Crews work to reopen Gatlinburg after deadly wildfires

GATLINBURG, Tenn. — Crews are working to reopen Gatlinburg nearly a week after deadly wildfires forced residents to evacuate.

The death toll now stands at 15.

More than 1,000 structures have burned and with people still unaccounted for, residents fear the death toll will rise.

Police vehicles, utility trucks and firefighters rode into the empty city Saturday to work to reopen the normally busy tourist destination by Wednesday.

“To see it all gone is just really heartbreaking,” evacuee Claire Brandau said.

Mary Justice drove from Paulding County to Gatlinburg Saturday morning to help evacuees.

“It was hard for us to watch this and know that our friends are being affected by it,” she said.

Justice is one of many volunteers that came to an evacuee staging area with supplies.

“I can’t believe somebody would damage God’s creation and the beauty that is the Smoky Mountains,” she said.

Channel 2’s Matt Johnson rode along with rangers at the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park as fire crews assessed the damage.

Officials said the fire started at Chimney Tops and spread 17,000 acres.

“This area, we haven’t seen this in our lifetimes,” said Molly Schroer, Public Information Officer with the National Park Service. “The factors were all there. There was an exceptional drought this time. It was also very windy on the day that this occurred.”

Crews are keeping an eye on fire-damaged trees and chopping down any that may fall down on drivers as they re-enter the city next week.

Cox Media Group