At least three Gatlinburg-area resorts have been reported destroyed by wildfires raging in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains. The Black Bear Falls log-cabin rental resort, Ober Gatlinburg amusement park and ski area, and the Westgate Mountain Resort & Spa were all destroyed, emergency management spokesman Dean Flener said. At least four people have been injured. The wildfires have in part been propelled by the area’s worst drought in a decade and strong winds. “Everything was like a perfect storm,” said Cassius Cash, superintendent of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. “If you’re a person of prayer, we could use your prayers,” Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller said Monday night, as cabins at Dollywood were evacuated and crews fought off fires at the edge of the amusement park’s parking lots. Gatlinburg—a popular tourist destination with a population of 4,000—and several surrounding towns were issued mandatory evacuation orders as firefighters struggled to contain the 14 separate wildfires that burned around the region.
Wildfires Close In On Heart of Tennessee (Photos)
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