued the federal government last week over its handling of a 2016 Tennessee wildfire that killed 14 people and destroyed or damaged more than 2,500 buildings in Sevier County. The Knoxville News Sentinel reports the …

Prosecutors Unable to Prove Arson Against 2 Youths in Tennessee Wildfires

Prosecutors have dropped arson charges against two juveniles in connection with the Tennessee wildfires that killed 14 people and tore through thousands of homes and businesses in November, a law enforcement official said Friday. In December, District Attorney General Jimmy …

Dolly Parton Fund Aids 921 Tennessee Wildfire Victims

Dolly Parton’s My People Fund has issued monthly checks to 921 people who lost their homes in deadly wildfires that ravaged East Tennessee last year. The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that Dollywood Foundation President David Dotson said the fund received …

Dolly Parton Telethon Raises $9M for Tennessee Wildfire Victims

Dolly Parton says a star-studded telethon for those affected by recent wildfires in her native Tennessee has brought in about $9 million. Parton headlined the event on Dec. 13 that was broadcast on several cable networks and livestreamed online. Parton …

Tennessee Wildfire Damage Estimated at $500M

Deadly wildfires caused more than $500 million in damage as they tore through a tourism community in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and killed 14 people, local officials estimated Tuesday. Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters put a dollar …

Dolly Parton Organizing Telethon for Wildfire Victims in Tennessee

Country icon Dolly Parton has organized a musical telethon to raise money for victims of the Tennessee wildfires that destroyed more than 1,700 homes in the resort town of Gatlinburg. The event, which will air Dec. 13 on Great American …