A fire verociously burns in the Wears Valley area of Sevier County. Image by Jeaneane Payne.

GATLINBURG, TN — Sevier County, City of Gatlinburg, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have reported widespread fire damage and continued fire activity throughout the Gatlinburg area and much of Sevier County including Wears Valley, Pigeon Forge, and Jones Cove. Gatlinburg City officials have reported numerous structures completely lost to fire including businesses in the downtown area and private homes throughout the area.

There are an indefinite number of known fatalities as of this morning. LeConte Medical Center has called in a refrigerated tractor trailer to store bodies until a refrigerated morgue tent arrives. It has also been reported by a source that the Knoxville Daily Sun will not name that vehicles trying to evacuate the Gatlinburg area via the Spur could not escape the flames, and the vehicles melted. Many people have been trapped in the mountainous areas.

Unpredicted, extreme weather conditions on Sunday afternoon through Monday led to the exponential spread of fires both inside and outside of the National Park. Severe wind gusts of over 80 mph, unprecedented low relative humidity, and extended drought conditions caused the fire burning in the National Park to spread rapidly and unpredictably, in spite of suppression efforts on Sunday that included helicopter water drops. Wind gusts carried burning embers long distances causing new spot fires to ignite across the north-central area of the park and into Gatlinburg. In addition, high winds caused numerous trees to fall throughout the evening on Monday bringing down power lines across the area that ignited additional new fires that spread rapidly due to sustained winds of over 40 mph.

According to TEMA, the rain has stopped for today, the sun will come out, and we will have wind gusts of up to 70 mph throughout the day.

Conditions remain extremely dangerous with trees expected to continue to fall. Officials are asking that motorists stay off the roadways throughout the area. Travel in the Gatlinburg area is limited to emergency traffic only. The National Park is closed at the Gatlinburg entrance.

Officials have received tremendous support throughout the region included state resources and the deployment of the National Guard by Governor Haslam. The Red Cross established shelters in both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge where over 1,300 people have gathered to seek refuge. Several churches in Sevierville opened shelters, including First Baptist Church Sevierville and Red Bank Baptist Church. Both churches are feeding evacuees. First Baptist Church is preparing to feed 1,200 people tonight.

At this time, officials do not have information to release regarding the current size of the fire, the number of structures burned, or injuries. Additional news updates will be provided as information becomes available.

Related stories:
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park trails closed due to wildfire
• Chimney Tops Trail remains closed due to spreading wildfire
• Two sections of Great Smoky Mountains National Park on fire -- health hazard, trails closed, roads closed
• National Park trails closed due to another wildfire
• National Park trails reopened after wildfire
• City of Gatlinburg calling for evacuations due to wildfires
• National Park issues updated report on Chimney Tops wildfire; 7 fatalities, 700 structures lost
• National Park and Gatlinburg fires spread throughout Sevier County causing multiple fatalities and great damage
• Chimney Tops 2 Fire update for December 3
• Specific donations needed for Sevier County fire survivors
• Local, state, and federal officials provide update on Sevier County Fires
• Sevier County, City of Gatlinburg, TEMA, and Great Smoky Mountain National Park issue wildfires update
• Updated wildfires report issued today by Sevier County, City of Gatlinburg, TEMA, and Great Smoky Mountain National Park
• Chimney Tops 2 Fire update for December 3
• Sevier County Fires result in 14 fatalities, 160 injuries, 1,785 structures destroyed or damaged
• Two Tennessee juveniles charged in connection with Sevier County wildfires
• Sevier County, City of Gatlinburg, and TEMA issue update on wildfires
• U.S. Army Reserve responds to Smoky Mountain Wildfire aftermath
• Chimney Tops 2 Fire nearly contained; National Park and Gatlinburg reopen; roads update