The entire city of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, the popular resort city in the Smokey Mountains is engulfed in flames from a wildfire that threatens to destroy the entire town. Residents and guests trying to flee the fire see their cars catch fire and must abandon them. Guests are trapped inside the Hilton Hotel because the flames and high winds make it dangerous to evacuate. By this time tomorrow, Gatlinburg could be a memory.
Flames are see through the window of Gatlinburg Park Vista Hilton Hotel as terrified guests gathered inside
Dollywood has been evacuated and the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies has also been evacuated and the fear is that all 10,000 animals and fish could soon be dead.
Hotel guest Logan Baker, who is staying at the Hilton with his family, said that the 16-story building began filling with smoke as fire came up and into the parking lot.
‘The only road to get down from the hotel, trees had fallen down in the road and were just engulfed in flames,’ he told ABC affiliate Wate, in a phone call from the hotel. ‘Then the flames came up into the parking lot and then told us we all had stay inside.’
Mr Baker said it was difficult to breathe as smoke and embers came into the hotel through faulty emergency doors.
Eventually firefighters were able to barricade the doors as guests opened out the top floor windows to let the smoke escape. So far, it’s still too dangerous for the guests to leave and they are barricaded in the basement.
‘Firefighters told us for the time being it’s just too dangerous to evacuate,’ added Mr Baker on a video call. ‘We can’t go outside. The firefighters said the wind is blowing at 80 miles per hour and the debris in the air is too hard to get us down right now.’
A nearby apartment complex was also completely engulfed by flames, authorities report.
While elsewhere in Gatlinburg, there were fears for the animals at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, after workers there had to be evacuated.
Ryan DeSears, general manager of the aquarium told WBIR-TV that the building was still standing and all workers had been evacuated.
However, he said workers were anxious to return to check on the well-being of the marine wildlife.
From inside the Hilton Hotel
A news release from the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce said the National Park Service reported more fire growth expected in the park with spot fires possibly forming outside the main area.
The Division of Forestry had reported on Sunday that the majority of wildfires in the area were completely contained as authorities were expecting a reprieve from the tinderbox conditions on Monday and Tuesday where more than two inches of rain were predicted to fall.
Unfortunately, the rain failed to fall, and strong winds have spread the flames to private property.
‘The wind is not helping, and the rain is not here yet,’ Gatlinburg Fire Department Chief Greg Miller said. ‘These are the worst possible conditions imaginable.’
The National Park Service has issued an Air Quality Advisory for the area due to the smoke.
Local schools have now cancelled tomorrow’s classes while park employees were evacuated from the area. Popular tourist routes have also been shutdown amidst the wildfires.
This is the second fire reported at Great Smoky Mountains National Park within a week. The first began at the Chimney Tops area and has spread across 500 acres.