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Thursday, November 12, 2026Nov 12

State loses Gatlinburg wildfire phone calls to Emergency Operations Center

Fire damage to the Laurel Point Resort in Gatlinburg, Tenn., is seen on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Gatlinburg reopened to the public for the first time since fatal wildfires spread to the city on Nov. 28. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig)
Fire damage to the Laurel Point Resort in Gatlinburg, Tenn., is seen on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Gatlinburg reopened to the public for the first time since fatal wildfires spread to the city on Nov. 28. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig) Fire damage to the Laurel Point Resort in Gatlinburg, Tenn., is seen on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Gatlinburg reopened to the public for the first time since fatal wildfires spread to the city on Nov. 28. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig)

The state has lost the recordings of the telephone calls to and from its Emergency Operations Center on the day of the devastating Gatlinburg wildfire.

The following days’ calls, however, were recorded and preserved.

The problem was discovered when state employees tried to retrieve information to fulfill open records requests by media organizations, said Dean Flener, spokesman for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, which operates the center.

For the full story, see The Knoxville News.