NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The devastation from wildfires that roared out of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, torching hundreds of buildings and leaving 14 people dead, has been voted the top Tennessee news story of 2016, according to an annual Associated Press survey of reporters, editors and broadcasters.
Forest fires had been burning for weeks amid drought conditions in eastern Tennessee that persisted through the fall. They were largely considered to be under control until hurricane-force winds kicked up the night of Nov. 28, whipping flames into the popular tourist town of Gatlinburg and to the doorstep of the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge.
Thousands of people raced through the inferno to try to reach safety as flames dripped from tree branches and the air filled with embers.
“The wildfires did tremendous material damage, but they also took the lives of 14 people,” said Greeneville Sun Editor Michael Reneau. “Conversely, the disaster showed what kind of spirit exists in East Tennessee and across the state, as the outpouring of support for Sevier County continues.”
Maria de Varenne, the director of news at the Tennessean, said the “fire of the century” was her choice for the top story because of the number of people affected and the economic impact.