NASHVILLE – Tennessee wildfires have already cost the state an estimated $5.5 million to fight, not to mention property damage, and that has Gov. Bill Haslam vowing to go after arsonists believed responsible for setting at least half of the blazes across drought-parched portions of the state.
Sen. Bob Corker, center, greets forestry and emergency personal after touring wildfire-damaged areas of Southeast Tennessee by helicopter. Corker held a press conference at the Tennessee Division of Forestry Incident Command Post in Soddy-Daisy on Nov.21, 2016.“We obviously are very concerned about fires in Tennessee, particularly the fact that it looks like the majority of them were set by arsonists,” Haslam told reporters. “I can assure you we’re going to pursue those folks with everything they can because the impact on our communities is huge.”
Haslam’s comments came after he questioned state Agriculture Commissioner Jai Templeton and Division of Forestry officials, up for their annual budget review, about the fires in Hamilton County and other parts of East Tennessee where fires in forested and other areas have been worst.
Tennessee firefighters, aided by teams from Florida, Texas and other states that belong in a 10-state compact, have done a “terrific job,” the governor said.
“Obviously there are costs associated,” Haslam said. “Some of that will hit our own budget. It could be as much as $5 million. We’ll have to see how all that plays out.”