With wetter weather providing help from above, firefighters at Great Smoky Mountains National Park were making progress on containing the Chimney Tops 2 Fire blamed for 14 deaths in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
With rainfall having reduced the fire inside the national park to smoldering spots, crews have been able to build a perimeter containment line around 42 percent of the fire's footprint. Rainfall that began Saturday night dropped about a half inch of moisture through Sunday, and scattered showers were in Monday's forecast, "with widespread rain returning to the area for Monday night and Tuesday as low pressure ejects from the far western Gulf of Mexico and crosses the area."
The fire, which started November 23, was blown out of the park and into Gatlinburg by hurricane force winds last Monday night into Tuesday. Nearly 1,700 structures have been reported damaged or destroyed. Among the 14 people killed was Elaine Brown, 81, of Sevierville, Tenessee, "who sustained a medical event causing a single-motor vehicle accident on Wears Valley Road while fleeing the fire," a park release said.
More than 700 firefighters were on the fire lines.
Gatlinburg city officials planned Monday to continue a damage assessment of roadways, infrastructure, and public works as the city prepares to open for business later this week, the release said. "Property owners, business owners, renters, and lease holders will continue to have daily access to properties to allow appropriate time for cleaning, smoke removal, and securing their properties," it added. "Daily access will now be allowed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The curfew remains in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m."
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